FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DEMOCRACY FOR NEW YORK CITY BLASTS PASSAGE OF FISA BILL

Democracy for NYC is severely disappointed that the House of Representatives has
voted to pass a bill that is unnecessary at best, and a severe blow to freedom at
home and abroad. The House vote on H.R.6304, the “FISA Amendments Act of
2008,” indicates a denial of reality among both Democrats and Republicans, and a
repudiation of the foundation of the American way.

Under current law, the President may already authorize wiretaps before even asking
for a secret warrant. There is absolutely no chance that a potential terrorist
operation will go undetected because of a legal technicality. As such, the 1978 law
still upholds the American system of checks and balances while also allowing the
government agencies charged with protecting us to act quickly whenever they
believe that quick action is needed. The law as it exists today works very well,
which is why both left- and right-wing groups and publications have stated that we
don’t need to change it.

Unfortunately, too many people in the House of Representatives don’t understand
how well the current FISA law works. They apparently believe that our freedom,
and our Constitution, are not strong enough to withstand the threat of terrorism.
We vehemently disagree. We believe that freedom can withstand the threat, as it
has withstood threats from monarchs, Nazis, and Communists for over 200 years.

The failure—or refusal—of members of the House of Representatives to believe in
and support freedom and the Constitution renders them unfit to serve in Congress.
As Benjamin Franklin is crediting with publishing, “They that can give up essential
liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” The
293 members of the House of Representatives who voted to sacrifice liberty for the
phony promise of safety deserve neither liberty nor safety, nor do they deserve to
hold a leadership position in our society.

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