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Barack Obama, FISA, and Social Networks |
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I received an email last Thursday afternoon; a friend wrote to tell me someone had created a group on Barack Obama’s website for the purposes of asking him to oppose the FISA legislation pending in the Senate.
Several months ago, Obama promised that he would support the filibuster of any legislation that granted immunity to telcos that illegally wiretapped American’s communications at the behest of Alberto Gonzalez and Dick Cheney.
Just last week, Obama flip-flopped and sold the Constitution for 30 shekels. With the primary over, he’s apparently made the calculation that he can afford to betray the people that supported him at least partially based on the premise that he’d stand up to the old politics of fear and false choices. He decided that he was going to support the current package of legislation that not only offers telco immunity, but grants unprecedented authority to the executive by removing critical checks and balances.
Meanwhile, Obama has not amended or retracted other campaign promises. For example, he promises a more open and connected government:
Our nation’s progress has been stifled by a system corrupted by millions of lobbying dollars contributed to political campaigns, the revolving door between government and industry, and privileged access to inside information-all of which have led to policies that favor the few against the public interest. An Obama presidency will use cutting-edge technologies to reverse this dynamic, creating a new level of transparency, accountability and participation for America’s citizens. Technology-enabled citizen participation has already produced ideas driving Obama’s campaign and its vision for how technology can help connect government to its citizens and engage citizens in a democracy. Barack Obama will use the most current technological tools available to make government less beholden to special interest groups and lobbyists and promote citizen participation in government decision-making.
He will accomplish the goal by, inter alia,
- Giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days before signing any non-emergency legislation.
- Bringing democracy and policy deliberations directly to the people by requiring his Cabinet officials to have periodic national online town hall meetings to answer questions and discuss issues before their agencies.
- Employing technologies, including blogs, wikis and social networking tools, to modernize internal, cross-agency, and public communication and information sharing to improve government decision-making.
This sounds appealing, and it is being tested right now.
Remember that email I told you about? I followed the link and joined the group. At the time, it had 8 members. E – I – G – H – T. Eight.
As I write this, less than 60 hours later, the group has just under 2000 members and is growing steadily.
Barack Obama now has another choice: he can hew to his campaign pledge of opening up government and pioneering ways of being more responsive to the represented, or he can continue to support the unitary executive and law-breaking telcos. Or he can speak with his supporters and tell us why we are wrong.
Of course, the more people we have on our side, the greater the pressure Obama will feel. So you’re your own voice and come sign up for the group.
I want a bill for immunity from any information gathered by the government’s unconstitutional spying. Now that would be representing your Constituients. Barrack, where are your priorities? Who catapulted you to success? The very same people who want government officials to go to jail for their reckless, arrogant and greedy indulgences.
Damn Dennis, that’s so smart I’m jealous I didn’t think of it.
Actually, Carol seems to have accidentally joined twice. There may have been only seven members.