Get FISA Right - Ideas for Change in America

What do you think is the most effective way to turn this idea into real policy? Add your suggestions here for how you think we should run an advocacy campaign to advance the idea – including the overall strategy, messaging, targets, and tactics.

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Our entire foreign policy apparatus needs refocusing, if not altogether dismantled and restructured from the bottom up. That would include, of course, repeal of the Patriot Act, FISA and Military Tribunals...all acting outide the rule of law and the Constitution. That, of necessity, also means a restructuring of our entire intelligence community. The CIA, in particular, needs to be reeled in and held accountable. Of course, JFK was killed for wanting to dismantle the CIA, some sources report.

While we're at it, George W. Bush, CHeney, Rumsfeld, Rice and the rest, such as PNAC operatives, AIPAC and others, should face war crimes investigations, as well as reopening from scratch a full investigation into 9/11.

I'd say we need a broader catetory here. It would include related groups such as End Genocide, and anything on 9/11, the misdirected invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Guantamano, Cuba, Russia, China, Korea, Africa...all of these, and more...could be included under a larger umbrella cause, say, something along the line of International Relations and Foreign Policy.

Suggested by Jon Shafer on 04/10/2009 @ 04:13PM PT
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while Gitmo and other black-site detention facilities may be closing, under provisions stated in the Military Commissions Act of 2006 it is still lawful to arrest and indefinitely detain American citizens if they are deemed (according to a frighteningly vague criterial standard) to be “enemy combatants.” Rendition (and by extension, torture in foreign prisons) is still the order of the day. Furthermore the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 clearly outlines our government’s standing policy to consider American citizens as potential terrorist threats and to treat us accordingly. No comfort then is gleaned when one considers that the National Defense Authorization Act (again, by a broad criterial standard) allows for the unconstitutional federalization of the military to police American citizens, and that the Army’s Civilian Inmate Labor Program allows for the convicted to be sent to work in labor camps on Army installations. Active duty military personnel, fresh off of tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, have already been stationed inside the U.S. under Northcom with the expressed mission of quelling civil unrest and conducting gun confiscation in the event of widespread rioting due a national emergency like the total collapse of our economy. And as of 01/09 the Department of Homeland Security has been newly authorized to build more internment facilities and FEMA Camps throughout the country in which to “house” U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants (Mexico, anyone?), and “to support the rapid development of new programs.” New programs? Not surprisingly, Dick Cheney’s Halliburton/KBR was awarded the contracts to build them.

Suggested by Daniel Walker on 03/16/2009 @ 08:46AM PT
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while Gitmo and other black-site detention facilities may be closing, under provisions stated in the Military Commissions Act of 2006 it is still lawful to arrest and indefinitely detain American citizens if they are deemed (according to a frighteningly vague criterial standard) to be “enemy combatants.” Rendition (and by extension, torture in foreign prisons) is still the order of the day. Furthermore the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 clearly outlines our government’s standing policy to consider American citizens as potential terrorist threats and to treat us accordingly. No comfort then is gleaned when one considers that the National Defense Authorization Act (again, by a broad criterial standard) allows for the unconstitutional federalization of the military to police American citizens, and that the Army’s Civilian Inmate Labor Program allows for the convicted to be sent to work in labor camps on Army installations. Active duty military personnel, fresh off of tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, have already been stationed inside the U.S. under Northcom with the expressed mission of quelling civil unrest and conducting gun confiscation in the event of widespread rioting due a national emergency like the total collapse of our economy. And as of 01/09 the Department of Homeland Security has been newly authorized to build more internment facilities and FEMA Camps throughout the country in which to “house” U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants (Mexico, anyone?), and “to support the rapid development of new programs.” New programs? Not surprisingly, Dick Cheney’s Halliburton/KBR was awarded the contracts to build them.

Suggested by Daniel Walker on 03/16/2009 @ 08:45AM PT
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I did not vote for Obama, I felt that republicans made this mess they should fix it even if it would of mean't a retard as a president,no comment. anyway Obamas in and I think how to fix or smooth his leadership would be too, one... anyone who holds a greengard, either become a citizen of the USA and speak english or go back to their own country and support them. I had to learn the history of my country and my rights as an American.If anyone lives here they should go through what I had to go through, NO FREE RIDE! Two, fix mass transit, not just in the large cities but all over the country! Whats the point of fixing all these roads and bridges when GAS prices will continue to climb, NO ONE WILL USE THE ROADS! they will use mass transit!! I'm not sure but if we where like Europe with mass transit eveywhere, people will use mass transit when gas prices get crazy, and plus we can power..trains, buses, ect with electicity which we can get from the sun..plus he talks about electric cars, you haft to have a house to do that and at this point everyone is moving into apartments, not houses, so how are the people going to pursue his Ideas?
Dave dude

Suggested by dave scott on 02/06/2009 @ 05:19PM PT
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I used to be able to buy microscope slides or a microscope, which I use to better understand my body's health. The scientific supply companies are no longer permitted to sell such things to me, since I am not a school. Do I have to be a school in order to want to heal myself? To me this feel like a strange rule. Who asked for it? It certainly restricts my freedom to heal myself. Is this the purpose of the patriot act? i suspect it is.

Suggested by Richard Morrison on 02/04/2009 @ 08:46PM PT
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If we would just obey the Constitution, all of these illegal "patriot acts" would never pass. Let's demand that our leaders strictly obey an uphold the Bill of Rights which is our best bet to preserving our human rights and freedoms!

Suggested by Dustin Sammann on 02/04/2009 @ 01:50PM PT
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Why not connect with BORDC -- Bill of Rights Defense Committee. They have been working on petitions and actions since 2003.

Suggested by Dorothy Blackcrow Mack on 02/04/2009 @ 09:49AM PT
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i have written my senators and obama, asking why USNORTHCOM's 1st brigade is still at the ready with plans to increase the size of the force from 5000 to 25,000 this year. i've heard nothing. i have hope for this country and worked my butt off for obama...but the silence on the FISA act and the repealing of the patriot act is deafening. not one for 'high-fear' presentations, i think we should all take a look at the following from MTV. we don't need armed american forces on our soil. the loophole in the posse comitatus act must be closed. i don't want another 'imperial presidency'...no matter how benign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reCpV1YHuYs

Suggested by d w on 01/31/2009 @ 09:07PM PT
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"It's high time to stop all the fear-mongering tactics of this last administration! No more "Patriot Act" no more wiretapping, no more torture, let's "bring them all home" and concentrate on what's really important-global warming, health care and good education for all, homelessness and our economy."Thank you Robin Johnson and please forgive me, I agree with what you have said and count me in.

Suggested by Rixar13 McGinnis on 01/28/2009 @ 03:34AM PT
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I wonder if there is a way to outreach groups who are opposed to many of the same things? i.e. Although Libertarians seem to be against "liberals" yet they are also against the use of much of the patriot act on U.S. citizens. I suppose the approach would need to be incognito, but the more demand for repeals the better.

Has anyone who is against the act read it who could inform us (me) about what is actually in it? (At least I don't know where to get this information.) If I remember correctly. I believe it stops any legal action being brought against the Bush Ad. and Congress...another outrageous part of this "act."

If this info is available maybe it could be summarized, or applicable aspects be presented in a bullet list then submited to right, left blogs, papers, PBS persons? This type of pressure plus petitions etc. may put pressure on congress, the NSA as well as BHO.

No new ideas in sure, but may be something useful.

Thanks to all of you for all you are doing already.

Suggested by Mary Powell on 01/26/2009 @ 06:12PM PT
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