New FISA Analysis
Vox Libertas, a blogger at the Daily Kos has written an analysis of the new US FISA law in his article, “I think I understand the FISA bill. Do I?”
Vox Libertas has taken an approach that I can appreciate. On the one hand, many people are unhappy with the telecom immunity. I’m one of them. But people I respect are also saying that it’s a good compromise, and compromise means you don’t get everything you want.
Vox Libertas goes to the trouble of (shock, horror) reading the primary sources and explaining what’s in the new FISA bill. He also shows his own sources.
No matter what you think, this is worth reading.
Thank you for your kind words. I’m still struggling with this subject and I won’t claim that I always agree with myself on this. The issue is nasty and is at the heart of a venn digram consisting of the Law, the Constitution, human rights, Internet protocols, and computer programming.
I begin to despair of anybody being able to really understand this issue as it truly seems to require an in depth knowledge of very diverse, technical and complex areas. I’m a talented amateur at best in areas like law, ConLaw, history, and such, and something of a networking, computer expert with a long-term interest in crypto and security, and after the first couple of weeks studying FISA and H.R. 6304, I haven’t really settled on what I think of the bill. (Which became law while I dithered.)
I’d love to trust some expert on this, but people I respect disagree and the few people I know personally with a background in all or even most of the necessary fields that I show my DKos page to say “That’s really good. I’m not sure where I stand either.” The “really good” part strokes the old ego, I suppose. But what I’m looking for is an understanding of how our civil liberties stand and what needs to be done to restore them if they are not well.
Again, thanks,
JimB. aka Brons aka Jim Burrows
Vox Libertas