Like many here, I was deeply distressed to learn of Senator Webb's vote to allow President Bush and the Telecoms retroactive immunity for FISA.
Feeling strongly about it as I did, I wrote the following letter to Senator Webb. I urge all Kossacks who feel as strongly about this as I do, to do the same.
Reading InsideScoop's excellent diary on the subject I was moved to action.
If you would like to write your own letter to Senator Webb here is the contact link.
Follow below the fold for the text of this letter
Dear Senator Webb,
Although not a resident of Virginia, I did work for your campaign by making GOTV calls with MoveOn.org. We made hundreds of thousands of calls and it's quite possible that we made the difference in your very close election.
I am writing to you to express my deep sense of disappointment in your support of allowing retroactive immunity vis-a-vie a deeply flawed FISA law that must be changed.
I would like to remind you of your own words during your campaign. Words that inspired me and countless others to support you and work on your behalf.
Here in unedited fashion are your own words verbatum:
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The danger of the abuse of centralized power is an historical constant. Americans should indeed worry about a centralized government that has the power to listen in and monitor the conduct of average citizens, as well as the power to listen in and monitor the conduct of their political opposition. Those powers (and that conduct) are a staple of authoritarian and totalitarian societies. I'll never forget my visit 10 years ago to the defunct HQ of STASI in East Germany, which had kept informant files on millions of East Germans.
I am not making any allegations against this Administration. What I am saying is that the Constitution deliberately built in checks and balances among the three branches of government in order to prevent such conduct. If the executive branch is not sharing the information it has collected from NSA wire taps, what gives it the authority to keep it to itself, and why is it so skittish?
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By voting to allow President Bush and the Telecoms immunity you have sold out your supporters, your consituents, and the constitution you took an oath to protect.
As a active blogger I and tell you with a pretty high level of confidence that you have lost the netroots with this single act. We are not the general public, we do not have short memories. We are the ones who probably made the difference in getting you elected, and we are the ones who can make the difference in changing that during the next election cycle.
Respectfully,
XXXXXX XXXXX
DailyKos: MaverickModerate