Two weeks ago I posted some suggestions for going to work opposing the sellout of our Constitutional liberties, the destruction of meaningful oversight, the dramatic expansion of Presidential power, and the get-out-of-jail-free card for past lawlessness embodied in the FISA Amendments Act (H.R. 6304).

Debate is today and the vote is likely tomorrow.  The vote was only delayed because of Jesse Helms's funeral. I will allow the irony of that to pass without comment.

I will be writing more, I hope this week or next, on why the bill is as bad or worse than the critics (myself included) thought, why it's not an "improvement" on the March Senate bill, and why Obama is dead wrong on this. 

Meanwhile, there is this one article from Tim Lee at Ars Technica on why the bill is awful beyond telecom immunity.  It effectively puts the lie to the excuses given by the Pelosis, Hoyers, Rockefellers, Feinsteins and Obamas of the Beltway.  One graf:

Specifically, the new legislation dramatically expands the government's ability to wiretap without meaningful judicial oversight, by redefining "oversight" so that the feds can drag their feet on getting authorization almost indefinitely. It also gives the feds unprecedented new latitude in selecting eavesdropping targets, latitude that could be used to collect information on non-terrorist-related activities like P2P copyright infringement and online gambling. In short, the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 opens up loopholes so large that the feds could drive a truck loaded down with purloined civil liberties through it. So the telecom immunity stuff is just the smoke; let's take a look at the fire.

The rest of the article explains and expands those ideas.

Why is it so important?  Beyond what Tim Lee writes, have a look at this op-ed by Julian Sanchez in the LA Times from last March, which is when this issue last came up.  He describes the history of Presidential spying from Harding and Teapot Dome through Nixon and Watergate -- who was spied on, why, and to what ends.  At least, a few of the ones we know about.  Bottom line: invoke "national security" and then use it to spy on anybody who might oppose you politically.  Oh, by the way, the English monarchy was notorious for doing that, which is why the Framers were so adamant in opposition.

But enough for now.  I'm assuming you've already called, faxed, written, whatever.  If you haven't, you can use this tool to at least call your Senators (I'd recommend calling Reid and Obama as well.)  There are toll-free numbers available, but you can also always call 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to whichever Senator you want to talk to.

Assuming you've done that, I'm asking you to do a couple more things.  And they involve money.

One is by contributing to the ActBlue FISA accountability page.  But that's just the start.

You may have heard of the "Strange Bedfellows" campaign -- a coalition of groups and bloggers on the libertarian right and the civil libertarian left.  They've launched the AccountabilityNowPAC and are planning a "moneybomb" campaign for August 8, 34 years to the day that Richard Nixon was forced to resign. 

Sign up here to pledge a donation on Friday, August 8.

The moneybomb is the technique that Ron Paul supporters used to raise $6M in a single day back in January (IIRC).

Here's more info on what's happening.

Who Are The Strangebedfellows? Strangebedfellows is a unique and diverse left--right coalition which has come together to put a stop to the eradication of civil liberties in America. Modeled on a similar group in Britain, the initial Strangebedfellows group encompasses Ron Paul supporters (BreakTheMatrix.com, Rick Williams and Trevor Lyman), leading bloggers from the left (Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com, Jane Hamsher of firedoglake.com) and many more who share the view that warrantless surveillance, telecom immunity and other such outrages of the lawless surveillance state MUST END—AND END NOW. Our group of Strangebedfellows is organizing a moneybomb on behalf of AccountabilityNowPAC, and we’re reaching out to friends and colleagues from across the political spectrum who believe in the Bill of Rights and freedom in America. So join us-- become a Strangebedfellow! Add your name and group to our list of backers, and enter your pledge today to donate to AccountabilityNowPAC. Let’s reverse these police state sellouts by our political leaders—FOREVER.

Here’s What We’re Asking You To DoStrangebedfellows has retained BreakTheMatrix to serve as our moneybomb organizer and service provider for a massive donations collection effort on behalf of AccountabilityNowPAC. Remember the giant moneybombs from the Ron Paul presidential campaign? Well Trevor Lyman was the man behind those efforts, and he and his BreakTheMatrix colleagues are the leading experts in the world in online moneybomb fundraising. Here’s how it works:

You enter your pledge today—RIGHT NOW-- by clicking the “Pledge” button on the side of this website screen. This pledge becomes your commitment to contribute (maximum donation $5000) to AccountabilityNowPAC on August 8, 2008—the moneybomb collection day. Visit our website often over the next month to watch the pledges mount and to learn about the growing array of supporters and groups who are choosing to become Strangebedfellows with us. Then the key event—you COME BACK on August 8, 2008, and make your actual money contribution through our online collection service right here at www.AccountabilityNowPAC.com. The force and power of a moneybomb is simple and straightforward. We all donate on the SAME DAY, and working together we send our political leaders (Democrat and Republican) a freedom message they will never forget. So help us make it work. Pledge today; then come back and donate on the 8th. Let’s show our leaders once and for all that there is a POWERFUL movement here that will settle for nothing less than constitutional governance in America.

Why August 8th? That is the day in 1974 when Richard Nixon was forced to resign from office for his lawbreaking and surveillance abuses. That day illustrates how far we have fallen in this country in less than 35 years, as we now not only permit rampant presidential lawbreaking and a limitless surveillance state, but have a bipartisan political class that endorses it and even retroactively protects the lawbreakers.

Become a Strangebedfellow; and we thank you for pledging.

As noted in the quote, similar efforts and a similar debate with a similar cast of characters are underway in the UK, where surveillance is just as draconian, and like here, is sparking a left-right coalition of civil libertarians who are determined to bring back democratic, accountable government, whatever their other differences may be.

Please sign up and prepare to give generously.  August 8 is the day.