And yet they have time for this

I don't answer my land line phone at home. I screen all calls, and return calls I want to return. I do this because despite being on the "do not call" list, my phone often rings off the hook with nonprofits and political groups wanting money and robocalls from groups and politicians. I have a policy: I only give to individual candidates as I see fit, and I only give to local nonprofits -- mostly animal shelters and food pantries --where I know the money they raise isn't going for bloated administrative salaries and the mailing of free crap in fundraising letters. So it's a waste of time for telemarketers to contact me.

I use my cell phone a lot more than I used to. It isn't that I talk more on the phone for fun, because I actually hate talking on the phone. But I spend at least a third to half of my work time on teleconferences, and when I'm at home, I use my cell phone to access them. So in some months, I might use my entire 500 shared monthly minutes allowance in a single week.

But now the telecommunications industry seeks the ability to use up your minutes by haranguing you with robocalls on your cell phone.

The Mobile Information Call Act is a proposal by Nebraska congressman Lee Terry. Yes, he is a Republican. The Republicans have time for this, and they have time to reaffirm "In God We Trust" as he national motto. That pesky jobs business? That's for pussies.

This, Sen. Reid, is how it's done

And if you can't do it, then perhaps you ought to get out of the way and let someone who believes in upholding the Constitution of the United States be majority leader.

Amid deep and growing divisions among Senate Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) last night abruptly withdrew legislation that would have changed surveillance law and granted the nation's telecommunications companies retroactive immunity from lawsuits charging they had violated privacy rights.

Democratic leaders had hoped to complete an overhaul of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before recessing for the year, since the current law governing the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program is set to expire in early February. But in the face of more than a dozen amendments to the bill and guerrilla tactics from its opponents, Reid surprised his colleagues when he announced there would not be enough time to finish the job.

"Everyone feels it would be in the best interest of the Senate if we take a look at this when we come back," Reid said, acknowledging the time crunch he faces in the "last hours" of this congressional session and the hefty number of agenda items remaining.

The disputed measure would have placed the warrantless surveillance program under secret court supervision, but the most heated controversy surrounded the White House's efforts to legally shield phone companies that had been helping the National Security Agency listen in on telephone and Internet conversations.

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) -- a presidential candidate who returned from Iowa Sunday night to fight the measure -- quickly claimed victory after the bill's withdrawal, and he again vowed to "utilize all the tools available" to block passage once Reid calls it up in January.

"He blinked," Caroline Fredrickson, director of the Washington office of the American Civil Liberties Union, said of Reid. "It's clear that this was not going to be easy. On the one hand he wanted to rush this process and think he could strong-arm everybody to giving up their rights as senators. They threw sand in the gears."

How sad is it when a Senator has to filibuster his own party's bill because his party leadership is so cowed by a president who on a good day has the support of only one in three Americans? Isn't it time that the Democrats stopped buying into the Republican meme that to ensure continued freedom for Americans is somehow "putting the rights of known terrorists ahead of the safety and security of Americans", as the NRSC said when House legislation did not contain immunity for Big Telecom?

After the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush explained the motivation for the attacks as "They hate our freedom." Given his penchant for projection, you have to wonder at this point who the "they" was to which he was referring. Because if "They hate our freedom" is why this country was attacked, then this president and his party have been giving "the terrorists" exactly what they want ever since. Because NSA data centers in telecommunications company outposts that sweep up the telephone and internet activity of every person in this country is hardly conducting surveillance on "known terrorists" -- unless you believe that every American in this country is a potential terrorist.

Senate Democrats temporarily find their spine

Even Dianne Feinstein broke with her Republican masters last night to send the telecom bill to the full Senate without immunity for the telecommunications companies that have illegally spied on Americans. It's clear that Republicans will try to add an amendment restoring such immunity, but Chris Dodd has already stated he will filibuster, thereby requiring Republicans to somehow garner 60 votes to pass it. Dianne Feinstein, despite her vote last night, and Jay Rockefeller, are reliable telecom lackeys, and can be expected to vote with Republicans. Let's see which other Democrats spit on the Constitution when the final bill comes up for a vote.