Well written opinion piece that provides a good summary of the background on the FISA debate and the current bill in congress that is not a compromise (gives immunity to telecons) as the Democratic party leadership is indicating. The article did not get into the uproar that this bill is causing but pointed out the impact to our civil liberties. The article ends with a challenge to Obama to demonstrate leadership with action and work to block this bill.

NY Times notes that President Bush is once again trying to scare Congress into expanding presidential powers to spy on Americans without a court order. The bill being negotiated now has two purposes. One is to undermine the ability of courts to review domestic spying and the second is to give full immunity for crimes committed by telecoms in previous wiretapping operations. The Times calls some of President Bush's claims nonsense as he seeks wider powers and states that, if significant changes are to be made, they are better made under the next president.

This editorial is a fine piece of journalism. The writer asserts that the "compromise" over extending FISA is not one at all--it is political semantics to expand the current administration's authority. It is not necessary to agree or disagree with the editorialist's position to recognize a well-crafted argument. The writer urges Congress to press for postponement until we have a change in the White House. Since the writer believes the Bush administration has overstepped its powers and should be held accountable, it is reasonable to assert that laws which will expand authority for the next six years might best be negotiated by the new administration.