Friday- make a call to stop Big Brother on Steroids

To: ACLU-NC Activists
From: Justine Sarver, Organizing Director
Date: July 27, 2006


Are you under surveillance? Call Feinstein today!


Today, the ACLU of Northern California released a report documenting government monitoring of First Amendment-protected activity of Californians throughout central and northern California. From the stories of grandmothers opposing the war in Iraq to anti-war protestors at the Port of Oakland, the 35-page report tells the compelling stories of individuals and groups that were targets of government surveillance because of their political activity.

The report entitled The State of Surveillance: Government Monitoring of Political Activity in Northern and Central California also illustrates the lack of enforcement of current regulations and recommends specific policy reforms to safeguard Californians’ rights to privacy and free speech. For the full report visit: http://www.aclunc.org/surveillance_report.

On the National front, a disturbing deal between Dick Cheney and Senator Arlen Specter is on its way to a committee vote tomorrow morning in the Senate. This horrible bill would set government spies loose in new ways that further undermine our Constitutional freedoms. We urgently need you to read a few facts below then call Congress right away. Senator Feinstein of California is a member of this committee and can stop the reckless Cheney-Specter bill dead in its tracks.

This bill -- that some are calling “Big Brother on Steroids” -- would make the president’s illegal surveillance program legal. And it would allow this president and future presidents to wiretap any American, secretly, indefinitely, and without any mandatory judicial check. The Executive Branch could also secretly search Americans’ homes and businesses without warrants for the duration of the “war on terror.”

Because voting is expected tomorrow, we recommend you call Senator Feinstein's Washington office and one of her district offices as soon as possible today or first thing tomorrow morning. Here are her phone numbers:

In Washington, DC: 202-224-3841
In San Francisco: 415-393-0707
In Fresno: 559-485-7430

Here are some talking points for your calls:

• Oppose S. 2453, which would enshrine in federal law the president’s claim of inherent power to wiretap Americans at will without any individual, independent check; it’s like the Patriot Act on steroids.
• Also oppose S. 2455, which also would make judicial review of each individual wiretap optional, destroying our fundamental Fourth Amendment rights.
• Demand that the committee hold a hearing to question phone companies about their actions.

The committee should also issue subpoenas to force government officials and phone company executives to truthfully answer questions about President Bush's warrantless surveillance of Americans.

We must show our outrage to make our leaders rethink this bill and decide to investigate before they legislate when it comes to President Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program.

Please call Senator Feinstein right now and urge her to defend our Constitutional rights and freedoms by opposing these bills.