This was ultimately a losing fight, but progressives and the "netroots" and people who care about civil liberties and the sanctity of the Bill of Rights in this country really took up the fight against the Bush Administration's persistent crusade to shield the telecom companies that colluded with the NSA to spy on American citizens in clear violation of the law and the Constitution and in defiance of Congressional oversight. It should be clear to all of us that the administration wants to give permanent immunity to these corporations because it's afraid that, in the course of any inquiry or investigation, too much might come out about what it was really up to.

The Bush Administration would like us to believe that their illegal wiretapping was a national security necessity in response to 9/11. But we know now with certainty, based on the testimony of Qwest (which didn't go along with it), that the spying was begun by the NSA many months *before* 9/11. If you hadn't heard that before you're probably thinking: WTF? My sentiments exactly.

It's times like these to take note of who stood for what, when push came to shove on the floor of the Senate. And who didn't bother to show up. (Ahem, Senator Clinton.)

-jw