To simplify things a bit, the NSA has the power to pretty much
President Barack Obama allowed the program to continue, and now Donald Trump, a man with hot-dog fingers and a gerbil's brain, is in charge of the most powerful spying program in world history. Or to put things more accurately, the murder-hungry hyenas that actually run Trump's administration, such as John Kelly, are in charge with no one to push back except a guy dumb enough to think Steve Doocy is a really cool dude.
Some people in Congress sorta seem to get this: An extremely eclectic group of bipartisan representatives, led by far-right Rep. Justin Amash but including a whole host of centrist and further-left representatives such as Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison and California Rep. Ted Lieu, proposed what's known as the "USA Rights" amendment. The bill would have reined in the NSA's spying powers somewhat, and the American Civil Liberties Union even endorsed the measure as a way to force the NSA back "in line with the Constitution." (Most
But today that amendment failed thanks to 55 Democrats who voted it down. A few South Florida names were on that list, including Rep. Lois Frankel — and Wasserman Schultz.Trump is seeking to expand warrantless surveillance of communications with one end in the United States. The USA Rights Act forbids abusing this to search Americans' communications, but it's facing intense resistance. It won't pass without your help. Please call right now. https://t.co/h2hoUKz1OS
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 11, 2018
Thanks, in part, to the efforts of those 55 Democrats (a list that also includes House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer), the overall FISA reauthorization passed through the House today. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes, a man who seems to do only evil, extends the FISA program for another six years, according to the New York Times.
Wasserman Schultz's vote today is nothing short of baffling. She has spent every day since the 2016 election cycle calling Trump a tyrant and a lunatic. He has displayed the brainpower of a tortoise and hired the most bloodthirsty, psychopathic, war-hungry generals possible to run his cabinet. Yet now that Trump's administration is asking to expand its surveillance powers, Wasserman Schultz votes in line with him.55 Democrats voted against your constitutional rights and opposed the USA RIGHTS amendment. Had 26 voted the other way, we would have won. Among them is Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff. pic.twitter.com/7WHwPFGEIm
— Daniel Schuman (@danielschuman) January 11, 2018
(So far, her office hasn't responded to a request for comment on the vote.)
One example of her selective outrage: Literally a month ago, Wasserman Schultz did the rounds on cable-TV news shows, claiming the Trump administration's net-neutrality rollback could kill the free and open internet.
You know what else could do that? NSA spying.Donald Trump's FCC is trying to undermine #NetNeutrality and change the internet as we know it. We can't back down in the fight to ensure the internet remains open and free. pic.twitter.com/2QlP3jy995
— D. Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) December 14, 2017
Sadly, this is merely the latest in a long list of pro-Trump decisions Wasserman Schultz has made since the world's smartest hamster was anointed leader. She was pretty dang happy when Trump moved the Israeli Embassy to Jerusalem and when he decided to bomb Syria while eating chocolate cake at Mar-a-Lago and now, apparently, with letting him read your personal emails between Twitter stints on the toilet.