http://themiddleclass.org/topics/civiljustice/legalimmunity The taxonomy view with a depth of 0. en http://themiddleclass.org/bill/amendment-strike-title-ii-fisa-amendments-act-2008 <div class="field field-type-legislation field-field-legislation"> <h3 class="field-label">Legislation</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-number-integer field-field-position"> <h3 class="field-label">The middle class</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item">Supports</div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-video-cck field-field-video-summary"> <h3 class="field-label">Video Summary</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><object height="185" width="223"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gz5dYSUI4AE"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gz5dYSUI4AE&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="185" width="223"></object></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-injustice-facts"> <h3 class="field-label">Injustice Facts</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><p>Year in which the United States Constitution established “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures”: <a href="http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html"><strong>1791</a></strong></p> <p>Year Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was passed: <a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/RL34279.pdf"><strong>1978</a></strong> </p> <p>Number of warrants the federal courts approved under the FISA in 2004: <a href="http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fisa/2004rept.pdf"><strong>1,758</a></strong></p> <p>Number of warrants courts rejected under FISA in 2004: <a href="http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fisa/2004rept.pdf"><strong>4</a></strong></p> <p>Date on which federal district court judge ruled that "the president of the United States ... has undisputedly violated the Fourth [Amendment] in failing to procure judicial orders" for unwarranted wiretap surveillance activities: <a href="http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/images/08/17/nsa.lawsuit.pdf"><strong>August 17, 2006</a></strong></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-summary"> <h3 class="field-label">Overview/Summary</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-middle-class-position-ana"> <h3 class="field-label">Middle Class Position Analysis</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><p><strong>The Middle Class Supports.</strong> Granting retroactive immunity to companies that illegally spied on citizens sets a dangerous precedent for corporations to trample the rights of middle-class Americans without having to face any consequences for breaking the law. Telecommunications companies, at the behest of the Bush Administration, illegally monitored American citizens’ private e-mail correspondence, phone calls, password protected web activity, and other communications. This violated Americans’ Fourth Amendment right against unwarranted searches and seizures, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the contractual rights of private customers who signed privacy agreements with these companies. Our civil justice system allows regular Americans to hold corporations accountable when they violate cherished rights such as those outlined in our Constitution. Granting retroactive immunity would weaken middle-class Americans’ ability to take on powerful corporations for breaking the law. What’s more, retroactive immunity would weaken the ability of middle-class consumers to trust that their contracts with corporations will be honored and that the legal system will treat their constitutional rights as more than symbolic. In short, granting retroactive immunity would severely undermine Americans' faith in the legal system. Granting retroactive immunity also sets a dangerous precedent by giving the Administration unbridled power, under the guise of pursuing security interests, to pressure companies into violating Americans’ rights with impunity and to protect those corporations from liability for a range of other violations of the law.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-related-blog-header"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Header</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item">The Discussion on DMIBlog</div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-quotes"> <h3 class="field-label">Quotes from Experts</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-related-blog"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Text</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-beyond"> <h3 class="field-label">Beyond this Bill</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-link field-field-related-blog-link"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Link</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-additional-resources"> <h3 class="field-label">Additional Resources</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><p><a href="http://www.eff.org/nsa">“The Case Against Retroactive Amnesty for Telecoms,”</a> from the Electronic Frontier Foundation </p> <p><a href="http://www.aclunc.org/cases/open_cases/aclu_v._att_and_verizon.shtml">“ACLU vs. AT&amp;T and Verizon”</a> updates on the lawsuits filed in August 2006 from the American Civil Liberties Union</p> </div> </div> </div> Civil Justice Corporate Accountability Government Accountability Legal immunity Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:30:58 -0400 hmoroz 150 at http://themiddleclass.org http://themiddleclass.org/bill/civil-rights-act-2008 <div class="field field-type-legislation field-field-legislation"> <h3 class="field-label">Legislation</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-number-integer field-field-position"> <h3 class="field-label">The middle class</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-video-cck field-field-video-summary"> <h3 class="field-label">Video Summary</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-injustice-facts"> <h3 class="field-label">Injustice Facts</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-summary"> <h3 class="field-label">Overview/Summary</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-middle-class-position-ana"> <h3 class="field-label">Middle Class Position Analysis</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-related-blog-header"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Header</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item">The Discussion on DMIBlog</div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-quotes"> <h3 class="field-label">Quotes from Experts</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-related-blog"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Text</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-beyond"> <h3 class="field-label">Beyond this Bill</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-link field-field-related-blog-link"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Link</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-additional-resources"> <h3 class="field-label">Additional Resources</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> Arbitration Capping damages Civil Justice Class action lawsuits Due process Employment discrimination Government Accountability Immigration Legal immunity Public employment Workplace &amp; Job Creation Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:04:56 -0400 hmoroz 131 at http://themiddleclass.org http://themiddleclass.org/bill/amendment-strike-retroactive-immunity-intelligence-legislation-2008 <div class="field field-type-legislation field-field-legislation"> <h3 class="field-label">Legislation</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-number-integer field-field-position"> <h3 class="field-label">The middle class</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item">Supports</div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-video-cck field-field-video-summary"> <h3 class="field-label">Video Summary</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><object height="185" width="223"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gz5dYSUI4AE"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gz5dYSUI4AE&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="185" width="223"></object></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-injustice-facts"> <h3 class="field-label">Injustice Facts</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><p>Year in which the United States Constitution established “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures”: <a href="http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html"><strong>1791</a></strong></p> <p>Year Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was passed: <a href="http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/RL34279.pdf"><strong>1978</a></strong> </p> <p>Number of warrants the federal courts approved under the FISA in 2004: <a href="http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fisa/2004rept.pdf"><strong>1,758</a></strong></p> <p>Number of warrants courts rejected under FISA in 2004: <a href="http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fisa/2004rept.pdf"><strong>4</a></strong></p> <p>Date on which federal district court judge ruled that "the president of the United States ... has undisputedly violated the Fourth [Amendment] in failing to procure judicial orders" for unwarranted wiretap surveillance activities: <a href="http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/images/08/17/nsa.lawsuit.pdf"><strong>August 17, 2006</a></strong></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-summary"> <h3 class="field-label">Overview/Summary</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-middle-class-position-ana"> <h3 class="field-label">Middle Class Position Analysis</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><p><strong>The Middle Class Supports.</strong> Granting retroactive immunity to companies that illegally spied on citizens sets a dangerous precedent for corporations to trample the rights of middle-class Americans without having to face any consequences for breaking the law. Telecommunications companies, at the behest of the Bush Administration, illegally monitored American citizens’ private e-mail correspondence, phone calls, password protected web activity, and other communications. This violated Americans’ Fourth Amendment right against unwarranted searches and seizures, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the contractual rights of private customers who signed privacy agreements with these companies. Our civil justice system allows regular Americans to hold corporations accountable when they violate cherished rights such as those outlined in our Constitution. Granting retroactive immunity would weaken middle-class Americans’ ability to take on powerful corporations for breaking the law. What’s more, retroactive immunity would weaken the ability of middle-class consumers to trust that their contracts with corporations will be honored and that the legal system will treat their constitutional rights as more than symbolic. In short, granting retroactive immunity would severely undermine Americans' faith in the legal system. Granting retroactive immunity also sets a dangerous precedent by giving the Administration unbridled power, under the guise of pursuing security interests, to pressure companies into violating Americans’ rights with impunity and to protect those corporations from liability for a range of other violations of the law.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-related-blog-header"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Header</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item">The Discussion on DMIBlog</div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-quotes"> <h3 class="field-label">Quotes from Experts</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-related-blog"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Text</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-beyond"> <h3 class="field-label">Beyond this Bill</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-link field-field-related-blog-link"> <h3 class="field-label">Related Blog: Link</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><a href="http://www.tortdeform.com/archives/2007/10/bill_to_codify_corporate_privi.html" target="_blank">&quot;Bill to Codify Corporate Privilege—I mean, &#039;Retroactive Immunity Bill&#039;&quot;</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field-type-text field-field-additional-resources"> <h3 class="field-label">Additional Resources</h3> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item"><p><a href="http://www.eff.org/nsa">“The Case Against Retroactive Amnesty for Telecoms,”</a> from the Electronic Frontier Foundation </p> <p><a href="http://www.aclunc.org/cases/open_cases/aclu_v._att_and_verizon.shtml">“ACLU vs. AT&amp;T and Verizon”</a> updates on the lawsuits filed in August 2006 from the American Civil Liberties Union</p> </div> </div> </div> Civil Justice Corporate Accountability Government Accountability Legal immunity Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:30:53 -0500 atraub 103 at http://themiddleclass.org