Greetings. One can differ about whether or not the sort of surveillance authorization that the Bush administration is demanding is necessary and reasonable or not. It's even possible to argue politely about the administration's implicit assertion that the intelligence community will suddenly be rendered utterly impotent if they don't get everything they want, right now, no delays.

However, ongoing intelligence operations are an issue utterly separate from retroactive telecom immunity. No matter how you feel about the substance of such immunity (and I personally think it's criminal), nobody in their right mind can honestly argue that it must be granted now, as an integral part of intelligence authorizations going forward.

The linkage of these two independent issues essentially approaches blackmail -- "Give the telecoms immunity for past deeds or we won't spy and we'll blame you when something bad happens!"

This all demonstrates that despite the gradual lobbying learning curve of younger firms trying to avoid drowning among the fortresses of K Street, the venerable old phone companies are still the uncontested masters at making sure that "money talks and you know what walks."

--Lauren--