Dear Senator Edwards,
As you know, the FISA bill is going to come up again in Congress on monday due to the Republicans' refusal to allow Majority Leader Reid to delay it.
I voted for you and Senator Kerry in 2004 and have been a supporter of yours since the beginning of your campaign this election because I've seen that you, unlike Senators Obama and Clinton, have not "stuck your finger in the wind" before you've spoken out on the substantive issues large and small. Additionally I admire your stand in taking public funds and refusing the big-money corporate donations despite the disadvantage it gave your campaign.
However, I will admit that I vascillated between you and Senator Dodd when he stood up to the Republicans and the round-heeled Democratic Congress and filibustered the retroactive immunity provisions of the FISA bill. (Senator Dodd's dropping-out of the race has made my decision easy and I intend to cast my vote for you in the February 5th California Democratic primary.)
Retroactive immunity would allow the Bush administration to once again skirt the Constitution and trample the Fourth Amendment rights of perhaps hundreds of thousands of Americans. I support and appreciate your efforts on behalf of the poor, but if we don't have the fundamental liberties guaranteed by the Constitution it makes no difference. What does it matter whether we're rich or poor if we're no longer free?
As a presidential candidate you are in a unique position to shine a spotlight on this issue, but it goes without saying that as a former senator you are not in a position to vote on it. Senators Obama and Clinton ARE and I therefore urge you to tell them to go back to Washington and stand with Senator Dodd to prevent retroactive immunity from eroding the Bill of Rights any further.
Thank you and Good luck!
[obssessiveprogressive]
Let's see what happens.
Oh, and P.S. -yes that is your ol' OP's endorsement.
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