FISA was established in 1978. It has been a governmental spying act for 3 decades. This bill that Obama is supporting actually makes it HARDER for the executive branch to abuse FISA. It requires them to have more authorization and prohibits them from using "war powers" as an excuse for ignoring surveillance law.

Also, those telecom companies were pressured by the NSA to help with surveillance. If *you* were pressured by a government agency to help them, wouldn't *you* want immunity from lawsuits?

So all you idiots who are screaming and crying that Obama betrayed you need to shut up for a minute and read the actual summary of the bill. It actually gives MORE protection to your privacy, not LESS.

What the hell is going on here? This is the world turned upside down. People don't want to think, read, and make informed judgements anymore. They just want to react. Well you are going to end up screwing youself out of the best presidential candidate since JFK with an attitude like that. Be like Obama! Actually THINK before you react!

He did, however, prove his leadership capability by saying something totally hilarious!

The commenter who said Obama, had a good sense of human forgot to also include McCains also has one, also......McCain vow to balance the budget by the end of his first term, his first term? unless he's speaking about his close side by side relationship he has with Bush for these past four years

Gramm is partially right. Everyone is blaming the government for everything (personal faults and all) and the media is over-hyping everything as usual.

It's amazing that Americans expect to live confortably and lavishly during a time of war. No one is cutting back, no one is conserving anything. Ask your grandparents about wwII times. Whether you agree with the war or not, the reality is there and most are oblivious to it.

(1) McCain has said he doesn't know much about economics.

OK, then. Rely on great economic advisors.

(2) Oh, wait, your economic advisor is Gramm...who um...yeah thinks the economic decline is just in our heads.

Now what, McCain? Sounds like McCain's camp is just trying to downplay the economy as being the #1 issue because they know they don't have the man for the job. SO TRANSPARENT

Obama '08

please post

Obama 1940
McCain 1060

and that is aCNN FACT!!!

so whats wrong with this picture?

McCain can get away with anything. it is Shame and dis to the American People That we STILL can not be fair. and The media may end up putting McCain in the house. and wonder what went wrong. Just like they did kerry and Bush. Bush LOST!!!! and we still gave it to them.

Go figure.
America Open your eyes and stand up and fight.

I'd like to see Obama go more on the offensive against McCain. It seems like in a good boxing match, Obama is doing his hits when McCain misses a punch or leaves himself open...but Obama has to start throwing some haymakers and really pound McCain.

Take him to task on those flip-flopping charges that he's throwing against him. I say to have him wobbling by the time September comes and early round KO by October.

By no measure that doe not include government jobs has America lost 438,000 jobs in the last 6 months.

There is no data that suggests that the typical American family has lost $1,000 in the last 8 years. In fact, every indicator regarding personal wealth points to precisely the opposite. What is more disturbing than the outright fabrication, however, is the blatant hypocrisy or flat out ignorance of economical matters. If you believed that the typical American family was $1,000 poorer today than when President Bush took office why would you want to take more money away from us by rescinding his tax cuts?

More evidence of Senator Obama's elitest view on the average American. Just tell us anything regardless of the facts or contridictions. We all is too ignorant to know better anyways.

Oh yes Senator Obama…do your mocking thing again….why don't you actually explain WHY 300 economists signed on to McCain's Economic Plan…why he can vow to balance the budget by the end of his first term….
-------------------------
Belle, sources for your 300 economists statement please. I am an avid reader of political information and have not seen that anywhere. Also, regarding your question about why McCain can vow to balance the budge by the end of his first term...Anybody can vow to do anything. Remember George HW Bush and, 'read my lips, no new taxes/' Just because a politician says something does not mean it will come true.

I am certain the comments by Phil Gramm offended many people who are working harder and making less than they did 8 years ago. I earn a fairly comfortable wage (however, not enough to benefit from a McCain 'tax cut'), yet I am feeling the pinch this summer – it isnot in my head. Those quotes were not 'taken out of context' as even Mr. Gramm states, he attirbutes them to being 'missunderstood.' I think many understood what he was saying just fine and I am glad Obama is making a point of these statements so people can see who McCain surrounds himself with/advises him so they really know what they may get with a McCain presidency (heaven forbid).

MCCAIN and his campaign are OUT OF TOUCH!!!

Ha! Read the Politico's investigation of the 300 economists who signed McCain's "economic plan" – they signed a 430 word document months ago – not his new 15-page plan which was completely devoid of his gimmick gas tax holiday and other ridiculous proposals.

How do you pay for $300 billion in taxes by saving $18 billion in earmarks and pork? I know McCain's older than math, but that just doesn't add up!!

"AND HOW you plan to pay for your programs when they are funded from saving money from a war that is waged on BORROWED money!"

John Mccain claimed those would be his "savings" duh! Barack Obama plans to raise the money he needs by rolling back tax cuts AND divesting us from the money sink that is Iraq. McCain is the one who claims he can "save" money by "winning" in Iraq and using not going into more debt as "savings". He is the one with no plan to actually raise revenues. Read more newspapers.

Obama you rock! McSame you are going down in a landslide!

One thing we must keep in mind: Politicians do not present concrete plans during election cycles anymore. They are too worried about their opponent poking holes in them.

The shame of it is that Obama was supposed to be different. He is sounding a lot like ALL of the politicians that have run for President before.

I will explain to you WHY 300 Economists signed "onto McCain's Plan" – BECAUSE THEY DID NOT READ IT. What was signed was a two page letter that summarized his goals long before the specific plan came out. This document DID NOT INCLUDE ANY REFERENCE TO BALANCING THE BUDGET!!!!

McCain LIED when he said these economists agree with his plan and it's conclusions. Many of these economists have come out publically and said that there is no way in H*LL McCain can balance the budget with his proposals and they don't even agree with many specifics in his plan. One of them is even an Obama supporter who said he just got the letter by email from a colleague and should not have signed it.

Seriously, that is a load of bull and no economist believes what John McCain is claiming – google it.

Give me a break will you! Just because 300 idiots sign off on McCains economic plan does not make it feasible and it most certainly does not make it superior to Obama's. You're just another frustrated Hillary Clinton supporter who continues to whine about your candidate not being the nominee. You dont have to like Obama and I most certainly would not ask you to vote for him, but why the need to sabotage Obama? Why not do as Hillary has asked and support Senator Obama? Go ahead and admit it. You're a Hill-hypocrit and you never really believed in what Hillary stood for in the first place. Take your childish ways, grab your toys and go home. Worse yet, vote for McCain in November. That also would be a very mature response to not getting your way.

Obama '08

Perhaps you didn't hear but the 300 economists didn't sign onto McCain's economic plan; they signed on to support him. None of them, I repeat NONE of the them realized what they were signing. Why don't you get informed before you shoot off your mouth. You hate Obama, we get it; but try not to languish in stupidity and misinformation along with your hatred.

Politico breaks the campaign black eye

Obama/Clinton 08

shame on you CNN.

NObama N'08

And to all of the fake Hillary supports acting as though they are dissappointed at her fair defeat, irrespective of what the media says, we arent counting on you to win this election.

If you get a chance read a book called the "Fall of America" by Elijah Muhhamad.

McSame and his crowd are out of touch

McCain- admits the economy is not his strong suit and will have advisors to help with it (like every other politician in history)

Obama- just runs his mouth and pretends he knows all about it when he does not have a clue.

For reference:
Average salary 1999: $23,800.00
Average salary 2007: $31,480.00

Average tax bracket 1999: 28.75%
Average tax bracket 2007: 25.35%

Average Home interest rate 1999: 8.9% fixed
Average home interest rate 2007: 5.7% fixed

The reason gas is $4.00 a gallon in 2008
Because that's what the middle east is charging us for it, and since the libs keep voting against domestic drilling we have to buy from other countries.

The reason gas should be about $2.50 a gallon: because thats what it would cost us to drill, refine and sell it ourselves here in the US.

Way to go Obama.

Why doesn't Obama propose a crash program of basic R&D designed to produce a means of personal transportation that is not dependent on fossil fuels. We can then give the technology to domestic auto manufacturers free of charge, as long as they pledge to build the cars in the U.S.

We will have retrieved those jobs in Michigan that McCain said were never coming back. We will substantially reduce our dependence on foreign oil. And we will have also gone a long way toward meeting our climate change goals.

A triple play for Obama!

Obama 08