Does Telecom Immunity Herald Fascism?

Dear TQA,

Why are some people suggesting that the telecom immunity bill is tantamount to sanctioning fascism in the United States?

Ann Thompson and Tribbly



Dear AT&T,

Maybe because it's true?

Let's review what fascism is: In the years leading up to World War II, Italy, Spain and Germany linked government and corporate control over populations suddenly hostage to all organized power in their nations.

Now let's review what telecom immunity is: When the Bush Administration said to the telecom companies, "Psst! Let us spy on your customers, OK?", only one company, Qwest, said no, because it clearly wasn't legal.

All the others (AT&T, et al.) handed over your privacy to criminals in high office.

A telecom immunity bill would signal this: If the government asks you to break the law, you're covered on the back end.

In other words, fascism would be codified: if the government wants you to break the law, you should go with loyalty to the executive branch rather than the rule of law.

The president and every other governmental official take an oath to the Constitution. Corporations are bound by the law, just like everyone else is.

Telecom immunity would nullify these oaths and laws, replacing them with loyalty to the President.

Could anything be more disgusting than for George W. Bush's dictatorship and fascism to be rubberstamped by a Democratically controlled Congress?


The Question Authority