Comments on: Republicans Hold America Hostage to Protect Bush http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/02/republicans-hold-america-hostage-to-protect-bush Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:11:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: rawdawgbuffalo http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/02/republicans-hold-america-hostage-to-protect-bush/comment-page-1#comment-22464 rawdawgbuffalo Sat, 16 Feb 2008 06:13:55 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/02/republicans-hold-america-hostage-to-protect-bush#comment-22464 Mark - less than K street, u have to show me LOL Mark – less than K street, u have to show me LOL

]]> By: Mark http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/02/republicans-hold-america-hostage-to-protect-bush/comment-page-1#comment-22414 Mark Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:59:46 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/02/republicans-hold-america-hostage-to-protect-bush#comment-22414 That's a good point. If you think about it, if the telecoms were behind the push for amnesty, they would have spent more money lobbying for amnesty than they would have lost in a lawsuit. In theory, the number of victims here is relatively small, and the amount of damages each victim could claim would be relatively minimal. On top of that, the legal fees in these cases wouldn't be outrageous since the issues are relatively simple and straightforward and since they would all be likely candidates for summary judgment (there's not likely to be any factual disputes). Point is: the actual potential liability for the telecoms is probably less than the amount it costs to lobby Congress to get a controversial piece of legislation passed. The greater potential liability lies with the Bush Administration, especially if (as is widely believed) the program started well before 9/11. That’s a good point. If you think about it, if the telecoms were behind the push for amnesty, they would have spent more money lobbying for amnesty than they would have lost in a lawsuit. In theory, the number of victims here is relatively small, and the amount of damages each victim could claim would be relatively minimal.
On top of that, the legal fees in these cases wouldn’t be outrageous since the issues are relatively simple and straightforward and since they would all be likely candidates for summary judgment (there’s not likely to be any factual disputes).

Point is: the actual potential liability for the telecoms is probably less than the amount it costs to lobby Congress to get a controversial piece of legislation passed. The greater potential liability lies with the Bush Administration, especially if (as is widely believed) the program started well before 9/11.

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