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An Interfaith Inaugural Service for Mayor-elect Michael Nutter |
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Fourth Amendment Takes a Holiday? |
 On December 17, the U.S. Senate put off until at least next month any
decision on whether to give legal protection to the phone carriers,
including AT &T and Verizon, who cooperated in the National Security
Agency's eavesdropping program on American citizens. The Bush
administration had been pushing for immediate passage of legislation
to grant immunity to the phone companies as part of a broader
expansion of the N.S.A.'s wiretapping authorities.
Last August, legislation was approved by Congress which permitted
expanded powers for the security agency. That temporary
legislation expires on February 1. Among other issues, the new
legislation would have addressed the question of granting
retroactive immunity to the telecommunications companies who may
have violated the privacy rights of millions of Americans. There
are currently 40 lawsuits pending against the major phone companies
over their alleged cooperation in the eavesdropping program.
The following Commentary was written by Ken Myers, Vice President of
JSPAN. We welcome your response.
Fourth Amendment Takes a Holiday?
The Congress has gone home for the holidays, leaving undecided the Administration’s high priority effort to immunize telecommunications companies from responsibility for wiretapping without a warrant since 2001.
In 2005 the New York Times disclosed the Administration’s program of tapping international phone communications, including communications with people in the U.S. and communications with Americans who are abroad. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution requires a warrant based on probable cause to support a wiretap, yet the Administration concluded that its implied war powers permitted it to proceed without any judicial control.
[read more]
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The U.N. Vote on the Death Penalty: A Milestone |
 In the December 14 issue of the JSPAN e-newsletter, it was reported
that President Jeffrey Pasek had sent letters on behalf of the Board
to members of the New Jersey Senate during the previous week,
expressing this organization's opposition to the death penalty. A
JSPAN policy statement to that effect had been on record since
January, 2005. It was,therefore, very heartening to learn on
December 18 that the United Nations General Assembly had voted 104 to
54 for a global moratorium on the death penalty.
In its editorial of December 20 entitled "A Pause From Death," The
New York Times called this vote "a milestone." The Times stated,
however, that the United States "as usual, lined up on the other
side, with Iran, China, Pakistan, Sudan and Iraq. Together this
blood brotherhood accounts for more than 90 per cent of the world's
executions."
To read the Times editorial in its entirety, click here.
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MJ Rosenberg: Why Not Seize Every Possibility? |
 In the December 21 issue of his Weekly Opinion Column IPF Friday, MJ
Rosenberg illustrates how, starting in 1947, both
Israel and the Palestinians have not "seiz(ed) opportunities" to
engage in steps toward peace. "One would think that following those
experiences Arabs and Israelis would now seize any opportunity that
arises. Not so."
As an example, some members of the Israeli government, allegedly including
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, are currently working to prevent the
follow-up to the Annapolis conference that is scheduled to take place
in the next few months in Moscow. They are suggesting that holding
the conference there is rewarding Russia. Mr. Rosenberg responds,
"Actually the people rewarded by any peace conference at this point
are Israelis and Palestinians. ...... That is why the momentum
created by the Annapolis meeting - and by the upcoming Bush visit to
Israel and Palestine - needs to be exploited and deepened rather than
deterred."
The recent cease-fire overtures proposed by Hamas should similarly be
responded to by "finding out if some sort of deal can be reached.
Will (Prime Minister) Olmert do it? Who knows?" In the final
analysis, Mr. Rosenberg is "betting that he can ... win for Israel
and the rest of us too."
To read MJ Rosenberg's essay in its entirety, click here.
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Mr.
Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater |
 Now on DVD -
Barry Goldwater's granddaughter gives us an interesting perspective on her grandfather as politician, family man, and independent son of the West. The documentary presents a provocative view of the birth of today's conservative movement and insights on the resignation of Richard Nixon. There are comments by those who shared the events with Goldwater and by current political experts. The amateur production values are offset by the content.
To order "Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater" at Amazon.com, click here.
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Remember JSPAN in your End-of-Year Charitable Gifts |
 As you consider your end-of-year charitable gifts, please remember
that JSPAN welcomes your donations to help us continue our important
work in Tikkun Olam.
We need your support. Our ability to perform effectively on behalf
of the Jewish community depends on your financial contribution. We
may be a small organization, but our reach is broad, our voice is
loud and growing louder. Our impact can be even stronger with your
support.
We appreciate your help and encourage you to become actively involved
with our work. You may send gifts via PayPal on www.jspan.org or to
JSPAN, c/o Joel Beaver, Treasurer, 2033 Walnut Street, Philadelphia,
PA 19103.
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Want to Join?
To become a voting JSPAN member, please go to www.JSPAN.org. On the right side of your screen you will be able to start a secure transaction and become a voting member.
Make all checks payable to:
JSPAN
2033 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
JSPAN Officers
Jeffrey Pasek
President
Kenneth Fox
Vice President
Kenneth Myers
Vice President
Joel Beaver
Treasurer
Stewart Weintraub
Secretary & General Counsel
Directors:
Susan Myers, Chair
Irwin Aronson
Deanne Comer
Hon. Ruth Damsker
Marshall Dayan
William Epstein
Helen Fox
Brian Gralnick
Rosalie Greenfield
Matzkin
Jerome Kaplan
Lazar Kleit
Judah Labovitz
Ruth Laibson
Rabbi Robert Layman
Spencer Lempert
Herb Levine
Theodore Mann
Norm Newberg
Ruth Perry
Adena Potok
Randy Schultz
Ruth Schulz
Daniel Segal
Burt Siegel
Jared Solomon
Rabbi David Straus
Alex Urevick-
Ackelsberg
Rabbi Avi Winokur
Executive Director:
Mort Levine
Editor:
Ruth Laibson
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