Apparently the Democrats have caved to pressure from the White House once again. They are almost indistinguishable from the current administration, and just underscores our need for more third party options. When the differences between parties is so minimal, my vote will be going to NOTA.

Sent by Frances E Wilson | 4:25 AM ET | 08-04-2007

The Senate action to rubber stamp the President's request for expanded spying powers is more than disappointing, its cowardly. It would seem that we now have no protection from the extremists who have been running the govenment for the past few years. Giving in to undefined fears, our Senate is willing to surrender yet another constitutional freedom to our President, who seems determined to, ironically, turn us into "Old Europe", where the privileged few had unrestricted power, and everyone else had to trust them to do the right thing. Its a shame that our "leaders" are so unwilling to lead, but instead meekly follow a President who uses our fear to grab unprecedented power.

Sent by Scott J | 10:16 AM ET | 08-04-2007

It's time for the congress (house and senate) to enforce their constitutional duty and bring the executive brand into balance. By changing the rules as they play, and by evoking executive privilege as their umbrella against all attempts of accountability, the Bush administration is leading our government on a course toward authoritarianism. Congress needs to be the branch of our government to bring them back into check. This is what we elect our officials to do - above all else, and whether we all realize it , or not - to be our representatives in this constitutional process

Sent by Scott Deutsch | 10:34 AM ET | 08-04-2007

It's like hide and seek with razor blades. On one hand it's the same ole same ole game of move the power further and further from the people. The same game the administration, and the Republican party has been working busily at since the "Republican Revolution": re-centralize power into the fewest hands possible. And on the other it's a well-designed, meticulously funded drive to make absolutely certain that there can be no trail of bread crumbs for civil libertarians to find their way back.
It's the same strategy as the K Street Project. The same as "Starving the Beast" Driving the debt beyond the point where government has the financial capacity to carry on even fundamental regulatory mandates. The concern of Conservative government is its computer-virus like intentions. The damage just keeps on unraveling long after the infection has been introduced.
In this particular case of course We (as in "We The People") are being asked to self-erode a fundamental right we have held as Americans--the right to privacy. What's better We are being asked this by an administration unwilling to allow its staff to submit to oversight by the legislative branch due to its concerns for Executive privacy. Will We buckle AGAIN? Stay tuned.

Sent by Dave Olson | 11:36 AM ET | 08-04-2007

The FISA court is there as a check on executive powers. It's doing its job and Bush doesn't like it. As long as Bush is reporting to the FISA court we know he isn't doing anything illegal, like spying on election offices and so forth. Isn't that the whole point? Otherwise we will have the usual mission creep this administration is known for.

How will the government distinguish between foreign calls and domestic ones? It can't. Telecommunications networks are such that any call can be routed through a foreign exchange or server and hairpin back to the US. Hence, any call can be classified as "foreign" communications.

We also need to make sure that that any legislation prevents President Bush from entering into any agreements with foreign governments, reciprocal or otherwise, to spy on american citizens without FISA approvals.

Sent by Obie | 12:46 PM ET | 08-04-2007

The issue seems to be that Bush wants to spy on Americans under the guise of spying on alleged foreign terrorist. And he doesn't want any meaningful court oversight that could catch, or stop his criminality. The secret court has already had to stop Bush from illegally spying on American citizens. So now he wants new rules that would allow him to continue to violate American citizens civil rights with out getting caught.

They want to spy on their political enemy's, and other Americans to gather an advantage for the coming elections. Like they did for past national elections. Surely anyone with two brain cells has figured that out by now.

This is just more of the long history of the corrupt, disgraceful conduct of the Bush, Cheney administration. That has made the Bush presidency unquestionably the most disastrous, worst presidency in the history of America.

The American people, and the US military need protection from global terrorist. And their name is Bush, and Cheney. Congress should not be giving this administration any more power. They should be taking away as much power from them as they can. As fast as they can.

Sent by John | 8:34 PM ET | 08-04-2007

This move by the Bush administration to change the FISA rules is VERY troubling. The ten day review period proposed by the Democratic Senate is more than sufficient to satisfy the need of a security conscious administration to act quickly while submitting to a judiciary review process. If the President wants to veto such a restriction, let him. Then, as they should have done with the supplemental defense appropriation for the war in Iraq, Congress should do nothing and let the current FISA regulations stand. If Mr. Bush wants his cake, let him choke on it.

Sent by Charles Tidd | 12:57 AM ET | 08-06-2007

^^ here! here! I am in total agreement with above. As an indication of how compliant we have become as a nation, this ranks 99 points above the infamous Saturday-night massacres, when so many wrong-doers were pardoned (over the Christmas holiday, as I recall). Sadly, at least then - the administration actually felt they HAD to be creative to pass this by the American public.

These days, they just march it right pass our noses in broad daylight -- and, amazingly enough - WE STILL DON'T OBJECT!!!

If I'm disgusted with this administration and its 'creative' interpretation of the Constitution for its own benefit - I'm even more troubled by the current apathy of the American public.

And onward we march toward totalitarianism.

Sent by Dis Gusted | 9:18 PM ET | 08-06-2007