If you've been listening to this show -- or, er... any show for that matter -- you'll know a little something about the NSA's wiretapping program. Basically, the program circumvented the FISA courts, enabling the agency to listen in on phone calls between folks inside the United States and people overseas -- all without benefit of a warrant (faster and easier, they say). Well, the previously unauthorized program is now authorized, after it passed both in the House and the Senate, with the President signing it into law yesterday. We'll talk to a reporter to explain it all, as well as folks from Congress, both yeas and nays.
Blog of the Nation
If I had been in the Congressional leadership, I would have made the resignation of Alberto Gonzales a precondition to approving the wiretapping bill.
A.G. Alberto Gonzales who has spent several hearings misleading congress on these very programs will determine whether or not there is a legitamate target? HAHAHAHA! Now there's a great idea!
It's interesting that you ask "why did so many Democrats" vote to support this law. Interesting because we now think of preserving the Constitution or flouting the Constitution as a left/right issue. The wonderful irony is that it's the left that's trying to preserve the rule of law, and on the right the goal is anarchy in the service of the corporate moneymen. Congress voted for this law for the same reason they vote for any dreadful, un-American subversion of the Constitution: fear.
What does "does violence to the constitution" mean? Speaker Nacy said it and the Representative just on said it twice.
How many of these terrorists making phone calls or sending emails have been arrested. If this is such a great program there should be daily or weekly arrests.
I find this whole debate rather ridiculous. The NSA has been doing this sort of "wire tapping" since its inception. Does anyone think that a phone call from the US (by a US citizen) to the Soviet Union during the height of the cold war went unmonitored?.....dream on. Does anyone think that a letter sent overseas during WWII was read by our intelligence agencies....they all were! Privacy is one thing.....communicating with an enemy (terrorist sponsor)state is another.
What if I wanted to eavesdrop on say, Sen. Reid. I send a message from France to him.This alerts the A.G. and D.N.I. who proceed to monitor Sen. Reid.
Scary. No oversight outside the administration. Shades of Nixon
This move bu Bush will usher in a new era of "neo-McCarthyism"
What distinction is there between freedom of speech and freedom of speech on the phone? We have the right to say what we will, as long as it does not threaten or hurt another, but we can't do this on the phone? Sounds to me as if our government is a little scared, but they don't know what or who to be scared of.
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