Tracy Press

 
Will Democrats go along with sham?

 
If President Bush has it his way, the temporary Protect America Act that Congress hurriedly approved before the August recess will soon become permanent law, perhaps only being blocked by the third branch of government, the U.S. Supreme Court, at some distant date.

Already, lower branches of the federal court system have ruled against the constitutionality of this new foreign intelligence surveillance law because of its direct effect on ordinary U.S. citizens. These brave judgments have been handed down in spite of attempts by government lawyers to quash citizens’ requests for surveillance details because of national security.

After Congress caved in two months ago to White House political pressure to pass the Protect America Act, which allows the government to intercept phone calls and e-mails of any American without a court order, the Democrats went home and heard the outcry from their constituents. They promised to fix the law that sunsets in February. They haven’t, and their revision to the new Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is weak — perhaps a reflection of their political spines.

Instead of the government needing a specific FISA court warrant to spy on your conversations with anyone overseas, the revision would allow a blanket warrant good for one year against any foreign target, from one person to an entire government. Of course, because the warrant would be sought and approved in secret, only Uncle Sam would know who was spied upon, for how long and for what reason.

We would not be so nervous about congressional Democrats and Republicans giving away the Bill of Rights if the Bush administration was more forthcoming about its National Security Agency domestic spying program — the wiretapping adventure that included U.S. phone companies turning over customer records when asked by the NSA. Why is everything so hush-hush?

The Bush administration’s reasoning is summed up in the action of the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, who declined to even investigate reports that phone companies turned over the records to the NSA, saying it would “pose an unnecessary risk of damage to the national security.”

To reward the phone companies, Bush says he will veto any revision to the Protect America Act that doesn’t give the phone companies immunity to privacy lawsuits by consumers.

Perhaps a soul-searching representative of the American people will rename the wiretapping bill for what it is: the Protect the Bush Administration and its Friends from Prosecution Act.

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written by Steve Reshakis , October 14, 2007

What part of "Temporary" don't you get?

The wire taps have produced "INtel" that has prevented attacks. and captured terrorists all over the world

Why are you on the side if ISLAMO-FACISTS?

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written by k.l. vosburg , October 16, 2007

Who's on the side of Islamo-fascists?
There's no question that wiretaping provides Intel.
Yet how is this done legally? (Remember At&t's "secret room" based out of S.F.)?

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written by amy , October 16, 2007

"All roads to hell is paved with good intentions..."

So fitting, the "temporary" word was used to appease the public since they knew the public would be up in arms in having their privacy invaded... rememeber the war would only be temporary... many things planned as temporary did not pan out that way, it became long term..

Nothing backed Bush's plans in keeping things temporary, he just opened the door for more illegal activities.

"Perhaps a soul-searching representative of the American people will rename the wiretapping bill for what it is: the Protect the Bush Administration and its Friends from Prosecution Act."

Seems to fit the bill.

Soon the internet access to information will be curbed.
Soon the communication grid will be affected.
Soon the truth will be blocked from the world's viewing on the internet.

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written by amy , October 16, 2007

Because the Democrats betrayed the voters with their pompous promises at turning things around they are at best just "Donkey fart!"

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written by Dale Cose , October 16, 2007

The Press wrote, "and their revision to the new Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is weak — perhaps a reflection of their political spines."

and just maybe they've begun to understand that intercepting communications is a deadly serious reality.