Bush defends domestic eavesdropping.

[Biorgium]

Oh but it's only international phonecalls being monitored. And what Bush supporters ever make one of those anyway?

 

[Meekail]

"This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power, under our laws and Constitution, to protect them and their civil liberties and that is exactly what I will continue to do as long as I am president of the United States," Bush said.

 

[miles]

Anyone willing to bet how many former presidents did similar things at times when there was little or no threat?

Clinton used the IRS to audit a few people who committed the crime of opposing him.

 

[woody54]

Oh but it's only international phonecalls being monitored. And what Bush supporters ever make one of those anyway?

Eschelon takes everything and filters it.
Maybe the political spin is that only international call results are monitored from that but you know what Administrators do when they have all this top secret potential at their fingertips.
If fixing elections doesnt raise eyebrows, why would monitoring peoples phone calls cause a fuss. After all, the spin would be that only the guilty have to worry.

The rest of the world lives with US invasion of our privacy so whats the problem? Its just a few entrenched rights being tramped by a dictator.

 

[woody54]

Clinton used the IRS to audit a few people who committed the crime of opposing him.

So whats the problem if they were honest citizens. Everyone is liable for audit and only the cheaters suffer from the inspection.

 

[Ishmael]

Anyone willing to bet how many former presidents did similar things at times when there was little or no threat?

Clinton used the IRS to audit a few people who committed the crime of opposing him.

Clinton also authorized the re-targeting of Echelon's data gathering mission and expanded the scope eponentially. It was the largest invasion of privacy, on a global scale, ever undertaken.

But Bush is getting grief for snooping on a few hundree who are making phone calls and sending emails to al Queda sympathizers or operatives.

Ishmael

 

[woody54]

Clinton also authorized the re-targeting of Echelon's data gathering mission and expanded the scope eponentially. It was the largest invasion of privacy, on a global scale, ever undertaken.

Ishmael

Hey wait a minute there. arent you usually with the crowd that calls Clinton a lazy coward for taking no action against Terrorism.

Suddenly he is wrong for adding to the intelligence base by using information that was just there free for the listening.

Bush has obviously overstepped an understanding by Congress of where that line between privacy and public good needs oversight and he is paying the price for that secrecy. Why have an oversight system if a president can sideline it at will for a fishing expedition in the public domain? Its illogical.

 

[Ishmael]

Hey wait a minute there. arent you usually with the crowd that calls Clinton a lazy coward for taking no action against Terrorism.

Suddenly he is wrong for adding to the intelligence base by using information that was just there free for the listening.

Bush has obviously overstepped an understanding by Congress of where that line between privacy and public good needs oversight and he is paying the price for that secrecy. Why have an oversight system if a president can sideline it at will for a fishing expedition in the public domain? Its illogical.

Go read some real history woodrow. The focus of Clintons information gathering had very little to do with terrorism.

Ishmael

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

It now appears the Democrats will do ANYTHING to avoid talking about their former strengths; kitchen-table, back-pocket, blue-collar issues...

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

It's a good thing that Bush is the most unpopular President ever or this stuff could never work in the face of success...

 

[Ishmael]

It now appears the Democrats will do ANYTHING to avoid talking about their former strengths; kitchen-table, back-pocket, blue-collar issues...

Ya know what they say bro? "If you don't have anything to offer, don't offer anything." (I made that up but maybe it'll catch on and everyone will say it.)

Ishmael

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

Go read some real history woodrow. The focus of Clintons information gathering had very little to do with terrorism.

Ishmael

Woody, if New Zealand has a university, go to the book store and get the Cliff's Notes for American CIv 101, since you always seem content with scratching the surface...

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

Ya know what they say bro? "If you don't have anything to offer, don't offer anything." (I made that up but maybe it'll catch on and everyone will say it.)

Ishmael

So we have the big three in '06:

Democrats: We have nothing to offer but fear itself!
Libertarians: We offer less and more of it!
Republicans: Let's Make a Deal...

 

[Ishmael]

So we have the big three in '06:

Democrats: We have nothing to offer but fear itself!
Libertarians: We offer less and more of it!
Republicans: Let's Make a Deal...

Pretty good summation.

Or the Repubs could be: You can have anything you want, but is it ever going to cost you!!!

Ishmael

 

[miles]

So whats the problem if they were honest citizens. Everyone is liable for audit and only the cheaters suffer from the inspection.

Woody, shut the fuck up. Normal people are talking here.

 

[miles]

This is just another bullshit move by the Democrats. Bush's numbers are getting better and they're going woody54.

 

[Ishmael]

This is just another bullshit move by the Democrats. Bush's numbers are getting better and they're going woody54.

Actually that is funny. They've once more been able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Nothing like overplaying your hand.

Ishmael

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

I wonder why one of their leaders recently said Iraq would not be an issue in '06, and yes, I know all politics are local about about the incumbant bringing home the bacon, so things look good for Republicans and what the fawk was I talking about? Oh yeah, lapdogs, Ginger, woof, woof...

Back on track gentlemen.

 

[Ishmael]

Hey, save that for LT.

Ishmael

 

[busybody..]

How dare Bush take away the civil liberties of terrorists to terrorize?

Doesnt our sacred documents say

Life, Liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the right to terrorize!!!!!!!!!!!

What next?

No car theft, rape, murder

I BLAME BUSH!

 

[Cap’n AMatrixca]

Albino Chiggers Busybody...

I swear to Gawd I saw it as soon as I clicked on this thread because I swear on the spirit of Chanakamas if I had the choice between Albino Chiggers and a Busybody post, Albino Chiggers wins every time!

 

[someplace]

Sorry to interrupt, but I haven't been around much. Can someone bring me uptodate on what this hullabaloo is about?

Is this about electronic easedropping of calls made INTO the US from outside? Is it about electronic easedropping on calls made WITHIN the US? And if the latter is the case, is this with or without the secret judges' okay? What's the scoop?

 

[busybody..]

its to track TERRORISTS, if they call, or get called from other terrorists

http://www.drudgereport.com/pa.jpg FLASHBACK: DEM LEADER HARRY REID ALL SMILES AT PATRIOT ACT SIGNING

THE DRUDGE REPORT has uncovered a photograph of President Bush signing the Patriot Act in the East Room of the White House on October 26, 2001. And standing over the President’s shoulder with a smile on his face is Democratic Senate Minority Harry Reid (D-NV)! Reid is currently leading efforts in the Senate to block the renewal of the Patriot Act.

After Reid successfully prevented the Patriot Act’s renewal late last week the Senator attended a Democrat political rally and proudly declared, “We killed the Patriot Act.”

One Republican strategist familiar with the photo said, “Democrats think they can regain the majority? Not a chance if they continue to put politics above what’s best for the country. Harry Reid is making a colossal miscalculation, but it's not the first time and thankfully for us, probably not the last.”

 

[Peregrinator]

Ya know what they say bro? "If you don't have anything to offer, don't offer anything." (I made that up but maybe it'll catch on and everyone will say it.)

Ishmael

Ish...you've just become one of "them."


What do you make of the lack of subpoenas? Why not get them retroactively, as provided for? That's the only piece of this I have any questions about.

 

[garbage can]

I worry that for every covert procedure that's made public, there are three others we never hear about.

Which makes my point phrodeau, your life hasn't changed in the decade +,
that the NSA has been doing cell phone surveillance.