Sure It’s Not Called the Domestic Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978?
by John Paczkowski
Posted on June 20, 2008 at 11:47 AM PT
What was it Thomas Jefferson once said: “A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.” Whatever it was, it bears repeating today in light of the astonishing amendments made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 this week.
U.S. House and Senate leaders agreed yesterday to extend the Bush administration’s controversial wiretap program through at least 2012 and grant immunity to the telcos that participated in its warrantless domestic surveillance operation. Great news for AT&T (T) and other companies facing some 40 lawsuits over civil liberties violations arising from the program. Lousy news for those who filed them. “The lawsuits will be dismissed, and we feel comfortable that the standard of evidence that the law requires will be easily met,” said House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., bluntly.
Comfortable that the standard of evidence the law requires will be met? How could you not be? The law allows the government to conduct “emergency wiretaps” without court orders on U.S. citizens for up to a week if the information is sensitive and the director of national intelligence fears it might be lost by seeking proper authorization.
Shades of J. Edgar Hoover, no? Said Rep. Barbara Lee (D., Calif.), co-chair of the House’s Progressive Caucus, “This bill scares me to death.“
Comments
Everyone who initiated the aforementioned lawsuits is guilty of attempted interference with intelligence-gathering operations during a time of war. That is treason in principle if not also by legal definition.
People who are concerned about ‘domestic spying’ shouldn’t be: Nobody cares about what you have to say.
Posted by Matt Lohr at June 20th, 2008 at 2:55 pmWhat war? To my knowledge, the US currently has no formal declaration of war outstanding. No formal war, no treason.
Given the open-ended nature of the “war” against terrorism, I think all citizens should be concerned about the continued erosion of the rule of law.
Posted by Matthew Lovell at June 20th, 2008 at 4:13 pmAs long as they wiretap scumbag reporters and other terrorist lovers, it’s ok by me.
Posted by David Owens at June 20th, 2008 at 4:57 pmActually it was Gerald Ford who said it.
Posted by Jim Gable at June 20th, 2008 at 6:59 pmI can’t believe some of your comments. One of your own Presidents said, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” I see the erosion of your freedom day by day. Where is your vigilance?
Posted by Richard Westgate at June 20th, 2008 at 7:44 pmJohn:
I believe that the safety of all AMERICANS warrants the use of wire taps. Those who oppose it, I believe might have something to hide or be ashamed of.
Just look at some of the plots that have been nipped in the bud because of these taps. Better to be safe than sorry.
Pete Connolly
Posted by Peter Connolly at June 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 amOkay, this is ridiculous.
Listen, I’m all for national security. We need to protect the people of the nation with the resources that we have.
That being said, allowing the government warrantless “emergency” wiretaps is just flat out friggin’ stupid. How many steps are we from making it illegal to criticize the government? Three, maybe four? This warrantless wiretap system would basically enable the government to do whatever they want. There is no definition of the “emergency” situations this could be used for.
That means that the “emergency” is relative to the person instigating the warrantless wiretap. Combine this with a few other acts: the USA Patriot Act and the USA Patriot Act II.
Under the USA Patriot Act, an individual can be imprisoned for any length of time without trial for association with “terrorist” activities. These “terrorist” activities are largely undefined. What’s more, people imprisoned like this lose their right to a trial, which is the only place they could appeal their imprisonment.
The USA Patriot Act II strengthens the USA Patriot Act by allowing the government to question your friends, family, employers, library, and anything in the private sector without telling you. They can request your credit score without telling you. They can do this and then order everyone they’ve talked to not to tell you. They can arrest you and not tell your family or friends why you were arrested, where you are or when you will be released.
This FISA amendment in itself is not an entirely evil act; it grants immunity to telecom companies who work with the government to violate your rights from lawsuits. What it does is it supports an illegal system, the President’s illegal warrantless wiretapping system.
As long as this system stays in place, as long as we citizens do not rest control of our rights from the government, we will be in danger of becoming something quite like the Soviet Union.
Wake the hell up. The founding fathers granted us these rights; no, I correct myself, we HAVE these rights no matter what, that’s the point the founders were trying to make. The rights are layed out in the constitution TO PROTECT US FROM A SITUATION LIKE THIS. A government whose power is GOING TO ITS HEAD. If things continue like this it will not be long until we are a POLICE STATE.
Careful guys, watch what you say. Given that the government has been trying to force Blogs and other grassroots campaigns (read: people who disagree with the government) to register with Congress. If that ever takes effect, that means that they will have a list of people who actively disagree! It’s a lot easier to watch the malcontents when you’ve got a list of their names.
Posted by Zachary Hueras at June 25th, 2008 at 12:26 pmJust remember, Terrorists are bad and all that, but they only have the power to kill and to strike fear into your heart. Don’t be afraid! Terrorists who hate our capitalist society and all of our wonderful freedoms WANT US TO SURRENDER THEM. You are CAVING IN IF YOU DO NOT STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHTS. You are not a Patriot unless you stand diligent and due to the COUNTRY, NOT THE GOVERNMENT. THEY ARE SEPARATE.
You LIE. People LIE. Politicians, as people, ALSO LIE. It is our job as American Citizens to BE VIGILANT, to make sure the people we elect ARE DOING THEIR DUTY in an HONEST WAY. There are better ways to protect this country than violently raping the constitution.
Posted by Zachary Hueras at June 25th, 2008 at 12:32 pm