Senate Authorizes Broad Expansion Of Surveillance Act

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Stephen:  I thought you'd just love to see this one:

Senate Authorizes Broad
Expansion Of Surveillance Act
By Paul Kane
Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Senate yesterday approved a sweeping measure that would expand the government's clandestine
surveillance powers, delivering a key victory to the White House by approving immunity from lawsuits
for telecommunications companies that cooperated with intelligence agencies in domestic spying after
the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

On a 68 to 29 vote, the Senate approved the reauthorization of a law that would give the
government greater powers to eavesdrop in terrorism and intelligence cases without obtaining warrants from
a secret court.  The Senate's action, days before a temporary surveillance law expires Friday, sets up a clash with House

Democrats, who have previously approved legislation that does not contain immunity for the
telecommunications industry. The chambers have been locked in a standoff over the immunity provision
since the House vote Nov. 15, with President Bush demanding the protection for the industry.
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the president "will not sign another extension" of the temporary
law, a decision that could force congressional leaders to reconcile their differences this week.
"The House is risking national security by delaying action," Fratto said. "It's increasingly clear Congress
will not act until it has to, and a second extension will only lead to a third."
But House leaders vowed again yesterday to oppose the telecom immunity provision until the White House
releases more information about the controversial warrantless surveillance program it initiated shortly after
the terrorist attacks.

Bush applauded the Senate bill and warned House Democrats to put aside "narrow partisan concerns" on the
immunity issue and approve the Senate's version.

"This good bill passed by the Senate provides a long-term foundation for our intelligence community to monitor the communications of foreign terrorists in ways that are timely and effective and that also protect
the liberties of Americans," Bush said.

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Are you sure about that stephen?  With the good wishes of our lovely President Bush, who could not vote in favor of this?

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haha.  Nancy doesn't have the trump card there stephen...GW does.   A pardon means an executive order vacating a conviction.  Trust me, it's going on already which is really sad to be honest.  The government can spy on you.

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Oh well, sure the lawyers are not all that happy about it.  Who would have guessed that the only people not down with privacy rights would be the lawyers...haha

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Editorial
The Intelligence Cover-Up

Published: March 16, 2008

For more than two years now, Congress, the news media, current and former national security officials, think tanks and academic institutions have been engaged in a profound debate over how to modernize the law governing electronic spying to keep pace with technology. We keep hoping President Bush will join in.

Instead, the president offers propaganda intended to scare Americans, expand his powers, and erode civil liberties â€" and to ensure that no one is held to account for the illegal wiretapping he ordered after 9/11.

Consider last Thursday’s performance, as the House debated a sound bill that closes some technology gaps in the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and gives government agencies new flexibility to eavesdrop, but preserves constitutional protections against unreasonable searches. Mr. Bush distorted the contents of the bill and threatened to veto it.

He accused House leaders of “putting in place a cumbersome court approval process that would make it harder to collect intelligence on foreign terrorists.” Actually, the bill merely ensures that special judges continue to supervise surveillance of American citizens. The “cumbersome process” is really a court that acts swiftly and has refused only a half-dozen of more than 21,000 wiretap requests in its nearly 30 years of existence.

What Mr. Bush wants is to be able to listen to your international telephone calls and read your international e-mail whenever he wants, without a court being able to prevent it or judge the legality of his actions.

Mr. Bush said the House bill would “cause us to lose vital intelligence on terrorist threats.” But he has never offered credible evidence of any operation that was hobbled because officials had to request a warrant. The law already allows the government to eavesdrop first and then seek a warrant. As for that technology gap, Congress fixed it last year. The authority has expired, but wiretapping operations started under it can continue.

Finally, Mr. Bush said it was vital to national security to give amnesty to any company that turned over data on Americans without a court order. The purpose of this amnesty is not to protect national secrets â€" that could be done during a trial â€" but to make sure that the full damage to Americans’ civil liberties is never revealed. Mr. Bush also objects to a provision that would create a committee to examine his warrantless spying program.

Mr. Bush wanted the House to approve the Senate’s version of the bill, which includes Mr. Bush’s amnesty and does not do nearly as good a job of preserving Americans’ rights. We were glad the House ignored his bluster. If the Senate cannot summon the courage and good sense to follow suit, there is no rush to pass a law.

The president will continue to claim the country is in grave danger over this issue, but it is not. The real danger is for Mr. Bush. A good law â€" like the House bill â€" would allow Americans to finally see the breathtaking extent of his lawless behavior.

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/opinion/index.html

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You are doing what it takes to be arrested for treason.

Opposing right wing views.

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With regard to your post of the editorial from the Washington Times, (official newsletter for Sun Myung Moon's Cult, the Unification Church) you might want to clarify that fact lest someone think that those words are your opinion.

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What does God have to say about all this?  I think GW thinks he's bringing all that God has planned for you.  Jesus Christ!  No wonder things are so messed up.

PS  I love you as a brother George as I'm suppose to.  But for the love of, well God, could you stop it already. Thnx.

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2 Thessalonians 1:6-9


6 if so be that it is righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you,

7 and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire,

8 rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus:

9 who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,