Congress blasts Bush's surveillance of U.S. calls, e-mails

Miami Herald ^ | Dec. 17, 2005 | By: Ron Hutcheson and Frank Davies, Jonathan S. Landay and Warren P. Strobel

[joinedafterattack]

Democrats accused the administration of trampling constitutional rights in the name of national security.

[advance_copy]

It's inexcusable to have spying on people in the United States without court surveillance in violation of our law.

Senator Specter thinks terrorists should have due process and the right to privacy while they are plotting their attacks.

[frankjr]

Dems master plan: Protect the terrorists at all costs.

[Alia]

Democrats accused the administration of trampling constitutional rights in the name of national security.

LOL!!! Oh my.. the Democrats continue: "WE HAVE TO DESTROY THE VILLAGE IN ORDER TO SAVE IT!". ;>

Members of Congress from both parties expressed outrage

Oh how grand of the MSM to report that ALL THE DEMOCRATS and 3 of the HUGE Republican party "expressed outrage". That's right up there with how they count "liberal protestors". If there's 10, it must be printed and aired as "massive" protestors.

[zzen01]

So are all of you "Moderates" happy now!

[Salvey]

The 'RATS are laying the foundation for a nasty impeachment effort of the President in the event that they win a few more seats in the 2006 Congressional election. They have forgotten 9/11. They fail to grasp the reality that if we're wiped off the face of the earth by their brothers-in-arms, then Constitutional rights will be meaningless.

[scott7278]

That fool Specter has got to go...

[formercalifornian]

These are the same people who shrugged when the Clintons ended up with hundreds of FBI files.

[Blue Turtle]

There is NO compromising with these people. The DEMS have so much hatred for Bush, they will allow and do anything to assist our enemies....just so they can gain power back. I am disgusted beyond belief. These senators and some repub senators are doing NOTHING for our national security.... they are cowards who will not speak the truth about our borders, our visa policy, the patriot act, al queda, profiling.....they are COWARDS who have put this country (you and me) in danger. President Bush and his cabinet are the only ones that GIVE A DAMN about protecting us.

[commonguymd]

"That fool Specter has got to go..."


I agree.

[doesnt suffer fools gladly]

Of course I hope it doesn't happen, but the only thing that would wake up these RATS and RINOS is to get hit again with another huge terrorist attack.

[Blue Turtle]

I love how the media makes THIS the headline for the weekend....no talk about the amazing election in Iraq.... let freedom ring and leave this President alone. I am so damn sick of the media, the comedians, the actors, the rap stars...insulting the Commander in Chief. I have one thing to say to all of those people that do this: I despise you more than anything. I will never watch your movies, buy your music, or subscribe to your cable....go to hell.

[IronJack]

He is in a place where no president has been before.

And there is the crux of the matter. I'm willing to concede certain niceties to win this war. But this is a disturbing development, even if only because it gives the natterers more ammunition.

I only hope the Bush people were smart enough to review the legality of this action before implementing it, or we're going to have to listen to Ted Kennedy (of all people) pontificating for the next 3 years about impeachment.

[Andy00]

Security and Freedom have an inverse relationship. Dramatically increasing one usually has a negative effect on the other.

I agree that this may be going to far, however, the people who are loudest about it are the same ones who complained that Bush should have "done something" to prevent 9-11.

[dawn53]

I've been asking for the past four years...."How is it that we've gone all this time, since 9/11, without another attack?"

I think my question got answered when this eavesdropping plan was revealed.

More power to them, it they listen in on terrorists and are able to gather info, most common sense Americans will feel the same way. Wasn't that what the Dems were yelling about after 9/11 that we didn't have adequate info?

This ploy will backfire on the Dems if they try to use it as an issue.

[saganite]

Even the NY Times article admitted the administration informed appropriate members of congress and ran this by a secret court before proceeding.

Even in the article from this post it says the NSA "only obtained warrants for domestic taps" and not for calls to International numbers. The NSA is already authorized to monitor International phone and message traffic. I don't think there's a restriction against monitoring calls to or from the US that are International in nature. The president came out swinging in his radio address today. I hope he shuts those bastards up.

[Mo1]

Hey Congress ..you knew about this because you were briefed

So take your email and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine


I AM SICK OF CONGRESS PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES WITH OUR LIVES

[McGavin999]

What the HELL is Negroponte doing? Why hasn't he been able to stop these leaks or identify these leakers. The man is the most inept human on the planet. National Security is HIS job and he's failing miserably. GET RID OF NEGROPONTE!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You just nailed it.

[Peach]

DISGUSTING! Oh, I am so mad.

Some POS on FNC just said that the only reason the administration claimed shortly after 9/11 that Iraq/AQ were connected is because we tortured someone and he gave them faulty information to get out of the torture.

Argh! So the MSM writes dozens of articles in the 90's about OBL developing a relationship with Saddam and that's okay. But fast forward to a Republican president, and he's lying. I cannot take the lies any more.