[Chi-townChief]

"Are we witnessing a replay of the abuses of the 1960s, '70s and '80s by this administration?"

Apparently, this jackass Mr. Johnson was perfectly happy with former First Lady Hillary Rodham and her lackies rifling through his and our FBI files in the '90s.

[xcamel]

..And she took 500 files, 500 files...

try to get that tune out of your head now...

[Dutch Boy]

As I try to remind the libs at work. We have to be correct 100% of the time. A terrorist only has to be right once out of a billion times. They will be the first to blame Bush if an attack happens. Oddly, they will fight him tooth and nail the entire way preventing him from using the tools proven to work.

The democrat leadership does more harm to the country than our enemies ever could.

[Edgerunner]

If this is the way dims "think", it's no wonder why they can't be trusted with the defense of this nation anymore!

[atomicpossum]

Did the Bush administration bypass the rubber stamp FISA court because most of the domestic spying was for domestic political purposes and not the war on terrorism?

And thus begins the moonbat speculation-- Is George Bush monitoring MY phone? Is George Bush beaming microwaves at my head so I will die of cancer? Is George Bush a minion of Cthulhu?

These peple have been filled with paranoia since Bush WON the 2000 election-- when he leaves office there is going to be such vaccuums formed in their heads that there are going to be mass explosions racing throughout the liberal strongholds like sonic booms.

[kimosabe31]

Johnson is a jackass. Doesn't want to acknowledge the presidents #1 duty is the national security AND nothing in the constitution gives congress or some freaking FISA court veto power over this responsibility.

[Restorer]

Interesting. The "abuses of the 1960s, '70s and '80s" were by "the FBI." But the present "abuses" are specifically by GW Bush. He's apparently trotting around out there physically recording calls.

Anybody else see the hypocrisy in this way of wording it?

[FunkyZero]

Americans need to make a stand against this now.
Out of those 20,000 cases, show me one case of this so-called "abuse" where an innocent American has suffered because of it and I will vote straight democrat on the ticket next time.
THATS how sure I am about this situation. We all know they heard conversations of innocent people in the process of filtering data. It is only automated to a certain level, then it must be sorted. I am sure if a conversation of mine was one of them, they didn't waste valuable time logging my conversation about personal aspects of my humble existence. They really do have better things to do with their time. It doesn't bother me one bit, mainly because I have absolutely nothing to hide.
If the day comes when someone knocks on my door asking about it, or my personal life is somehow exposed to the public, that's when I will have a problem with it.

[goresalooza]

It would only take one good shot/flight/bomb to bring down the Sears Tower. Is this idiot for real? We can't risk the one shot. AQ hit us hard once on US soil and we aren't going to stand for it again.

[Mike Darancette]

Keep in mind these requests could be made after the spying was under way. All the government had to do was approach the FISA court.

The author, the MSM and most members of congress do not know whether any, all or none of the foreign intercepts to were cleared with the FISA Courts since these requests are secret.

It was not a matter of clearance but the timeliness of the intercept. When Hakim goes off hook in The Sudan and dials someone in the US there is no time to get a warrant.

[rockrr]

Doesn't it trouble anyone else that this clown can be so bone-jarringly stupid, and yet be in a position to influence kids (as a professor)?

[metesky]

Now that both David Johnson and an unsourced article in the Village Voice have spoken, what, oh what are we to believe? /s

[CyberAnt]

"and countless other Americans"


And so the LIR is perpetuated! What a jackass!!

I agree with the President. If you life in the United States and you are receiving calls from a KNOWN TERRORIST organization - YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR CALLS MONITORED.

[Lumper20]

I want NSA to keep doing this work. I do not worry about what I say or who I speak to. The oath of office is to protect this nation against all enemies both foreign and domestic.

[joseph20]

Friends and foes of the president recognize the actions of his administration as being a violation of FISA. Some observers claim it is an impeachable offense.

Authorization for Use of Military Force:

One Hundred Seventh Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE FIRST SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,

the third day of January, two thousand and one

Joint Resolution

To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States.

Whereas, on September 11, 2001, acts of treacherous violence were committed against the United States and its citizens; and

Whereas, such acts render it both necessary and appropriate that the United States exercise its rights to self-defense and to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad; and

Whereas, in light of the threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by these grave acts of violence; and

Whereas, such acts continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States; and

Whereas, the President has authority under the Constitution to take action to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This joint resolution may be cited as the `Authorization for Use of Military Force'.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

(a) IN GENERAL- That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

(b) War Powers Resolution Requirements-

(1) SPECIFIC STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION- Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution.

(2) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS- Nothing in this resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.