Posted on 07/06/2013 9:00:30 PM PDT by chessplayer
The 11-member Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, known as the FISA court, was once mostly focused on approving case-by-case wiretapping orders. But since major changes in legislation and greater judicial oversight of intelligence operations were instituted six years ago, it has quietly become ALMOST A PARALLEL SUPREME COURT, serving as the ultimate arbiter on surveillance issues and delivering opinions that will most likely shape intelligence practices for years to come, the officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I had a conversation with one of my (still military) buds the other day.
He asked me what I thought of Snowden.
I said I’m conflicted, because though he did violate the letter of the law regarding his confidentiality agreement, I haven’t seen any evidence of actual harm he has committed against the Republic. And what moral crime has he committed? In fact, Snowden has revealed some of the unconstitutional activities being conducted, acts of which favor freedom and adherence to the Constitution. Sunshine is the best disinfectant!
He said Snowden’s a traitor, but he couldn’t name any specific acts of treason such as revealing the names and locations of CIA agents overseas (like Jack Anderson did years ago, to the accolades of the media at the time — and got away with it).
Next time I see my buddy, I’ll ask him if he supports the second amendment (I know he does, and he’s probably a CCP holder too). Then I will point out the irony of his support for gun rights, versus his condemnation of someone who does a better job defending other constitutional rights than he does, even though he supposedly is the one who took an oath to defend the Constitution.
I don’t think of Snowden as being either a hero or villain, yet. It’s too early to know the entirety of his revelations. Maybe he will reveal specifics that compromise our ability to conduct special operations against our jihadist enemies — who knows, too early to say. But as long as he’s only revealing the existence of unconstitutional government abuses against American citizens, I applaud him.
FISA is a Supra Judicial system outside the purview of our traditional adversarial system.
They don’t convict anyone of crimes, attached to their so called purview and that should trouble anyone who understands what a Star Chamber Court does.
If they have not the power to convict then they are illegitimate.
I did.
Doesn’t make me superior but, as one whose living is affected by the various laws that CALEA, FISA, HIPPAA and the Patriot Acts I am constantly reminded.
Even SOX and Frank-Dodd are taken into consideration with my clients.
How are these "officials" any different from Snowden, given the classified information they are leaking? Will Obama (and everyone else who've been hammering Snowden) go after them and the NYT with the same gusto?
Who is the Parallel President and the Parallel Congress, because they really really suck!
Pingaroo
*****Wow! Current events not your strong suit??*****
Wow. You chose to lambast a fellow conservative. Quit being a bond-breaker.
Unaccountable rubber stamp star chamber, and it's scary as hell that the moron unicorn-chaser Diane Feinstein appears to be the principal "oversight" authority and that the FISA judges are regularly blowing her off and she's too stupid to realize it.
Yeah we need as many good people in the military as we can get.
We’ll either have a military loyal to the left or a military loyal to the constitution and to the people.
IIRC, Congress can create various courts, per the Constitution. I don’t believe the Founders envisioned this kind of evil, though.
The 11 hacks on this court are the most dangerous terrorists in america. Remember when we would hear of secret courts in other countries and shudder. The 11 with box cutters spawned these 11 that can cut the constitution to shreds.
Spot on. It’s too big, too invasive to pretend it still represents a republic. Sorry Dick, you’re wrong. I don’t want to trade liberty for ‘security’ and a security state.
“He said Snowden’s a traitor, but...”
Ask your buddy if he thinks the politicians demanding we support amnesty for millions of invaders are traitors.
Star Chamber.
Let’s have the emails, phone records, Income Tax records, etc., of ALL Labor Union Leaders, George Soros, Rockefellers, Kennedys, Schumer, Durbin, Reid, Pelosi, Michelle Obama, etc. made PUBLIC, since We The People pay their Salaries directly and indirectly.<PThe American Taxpayers would like to see how our “Employees” have been doing....and don’t gimme that “National Security” excuse for why we can’t see them.......
“I perceive no difference between FISA and any other Secret, Unilateral “Court,” whether denominated as FISA, Star Chamber, Inquisition, or Tribunal Révolutionnaire.”......
Ya left off the “KGB” and probably a few others.
You've made a cogent and important points. But don't go wobbly on your principle.
Ask your bud if exposing treason is "treasonous." Ask him if he believes his Traitor-in-Chief is a Traitor. Ask him if if he took an oath to the US Constitution. And ask him if it's the right of his government to routinely violate the Constitution. Ask him if he believes the 15,000 Russian troops recently negotiated to provide security as part of FEMA operations is "Treason."
Frankly, your "bud" is beyond clueless at this point. Either mentor him, quick, or...WATCH. YOUR. BACK.
Well, perhaps as powerful as a circuit court.
Wait; I thought that was the NSA? OR the IRS? OR DHS? OR the CIA? Or the FBI? Or the Supreme Court? Or Der Fuhrer? OR *cough* Snowden and his surveillance subcontractor?
The echo of that cacophony of wailing laughter we hear is coming from the halls and chambers of Congress and the WH. The murmurs of *quiet, please* and *ssssssshhhhhhh* come from the media and the "Most transparent American Dictator and Politiburo in history."
Yeah -- Thanks to his Big Mouth our government will become a Banana Republic hijacked by subversives and the US Constitution will line the bird cage of a pterodactyl.
/more sarc
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.