FBI Seeking to Wiretap Internet

Fox News AP ^

[monkeywrench]

You're correct. hillary has already intimated that she understood the hate of terrorism. (Protesters)

[Southack]

"Can anybody cite a situation in which the federal government ever returned a power to the people once they had gotten it away?"

Of course. Habeus Corpus was suspended during the War of Northern Agression, yet we have it back today.

The right to purchase goods on the free market was curtailed during WW2 (rationing), yet we have that right back now.

The right to own gold was taken from the people by FDR during the Depression, yet we have that right back now.

More recently during this War on Terrorism, the right to fly was curtailed. Again, we already have that right back.

Sheesh, those are just four major rights that I've named off the top of my head. If you don't know about those and other such examples, then you just haven't been paying attention to history.

[Southack]

Other rights that we've lost and later gotten back include the right to drink (not that anyone around here has ever heard of Prohibition), abortion (not something that I like, either), use contraceptives, etc.

The Libertarian argument that "the people" only give up rights to government is completely wrong, and these examples serve as evidence to that fact.

[Jefferson Adams]

The attitude of Germans in the early 30's, summed up quite neatly. Thanks.

Yep. And you know what? I'll bet that the majority of Americans feel the same way.

Wait until the NEXT event - the sheep will be BEGGING to give up their essential liberty for a little temporary safety. Franklin was so right. They ALL were - they just had no idea that their progeny would forget so quickly.

[Southack]

"So the fact that I do not have the freedom to purchase a toilet that flushes 5 gallons proves that the government still maintains this power over me to determine what I can legally purchase."

Yet another Libertarian myth falls.

NEWSFLASH: our government has ALWAYS had the right to determine what is, or is not, contraband. That which is NOT contraband can be legally purchased.

[Southack]

"Yep. And you know what? I'll bet that the majority of Americans feel the same way.

Wait until the NEXT event - the sheep will be BEGGING to give up their essential liberty for a little temporary safety."

What makes you think that your essential liberty has been surrendered?

[Southack]

"How 'bout the head of the FBI, who wants to tap the entire internet, removing all semblance of privacy in any part of our lives? Would it be OK to call him the fascist that he is?"

Oh please. I can make my communications as private as I desire, contrary to your ludicrous claim above. That hardly makes anyone a fascist, but "reactionary" might be a label that applies to someone who uses such words so carelessly...

[Mojo-jo-jo]

The problem is that in government responsible people are never in charge.

I believe it is more like the people with most money and influence are always in charge.

Centralized authoritarian power never makes decisions as well as the collection of people that it decides for would.

But how does a nation make decisions regarding foreign policy, economics, interstate commerce, defense, etc. without one? and what alternative structure is out there that would be better then an centralized authoritarian power ?(I hate that label!)

[Careful]

When will everyone realize that the line between dissent and terrorism has been erased? Virtually everyone who has posted about this subject can (and eventually will) be called a terrorist under the new laws. Forums such as this are a necessary part of our society, but will draw much unwanted attention from the 'authorities'. The time to protect ourselves and our communications is now! EVERYONE should have a PGP key and should distribute it to the people they trust now. The 'web of trust' has to be built before communications are hindered. All email attachments should be encrypted. Everyone should make use of anonymized redirection sites (www.anonymizer.com), encrypted email (www.hushmail.com) and anonymous remailers (there are many). Redirection sites will protect you if someone is monitoring FreeRepublic traffic. Some of these services can even encrypt the URL strings before your browser sends them, so even someone 'listening' to your phone line cannot tell what site you are visiting. Logins used to post to boards like this should always be anonymous. Think you are posting anonymously and no one can know who/where you are? You are not using a cable modem are you? Many of them use fixed IP addresses. That means that the cable company, and hence, the gov't, can tie a particular piece of internet traffic to your physical address. All emails should always me anonymous. Just because a message and an attachment are encrypted, does not mean that a log cannot be kept of the number and frequency of your emails to an address that is under suspicion. And you should always assume that the gov't will, some day, request that the operators of sites like this one turn over their logs and patronage information (you do donate anonymously, don't you?) if they want to remain in operation. And if they do not want to remain in operation then they will just take the files anyway. The common argument that there is just too much traffic to monitor it all is true.... for now. My opinion is that any traffic to 'right wing', militia, weapons, freedom, libertarian, privacy or survivalist sites are, or will soon be, monitored. Don't worry about checking out pornography, radical environmentalism, anarchist or socialist/communist sites. They only pose a threat to our freedoms, not our government, and so will not be monitored too thoroughly. I know these precautions sound like a big hassle, but the tools to protect our communications are out there, we have but to avail ourselves of them.

[TightSqueeze]

This is not Clinton we are dealing with.

Maybe not today, but, do you think people will vote this sell-out Bush back in office.
I'll take my chances with Hillary, that should keep things so mucked-up that nothing will come out of DC, good or bad.
It took legislation like this to convince me to not vote republican again, I never realized just how good we had it under X42, congress and the senate would not have passed this bill for him. Bush will be a onetime president just like his lying dad.

[Lael]

And while we are at it, subscribe to an off shore ANONOMIZER type SECURE TUNNELING TECHNOLOGY...not even your ISP can decode it!!

BTW, what happens when the GUMSHOES break into an "occupied dwelling" within the meaning of the Burglary Statutes of many Western States?? It could spawn a Constitutional Backlash if the FEDS destroy property looking for Passphrases.

Look for Jury Nullification increase drastically as a "there but for the Grace of G-d" juror mindset takes over.

Remember that Terry Nichols was almost ACQUITTED 10 to 2 on the first vote...the only difference was an Federal informant was allowed to testify in Nichols' defense...the Jury SMELLED A RAT!!

[Rowdee]

Speak for yourself!

[ofMagog]

I am a 14 year old girl and I am in the 9th grade.
I do not know any foreigners.
I love my president, my governor and all other government employees,
whom I believe are grossly underpaid and underappreciated.
I especially believe the FBI has the best of all.