As a libertarian, I am very sensitive to loss of freedom. But I'm not sure how NSA phone taps denies people freedom. If I learned that someone was listening in on phone calls of mine, I'd consider it rude, but their listening doesn't prevent me from living my own life.
Our president says that they hate us for our freedom, well why give them what they want, and make ourselves less free?
In 1998, Osama bin Laden issued a declaration of war against all Americans everywhere and called on all Muslims to kill as many of us as possible.
It isn't just our freedom he despises. He called for us to be dead, and anything short of that is not giving him what he wants.
Posts like yours give me a glimmer of hope for the libertarian position. I used to consider myself libertarian, but more and more people who espouse that persuasian seemed (to me) to live in some other dimension where the only thing that was important was that they be allowed to do whatever they wanted as long as it didn't actually draw blood on someone else (unless of course that person was not yet born).
Interestingly my very libertarian son (just graduated from college with a double major, history/poly sci) was nonplussed about this issue (wiretapping terrorists) which surprised the heck out of me. His position is much like yours.
Thank you for giving that position so well.
susie
If you are a member of a political party, the information collected from a phone tap can be used against you. It was used against Newt Gingrich when someone intercepted his cell phone call.
Information is power, and if you collect enough information on anyone, you can rule him. One of the very first things the Clintons did after they entered the White House was to requisition about 900 FBI files on various politicians.
Tyrants use bugs, and wiretaps all the time to control the opposition.