Ping
Precisely my reason for opposing passage of the PATRIOT Act in its current form. There is every reason for monitoring incoming communications from suspect locations for keywords. There is no legitimate reason for the power to conduct warrantless searches of gun records.
Won't matter what the law says to the contrary.
The surveillance laws Bush is using were written in 1978, way before 9/11. They have been used before without destroying the Republic.
This is not an issue of granting FedGov new or more powers.
The whole issue is trying to hurt Bush at ANY cost.
I've got to say, I wonder what the master plan is if our internal enemies have set the stakes so high.
", but would you trust the dems with it,"
You would never know since the MSM would never report it like they didn't during the limp ones reign.
We have to deal with the world AS IT IS, not as it "might be" in some imaginary future world. ANYTHING done by the Government can be abused. To demand perfection before allowing the Govt to do ANYTHING is the delusion of child level intellects stuck in the 1960s. It is Govt BY the people. Time for people to grow up and quit viewing the Govt as some sort of evil enity out to "get them". The Govt has more import things to do they worry about 1 900 Phone Sex calls. Americans have to get over themselves. In the grand scheme of things, the average citizen is simply NOT that important. What seem of such mass significant concern to individuals personally is a matter of supreme indifference to something the size of the US Govt.
...In a post-Sept. 11 world, it makes sense to give up a little of one for more of the other...
If you mean give up (false)security for liberty I'm with you, otherwise, shut up.
A President in wartime has this power, Dem or not. Instead of denying Bush the power on the off chance that it may one day fall in the hands of a Dem, you should instead be working hard to PREVENT a Dem in the Whitehouse.
I think before we become upset about spying on American Citizens, we should definie EXACTLY what constitutes an American citizen.
Most every AMERICAN CITIZEN loves their country.
Most every AMERICAN CITIZEN does not plot death and destruction against their fellow AMERICAN CITIZENS.
Most every AMERICAN CITIZEN is not in contact with criminals and terrorists abroad.
Most every AMERICAN CITIZEN loves God and respects the sanctity of life.
Most every AMERICAN CITIZEN believes in the American Dream and wants to make a better life for them and their familys.
I find it hard to include people who are psuedo American Citizens because they have been presented a paper from a bureaucrat that grants them citizenship. Those that alienate themselves from the culturally positive activity that distinguishes themselves as American. Those who seek to change America to something they desire it to be rather than accepting America for what it is and the opportunity it gives. No, those people are not the kind of citizen who has something positive to contribute to American culture.
We have to catch the bad guys before they become martyrs.
We have to identify their networks of support, financial and otherwise.
We have to stop subversive activity which gives aid and comfort to the enemy.
If our President says he is doing everything in his power to protect America, then I believe his sincerity. He knows he will be blamed if something happens and then it will be charged he didn't do enough.
These times we are in are so different technologically than they were in WW2. And the enemy is different. They wear no uniforms. They come from multiple countries. They are not sanctioned by any one country. They are open in their vision of what they want to achieve, which is to kill infidels of their choosing.
So are we going to let the NY Times rag subvert the War on Terror? Or are we going to prosecute those who leak top secret information? Do we want to extend the rights of citizenship to people who openly use their protections of citizenship to subvert our country and plot against our people?
Or should we suspend the citizenship of those above mentioned people if it is proven they are plotting against America?
If we let those islamofacists win, our Constitutional protections and privlige will be eliminated. I say we protect America first. Whatever it takes. The only thing average America has to fear from some "domestic" spying is that we don't get enough intelligence and the bad guys win.
Anyone who thinks cell calls or international calls are private is living in a fantasy world.