Tell Senator Cornyn: Wiretap Hearings Before Alito

President Bush's stunning admission that he authorized secret eavesdropping on Americans -- in apparent violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) -- has prompted bipartisan calls for hearings in Congress to investigate how this happened and whether or not the President broke the law. The Senate Judiciary Committee -- responsible for the Department of Justice, FBI and FISA procedures -- has oversight authority in this matter.

The Democrats must really be kicking themselves for letting the hardcore hippies take over their party. Did you see that poll a couple of weeks ago about how people felt about this? Americans are very happy that the government is listening to conversations between known Al Qaeda terrorists and the people they are communicating with inside the US. You have a hard time understanding that very simple logic, though, because you truly believe that Republicans and George Bush are much more dangerous than Al Qaeda. You have a sickness.

What kept them from getting a warrant? If these were "known terrorists" there should have been absolutely NO PROBLEM getting warrants... damn hippies and their damn due process.

Here's how it works. The US finds out the phone number of a terrorist. They start listening to his calls. They don't know who he's going to call. When he makes a call to America, what do you think the spies should do? Hang up, go to the judge, get a warrant, then pick the call back up and hope that they're still talking two days later? Doesn't that sound pretty silly to you?

Here's how it works. The US finds out the phone number of a terrorist. They start listening to his calls. They don't know who he's going to call. When he makes a call to America, what do you think the spies should do? Hang up, go to the judge, get a warrant, then pick the call back up and hope that they're still talking two days later? Doesn't that sound pretty silly to you?

Warrants are always gotten on any tapping done on calls originating in the US, or any calls between two places in the US. It's not necessary to get a warrant to listen in on a conversation between someone in the US and someone outside of the country. Period.

Pretty simple, when you stop and think about it for a second instead of letting your hatred of George Bush do your "thinking" for you.

They can get warrents after, the call is made. Der.

Der, no that isn't entirely the way it works, but you go on believing everything Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or Ann Coulter tell you. kthxbye

Here's how it works. The US finds out the phone number of a terrorist. They start listening to his calls. They don't know who he's going to call. When he makes a call to America, what do you think the spies should do? Hang up, go to the judge, get a warrant, then pick the call back up and hope that they're still talking two days later? Doesn't that sound pretty silly to you?

Warrants are always gotten on any tapping done on calls originating in the US, or any calls between two places in the US. It's not necessary to get a warrant to listen in on a conversation between someone in the US and someone outside of the country. Period.

Pretty simple, when you stop and think about it for a second instead of letting your hatred of George Bush do your "thinking" for you.

...
Secret Order
The issue is the legality of Bush's previously secret order in 2001 authorizing the National Security Agency to listen to international calls involving U.S. citizens suspected of ties to terrorism.

To do that, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 requires permission from a special, secret court beforehand, with some exceptions. In an emergency, you can tap the line without a court order, as long as you seek one within 72 hours.

And in the case of a declared war (this one isn't), you can eavesdrop for 15 days before going to the court.

But Bush says he is not restrained by FISA, and this week several commentators agreed, citing a federal appeals court ruling from 2002.

Courts have ``held that the President did have inherent authority to conduct warrantless searches to obtain foreign intelligence information,'' the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review wrote in a now widely quoted opinion.

``We take for granted that the President does have that authority,'' the court said.
...

When the Republicans have the presidency and a majority in the Senate, they get to choose new Supreme Court justices, no matter how much whining and crying you do.

Um, he kind of (allegedly) broke the law.

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_woolner&sid=aBlX8IGgHOC4

Congratulations on being the first person who was so purposfully aggrivating that I feel compelled to mute.

Stank, seriously. This is a perfect example of a troll-move. Somebody had an opinion and shared some information, another person jumps in with more information -- and you jump in with insults. What was the point of posting this?

You're not only a troll, you're a dick. And not because of your views, but because of your tactics. (this is a direct response to your inquiry in this post and thusly should not be considered a personal attack).

Congratulations on being the first person who was so purposfully aggrivating that I feel compelled to mute.

Don't mute when an AR can do a better job. I've already made Jeska aware of this disruptive element in the forums and more ARs will serve to hasten its departure.

~Ulrika~

Don't mute when an AR can do a better job. I've already made Jeska aware of this disruptive element in the forums and more ARs will serve to hasten its departure.

~Ulrika~

Plenty of AR's from me as well, and the "ol' champ" is about to move on to my ignore list very very soon.

Feel free to show me some examples of the NSA not getting warrants after the fact when they should have.

Yes, because it makes so much sense that information gathered without a warrant, and denied a warrant, would be tossed out for the public to look through. *sigh*

TEACHER TEACHER!! STANKLEBERRY SULLIVAN IS TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT I DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE ARE TRUE BECAUSE I HATE GEORGE BUSH!!! MAKE HIM STOOOOPPPP!

Ah, so why are so many people so sure that this happened? Hmm...