Batman, you dodged this. I wonder why... So do you believe the Americans working at the NSA wake up in the morning and attempt to scheme of ways to trample on our civil liberties? Or do you think they are just doing everything they can to make sure we don't have another 9-11 style attack? Are the NSA Administrators evil? Is that why you don't trust them?
By this logic, we really don't need warrants for any searches by the police. Nor do we really need jury trials. After all, to demand warrants and trial by your peers is saying that our police and judges are out to trample our civil liberties. By the way, you're still dodging my response.
did they not teach Political Science at Rice ? here is a refresher course since it is painfully obvious you are either ignorant or terribly dishonest
Well, see, that's where you're confusing things. In today's political spectrum, there's a MAJOR difference between being a true 'conservative' and a 'Republican'. Modernday Republicans are more pro-big government and support a neo-liberal foreign policy (almost Wilsonian Democrats in that aspect), and they have neo-liberals (aka neo-conservatives who're really neo-liberals in practice) running the country for them with record spending and record deficits and an adventuristic foreign policy. Conservatives? We want smaller government (meaning less spending), much less of an aggressive/nosy foreign policy that puts us in the crosshairs of every major world conflict -- as well as many minor ones -- and a much more fiscally responsible government (meaning spend what you have, and don't throw the burden of debt on future generations) among other things; these are the major issues that have been traditionally a cornerstone of the conservative ideology. So there is a BIG difference... Nowadays, the conservatives are a far smaller minority in the political arena and among voters. There are far more liberals and far more voters who are socially-conservative, fiscally conservative, but far more willing to have a bigger government and a much more aggressive foreign policy. At the end of the day, this crowd makes up -- in my own estimation -- the single largest voting bloc. They're the type that will respond to red-meat issues such as "War against Christmas", "Gay Marriage", and "national security" issues without thinking much about why/what they're being fed this stuff, but will respond with fervor whenever such topics are brought up. The Libertarians are probably the closest thing we have today to a conservative party.
I don't know whether Dems should be happy or not, because those old Dems policities are winning under the name of neo-cons. The conservatives are winning by adapting old liberals policies and turning themselves into old dems. How ironic I guess, afterall, it's not too partisan as many believe.
FISA “shall be the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance . . . and the interception of domestic wire, oral, and electronic communications may be conducted.” [18 U.S.C. § 2518(f)]. anyone want to fil t_j in on what exclusive means?
He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.- Benjamin Franklin Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. - Benjamin Franklin
Yeah because everyone who has expressed a problem with the policies has ended up in Gitmo or been charged wtih treason. Your penchant for exaggeration betrays you. By the way, the Constitution does not require a warrant for all such actions. We are protected from UNREASONABLE searches. I don't think this is UNREASONABLE.
I don't know. Is he being reasonable? halfbreed don't tell me you agree with TJ that the president has the authority to override the constitution whenever he feels it's reasonable?
wasn't that the FISA court created for? to determine if it is REASONABLE or UNREASONABLE? if it is REASONABLE, how hard is it to get an approval considering all requests have been approved also they can be approved retroactively..
Read what I wrote again. Perhaps Rice isn't the only place that doesn't teach "reading comprehension." I'm not saying he can override it, I'm saying he doesn't have to override it to do what he's doing.
but by authorizing domestic spying between americans without a warrant/court order, he has basically overrode the constitution which he did not have to.. he could have gotten the warrant retroactively.. but chose not to do so..
