America spying on terrorists without court approval

[Swimmer]

MoroneSaxitilus,
Those software programs are easy to come by for virtually any subject matter. The government most assuredly filters out the words you just printed and more. My wife has a girlfriend who is quite brilliant and self-taught in computor sciences. She got paid by a company to latch onto and filter out everything that traveled the net about a certain medical subject. I watched it all one night while I was playing cards at her house. It was amazing. The woman and my wife were math majors in the same college. So if she could latch onto what she needed in the medical field any government agency can do the same.

[MoroneSaxatilis]

Skip, I think you're missing my point. I certainly have nothing to hide from law enforcement. I engage in no illegal activity. Does that mean that I want someone reading my private emails or listening to my private phone calls? When some guys have posted on this thread that if we give up too many civil liberties then we become just like the enemy, this is exactly what they're talking about. During the cold war, communist regimes could evesdrop on thier citizens without the permission of any courts or any other authority and without fear of reprisal. So are we to follow that path? Doesn't that, as some have said here, make US just like THEM, thereby allowing Them to "win"?

[Nebe]

What this boils down to is simple. Do you think the president should break the 10 comandments of our constitution without permision from our representitives in congress and the senate?

i dont. Why??? its un-constitutional, and the president should not be above the law ever.. duh...

[The Dad Fisherman]

It isn't just terrorists that they are monitoring, it would be any suspicious communication or any thing that may send up a flag.

if I have a friend overseas that I send e-mails to that could be enough for them to have a look. Is that right? my privacy invaded just because i have a buddy overseas.

One thing that keeps getting mentioned over and over again is that if we start to change because of what THEY do....then THEY win. That is so true, we can't let them change us.

We can't turn into a society of prying, suspicious, paranoid people....no good can come from that.

[Skip N]

"It isn't just terrorists that they are monitoring, it would be any suspicious communication or any thing that may send up a flag."

Um how is that a bad thing? Dont we want them to look into anything that might seem kinda suspicious to help protect us? Or should we not moniter %$%$%$%$ like we did pre 9-11 and wait till we get wacked again? Do what it takes to keep the citizens safe is all i'm saying. If this helps catch one dirtbag and save lifes i think its worth it.

[Nebe]

Skip, go to the library and check out '1984'. If you think what is going on is fine, then you need to read this book.

oh, and just so you know, the US. Goverment, moniters what books you check out too

[Skip N]

Originally Posted by Nebe

Skip, go to the library and check out '1984'. If you think what is going on is fine, then you need to read this book.

oh, and just so you know, the US. Goverment, moniters what books you check out too

Oh man the goverment might know i like to read about fishing and history....well will this insanity all end!?

[beamie]

If I worked for the NSA, CIA, FBI I would have my own filter.........."eels","spots","needle","fifty pounder","lami","plugs" I'd have everyones secret spot.

Seriously.....I gladly give up some of my "rights" to live in the best country in the world. What did Jack Nickolson say in that movie...."you can't handle the truth". There is allot of secret stuff that all these agencies do, within the law and out of the law, to make our country safer for everyone. I am sure there is many things that you never even here of happening, and that is the way it should be. The media loves to show secrets or little known tactics of these agencies. It is neat to know this info, but once the cat is out of the bag then it no longer works. Best to keep lots of things secret from the common public. Just my .02c

[Swimmer]

Almost 300 million legal residents of this country and this spying on suspected terrorist occurred 30 times, 30 times. Oh my Gosh.....

[spence]

Well, I believe the President has authorized the program 30 time...not 30 individual wiretaps...

-spence

[Skip N]

[QUOTE=Swimmer]Almost 300 million legal residents of this country and this spying on suspected terrorist occurred 30 times, 30 times. Oh my Gosh.....[/QUOTE


Oh but those nice terrosists have had thier privacy vilolated. we cant do that to them its so not right.

Typical anti Bush crowd looking for anything to take him down. this is just thier latest try.

[MakoMike]

Just to keep things straight, the Patriot Act gave the President the authority to authorize "emergency" wiretaps without a court order. what you guys really should be arguing about is what constitues and "emergency" and do these wiretaps meet that definition.

[CTSurf]

You're right Mike but, the problem lies in one's definition of emergency.

The President and the Attorney General both indicated that the calls that are being "tapped" are international calls. The calls are initiated either in a country on the OFAC list or going to those countries.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Just to keep things straight, the Patriot Act gave the President the authority to authorize "emergency" wiretaps without a court order. what you guys really should be arguing about is what constitues and "emergency" and do these wiretaps meet that definition.

I thought that it gave them the right to do the tap without the court order....but they still had to file for a court order within 72 hours of doing it.

I could be mistaken but that was my understanding.

You are right about trying to define an "Emergency" it opens up a lot of grey area

[spence]

I've never heard anyone say the Patriot Act gives this power.

The Administration's case is that the Congressional War Powers vote after 9/11 provided the justification, which is a legal slippery slope and the Congressional Dems strongly refute.

-spence