House bucks warrantless spying.
By on May 11th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
House bucks warrantless spying.
“Pushing back against the White House on warrantless wiretaps, the House early Friday approved a measure saying that court-issued warrants offer ‘the exclusive means’ by which officials may eavesdrop on private conversations as a way to gather foreign intelligence information.”
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Let’s remember that even FISA doesn’t hold up to the constitutional requirement of the 4th amendment. This government doesn’t have the constitutional authority to spy without a warrant – no matter what they tell us….interesting to see how this unfolds, though.
Some reading on FISA and the 4th amendment:
“What do they think we are, idiots?”
May 11th, 2007 at 3:57 pmhttp://www.populistamerica.com/what_do_they_think_we_are_idiots
Can we still fabricate evidence to obtain said warrants?
May 11th, 2007 at 3:57 pmYes, but will this lead to an investigation of the Emperor Chimp Bush and his continued illegal wiretapping?
Or is this just for “show”?
May 11th, 2007 at 3:59 pmBut if the President doesn’t have fascist executive powers, how will we be safe from terrorism?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:00 pmThe Terrorist Defense Act of 2007. I want to know what Islamist Dick Turban is talking to.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:00 pmCan we still fabricate evidence to obtain said warrants?
Comment by Mr. President — May 11, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
We have no doubt that you will, Mr. President. But at least now you’ll have to go through the effort of actually fabricating evidence, as opposed to before, just spying and saying, “oh we think this guy’s a terrist. Trust us. Don’t you want to protect America?”
May 11th, 2007 at 4:04 pmMaybe they’ll get tired of this “show trial” and we can get back to the business of seeing that Justice is available to all Americans.
Oops. That’s the wrong scandal, isn’t it? My bad.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:05 pmAnd I would like to know why you are such a dumb fu*k, but you never answer me, so why should we answer you?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:06 pmOkay, now what? The House likes the law. Yippee.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:07 pmYou go Nancy Pelosi…. It’s about time you started pushing back on the criminals in the Whitehouse. I believe we can impeach Bush on this issue alone. He admitted that he was spying on Americans without a warrant which was against the law when he was doing it.
On the other hand, I’m not sure I want the Chimp impeached. He’s much more useful to us still in office with his 28% favorable rating. I just want Congress to stop allowing the murder of our service people in Iraq. Then start hammering on the Bush Administration to expose everyone of their lies and deceptions. Then, in the last 3 months of his tenure, impeach his ass.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:07 pmGee, obtaining a warrant.. how radical.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Only the most wing-nuttiest fascist pieces of shite in this country would not want our gov’t. to follow the bill of rights.
Anything to say for yourself Patrick1?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:09 pmI don’t know ’bout this. We will need warrantless spying to root out the Fascist Bush deadenders (trolls?) when a Dem is in the Whitehouse.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:09 pmPatrick1,
clearly, the Bush administration only conducts warrantless wiretapping of Islamic terrorists. they were particularly clever in posing as catholic nuns, hippies, and Democrats.
we should all trust the Bush administration with Fuehrer-like executive powers. there is no evidence that they would ever lie, distort, or use said powers for partisan gain.
why do you people love fascism so much?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:10 pmHow about just impeaching the a$$ for violating the laws already on the books, as well as the Constitution?
My god, this bullsh*t has gone on long enough.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:12 pmWiretapping is neither a search nor a seizure.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:13 pmIt is a search of communications. Soory that you don’t know sh!t and can’t figure this out. Dumb sh!t.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:14 pmThey wiretapped conversations coming from Al Qaeda cells overseas to possible operatives in the U.S. like Dick Turban and Valarie Plame. A good idea.
Why does the left protect Islamo Fascism?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:14 pmhttp://www.smirkingchimp.com/ This one is priceless! Alberto VO5’s debut as “CAPTAIN PFSSST”. What a hoot! Check out the article for a good laugh.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:18 pmIt is a search of communications. Soory that you don’t know sh!t and can’t figure this out. Dumb sh!t.
Hardly. The voice has left the person, who has no ownership of the phone lines.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:19 pmGee, that’s nice. Serve this up so that the murderer-in-chief can add a signing statement and continue on unabated.
Time to end the AUMF. As that was a resolution, the cessation of it cannot be vetoed or altered by the Executive branch. But, let’s instead focus on “timetables” and non-binding bullshite.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:19 pmI’d love to know how many political competitors and/or enemies have been spied on without a legal warrant, wouldn’t you? Perhaps that’s precisely why the newly-elected Congress is scared $hitless to press too hard; they simply don’t know what the white house “has” on them! Pretty sad to think this may be the case but probably true.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:19 pmHi, I am Patrick1. I am too stupid to realize that the FBI already admitted to illeaglly wiretapping American citizens who WERE NOT talking to any terrorists anywhere on the face of the planet.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:20 pmPatrick1:
those wiretapped conversations were covered by FISA, and there was no reason to proceed without a warrant. The wiretapped conversations that would not have been covered were, say, domestic conversations of peace-advocating nuns (documented), or any other number of folks (classified).
the myth that only overseas conversations were wiretapped, or that only Al Qaeda suspects were wiretapped, has been debunked, and only the truly dumb still resort to those claims.
Why does the Right advocate nonsensical Newspeak claims in defense of fascism?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:21 pmI’ve heard it whispered in the halls the trolls for both sides have been wiretapped persistently since day one of this administration. Anyone else hear about that? The IP addresses are right there for anyone’s pleasure.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:21 pm#15, very good literalist reading of the 4th amendment. on a similar note, the 2nd amendment only allows one to bear arms (but does not extend to legs or other weapons), and the 1st amendment protects freedom to bench press.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:22 pmFascism is the moniker of the reichwing today. Was it the new French PM who told Bush that this country resembled “the third reich”?? I believe he said it yesterday.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:22 pmIt hasn’t been debunked. In fact the program has been reviewed and approved. Now the Al Qaeda defense league on the left wants to stop it. Of course they will take no responsibility for a terrorist attack that results from their failed ideology.
Why does the left defend Islamo Fascism?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:24 pmThat was Vladimir Putin. You know the one Bush looked into the eyes of and saw that he had a beautiful soul.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:26 pmHi, I am Patrick1 and even though I know that the FBI has already admitted to wiretapping Americans that have nothing to do with terrorism or anything else, I will continue to defend my Nazi masters. I love licking boots and being used by the NeoCons.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:28 pmThey’re not spying on Americans inside the country; the NSA is listening in on phone conversations between people in this country and enemy (read Al Qaeda) contacts abroad. We don’t want to give the enemy any indication their communications are being compromised. Wait, I forget – the MSM and the Democrats want to make sure AQ can inform sleepers in this country when to attack and we can do nothing to try to disrupt those plans. Tell me again why there isn’t a need in wartime for warrantless searches.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:29 pmComment by Spudge_Boy
Patrick1 is so stupid, it is a wonder he remembers how to breathe
May 11th, 2007 at 4:30 pmPatrick1 @ 27 and 30.
you’re completely wrong. try getting your news from somewhere besides FoxNews. the actual mechanism by which they wiretap is essentially 2fold: 1) direct wiretaps of leftist groups (who, by the by, are opposed to Islamists and have been for much longer than you neocons: the abuses against women and minorities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia were opposed by the Left when you guys were still providing them with material comfort); this includes documented reports of Catholic nuns and priests associated with the anti-war left; and 2) the reconstitution of total information awareness, where the NSA is apparently monitoring all communications in this country, through the process of “search terms”.
you’re an idiot on 2 fronts here. 1) to claim that only domestic-to-foreign communications are being tapped, and that only Al Qaeda communications are being tapped, is stupid enough to discredit you completely; 2) to ignore the claim that FISA already covers any potentially problematic phone conversations indicates you’re a partisan fool.
go read a book, take off your brownshit, and stop making nonsensical arguments using fake evidence.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:40 pmbtw, patrick at 27,
“It hasn’t been debunked. In fact the program has been reviewed and approved. Now the Al Qaeda defense league on the left wants to stop it. Of course they will take no responsibility for a terrorist attack that results from their failed ideology.”
in fact, aside from the fact that your statement appears empirically wrong based on what little we know about wiretapping, how the frak can you possibly claim “the program has been reviewed and approved” when the NSA has declared all details surrounding the wiretapping program classified. Either you are making spit up (most likely), or you are breaking the law by revealing classified information.
Also, in case you forgot, Bush was president when 9/11 happened. he received advance notice of 9/11, and chose to do nothing, not even a half-arsed raising of alert levels. Tenet flew down to Crawford personally to tell Bush about the upcoming threat. And now you’re claiming that Bush needs extraordinary fascist powers?
Please name me one instance where an Al Qaeda wiretapping threat was taken to the FISA court, and permission was denied. If you do, I’ll vote for the Republican in 08. The reason you can’t is because you, like every other remaining Republican (a dwindling # to be sure), overblow the terrorist threat (it was 20 something guys with box cutters, something that likely could have been prevented if your preznit hadn’t dropped the ball in August 01), purposely obfuscate the fact that any of the extraordinary hypotheticals you discuss in defense of torture, wiretapping, and other extraordinary executive powers are already permissible; what you guys are advocating is fascist powers WITHOUT REVIEW IN THE ABSENCE OF AN IMMINENT THREAT.
because you’re fascist enablers, and your blind support for an incompetent president likely caused the worst attack on US soil in american history, and certainly caused the worst foreign policy blunder in us history. good job. too bad bush couldn’t be president for another term, i’m sure he could claim more fascist powers while getting more americans killed.
May 11th, 2007 at 4:48 pmDocumented by whom? Keith Olbermann?
The fact is that the left doesn’t want Al Qaeda tracked. I ask why?
May 11th, 2007 at 4:50 pmPatrick1,
what is the basis for your claim. can you cite one instance where a warrant sought to wiretap an Al Qaeda member was denied? of course you can’t. instead you conflate issues, and cover up for a president who has been historically inept in preventing terrorism.
ending warrantless wiretapping isn’t about al qaeda. al qaeda is already covered by fisa. it’s about ending wiretapping on nuns and democrats.
go back to germany or el salvador, you fascist f*ck.
May 11th, 2007 at 5:10 pmWow! Look at all of you with that 4th Amendment lip service. Imagine that, everyone quoting the Bill of Rights, wanting their 4th. Then the other day some of the same people here had the nerve to tell me where to shove my 2nd Amendment. Even non citizens telling me about what I can do.
Basically, the 2nd Amendment is the one defending the 4th. How about I can keep my arms and you guys can “feel” safe till the cops kick in your doors! We citizens should hold up all of the AMENDMENTS found in the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution! It would give us a chance to be patriotic of our own choice rather than being forced into the false patriotism of the “Patriot Actâ€.
There are now THREE BILLS about banning or partial banning of ARMS. So, when they get them then none of those OTHER Rights matter at all. The government is supposed to fear the people not the other way around!
PAX
May 11th, 2007 at 5:17 pmDamn. Here we go again. OK, you asked for it.
They’re not spying on Americans inside the country; the NSA is listening in on phone conversations between people in this country and enemy (read Al Qaeda) contacts abroad. We don’t want to give the enemy any indication their communications are being compromised. Wait, I forget – the MSM and the Democrats want to make sure AQ can inform sleepers in this country when to attack and we can do nothing to try to disrupt those plans. Tell me again why there isn’t a need in wartime for warrantless searches.
Comment by Patrick1 — May 11, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
1. Oh, stop this “you’re helping the terrorists” sh*t. Go to CNN.com, search their archives for “Patriot Act,” go to page 38 of the results, and read the article dated 10/8/01. Monitoring the communications of the terrorists is hardly a national secret. Let me quote from that article which references a PC World poll:
2. George Bush:
and
Hmmm. So if we have one terrorist operative in Los Angeles calling another one in Dallas to give the go-ahead for an attack…I believe this qualifies as a domestic call since it originates and ends in the U.S….Bush runs to the FISA court to get a warrant. He’s not concerned about acting fast and preventing attacks in this situation. But he is when the conversation involves an international aspect. Maybe Patrick1 can explain this inconsistency.
May 11th, 2007 at 6:24 pmCan’t WAIT to see the signing statement on this one.
May 11th, 2007 at 7:20 pmProbably just quote Cheney and tell the congress to go phuck itself.
What? You mean they figured out that it is they who are being spied on, along with reporters and critics of the Bush Mafia…so now that they know it is them that have been targets they want it to stop….you should have stopped it when it started. AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 10 DAYS AFTER CHIMPY TOOK OFFICE.
Hating the Repukian Mafia daily
May 11th, 2007 at 7:29 pmYOU really can’t…
…make this sh*t up…
May 11th, 2007 at 8:39 pmThey should repeal ALL of that patriot act. It is unAmerican, dangerous, defeats the rule of law and has caused a world of problems all on its own. It is Karl Rove’s brainchild and it should be done away with. This country is not a motherland, homeland….. it is the United States of America…… multiple states George Bush,,,, remember that please. Limited big brother… Republican values, compassionate conservative my eyeball
May 11th, 2007 at 10:15 pm