Comments on: McConnell: ‘very small number’ of Americans spied on.

By: missmolly

missmolly — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:37:40 +0000

And capital punishment is OK because “only a small number” of innocent people get executed.

By: dalepmay

dalepmay — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:37:38 +0000

A small number out of billions?! Even 1 percent of 1 billion is still 10 million!

By: Arne Langsetmo

Arne Langsetmo — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:58:49 +0000

Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell said that out of the â€œbillionsâ€ of conversations and e-mails intercepted abroad, only â€œa very small numberâ€ of Americans are â€œoverheard.â€

The question is how many (or what percentage) are “overheard” that have nothing to do with Terra-Ism or Terra-Ists … and then what they do with the information. The new law is totally lacking in any specifics as to minimisation and mitigation procedures.

Cheers.

By: Arne Langsetmo

Arne Langsetmo — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:56:09 +0000

#14 Kevin Good:

If your US phone number is call from an overseas phone number informing you that you are eligible for a 1.5% refinance loan your US phone may may be monitored without a warrant?

Seeing as all foreign calls are pretty much fair game, just calling tech support enough times may get you on the watch list, particularly if the IslamoFascist Terra-ists are using the same lousy S/W as you….

Cheers,

By: questioneverything

questioneverything — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:25:46 +0000

McConnell was already caught in a lie about the new spying bill (Protect America, or whatever they’ve named it) stopping the terrorists in Germany. The terrorists are thugs and criminals and need to be dealt with by law enforcement. Instead of the cops tasering students in Florida, the cops should be following guys with nukes on airplanes. Oh wait, that was our military. McConnell will never answer questions and should never have been confirmed. Want to shut down this protection scheme? Don’t confirm any more Bush nominees for anything.

By: 1oldlady

1oldlady — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:07:42 +0000

Well, this is only what WE know of! I bet, there are many different types of programs and technique’s that even the president doesnt know about…

By: andy phx

andy phx — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:49:48 +0000

Why shouldn’t we believe him? He’s already proved himself to be a totally credible witness. Not to mention he’s a member of the Bush admin. Now that’s trust! (insert sarcasm.)

By: Keith

Keith — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:15:24 +0000

Though McConnell claimed in the hearing that no Americans were the â€œtargetsâ€ of â€œwiretapsâ€ without a court order

Then they should prove it by releasing the records of all wiretaps to an appropriate congressional committee.

Sorry, Mitch, I donâ€™t believe a word you say. If they werenâ€™t spying on us they wouldnâ€™t mind proving it to us.

Comment by bilbobaggins â€” September 18, 2007 @ 5:22 pm

I second that.

Nixon’s people during the Vietnam War most definitely spied on political opponents such as Ted Kennedy, MLK, John Lennon, Noam Chomsky, Jack Anderson, etc. Bush’s group is definitely not better than them. They have far greater spying technology today. Ted Kennedy and many political opponents of Bush are on “no-fly and watch lists” today. There are about 100,000 on these lists. Are there supposed to be 100,000 terrorists in the US. That is insane.

You can bet the farm. They are spying of patriotic Americans who are guilty of nothing other than opposing Bush.

By: willyloman

willyloman — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:16:54 +0000

comment 3 PatriotLover:

good point.

1933 Enabling Act , Germany. So many people don’t realise that NAZI Germany started off as a representative republic and that Hilter was elected. Little by little he imposed his authoritarian rule on the country.

By: Veritas

Veritas — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:30:27 +0000

McConnell’s direct testimony is available to everyone/anyone with a modicum of resoursefulness (see TP thread of two days ago) which had the verbatim transcript of McConnell lying his butt off. Then he tried to spin it otherwise, but the transcript tells all. That is, an official transcript should is prima facie evidence of his lie in a court of law.

By: Veritas

Veritas — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:28:21 +0000

Realistically, the numbers of americans is a diversionary tactic by this administration and McConnell – if only ONE innocent american was illegally wiretapped, then they broke the law and need to suffer the ramifications of violation of existing laws. The number is insignificant and a “diversionary tactic” from the real discussion which needs to be taking place. Who are they trying to kid with the “numbers game”. So, if they only wiretap a eensy-beensy “few americans”, is that any less reprehensible than wiretapping only one? Who gets to decide just how many becomes illegal? Forget the numbers game as a diversionary tool and demand that our existing law be upheld to the letter of the law.

By: Veritas

Veritas — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:25:44 +0000

The debate here should not be about “how few” americans are being illegally wiretapped; it should be about why the laws already in place need to be changed. The fact is that they’ve been circumvented and warrants were NOT applied for many, many times because it was not suspected terrorists involved for whom they could, obviously and easily get an immediate warrant or a defacto warrant within the FISA guidelines which are law. It’s come out that Bush began wiretapping citizens the moment he got into office. It’s time for the full truth to come out before congress caves into ANY of their demands. If they need the 72 hour law to be elongated, so be it. The people will be screwed if congress permits any of the abusive elements of this law to be contaminated.

The people were disgusted with the Dems who caved in August for the “temporary measure”. The people will have no mercy if Congress bends over for Bush and his abusers again.

By: Veritas

Veritas — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:21:53 +0000

As I see it, continued conversation with a known liar is an exercise in futility. Why does Congress give this guy any shred of credibility at this point?

By: Veritas

Veritas — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:19:15 +0000

Isn’t this same guy who admitted that he just recently lied to congress about the efficacy of these temporarily expanded powers? Give me a break. Why is this admitted liar still negotiating anything with congress? Are they insane to debate an admitted liar? I really can’t imagine that anything this man says will be 1) truthful and 2)factual.

By: Thinking Person

Thinking Person — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:07:11 +0000

#14: If your US phone number is call from an overseas phone number informing you that you are eligible for a 1.5% refinance loan your US phone may may be monitored without a warrant?

The answer is yes! Any call outside the U.S.

By: wiseass.org

wiseass.org — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:50:36 +0000

So if even “small” = only, 1% of the intercepts, that is 2 million American people/communication being spied on. As Ben Franklin said over 200 years ago:

“people willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.”

By: Buckie Boy

Buckie Boy — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:06:34 +0000

Is it like compairing 300 million to say 1 million, that’s small. Just asking?

By: WaltTheMan

WaltTheMan — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:03:55 +0000

Comment by Kevin Good â€” September 18, 2007 @ 4:59 pm

Kevin,
If you call up the MS Help Line, you are talking to someone in India or China. Same with your health care insurer.

By: bilbobaggins

bilbobaggins — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 21:22:22 +0000

Though McConnell claimed in the hearing that no Americans were the â€œtargetsâ€ of â€œwiretapsâ€ without a court order

Then they should prove it by releasing the records of all wiretaps to an appropriate congressional committee.

Sorry, Mitch, I don’t believe a word you say. If they weren’t spying on us they wouldn’t mind proving it to us.

By: satirev

satirev — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 21:02:31 +0000

Is it just me or does McConnell look like he’s about to cry every time he’s providing testimony? I guess he’s scared $hitless and justifiably so. I hope he’s wearing a brown suit!