What's A Little Wire Tap?
by KJ Mullins.
There's nothing like getting finished for business so you can go on vacation. With their recess looming hours away the wire tap bill that Bush wanted was passed by the House. Hey America, you don't get a civil liberty back. Don't you feel lucky?
The House voted 227-183 in favor of the controversial bill which passed on Friday as I reported earlier today. From
Yahoo it comes out that the House finished up on the bill just moments ago.
Bush had urged Congress to approve it, saying Saturday, "Protecting America is our most solemn obligation."
The official word is the NSA needs to be able to not take out the time to get warrants when they think someone needs to have a wire tap because of course there could be some "foreign intelligence information" that is needed STAT.
The government long has had substantial powers to intercept purely foreign communications that don't touch U.S. soil.
If a U.S. resident becomes the chief target of surveillance, the government would have to obtain a warrant from the special FISA court.
The whole process will start over again in 6 months to see if Congress approves it again.
"This bill would grant the attorney general the ability to wiretap anybody, any place, any time without court review, without any checks and balances," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., during the debate preceding the vote. "I think this unwarranted, unprecedented measure would simply eviscerate the 4th Amendment," which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.
Republicans disputed her description. "It does nothing to tear up the Constitution," said Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif.
Bush won again.
What's A Little Wire Tap?
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