Poll: Most Say U.S. Needs Warrant to Snoop

[Algorem]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EAVESDROPPING_AP_POLL?SITE=OHTOL&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

By KATHERINE SHRADER
Associated Press Writer

Jan 7, 11:08 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A majority of Americans want the Bush administration to get court approval before eavesdropping on people inside the United States, even if those calls might involve suspected terrorists, an AP-Ipsos poll shows.

Over the past three weeks, President Bush and top aides have defended the electronic monitoring program they secretly launched shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, as a vital tool to protect the nation from al-Qaida and its affiliates.

Yet 56 percent of respondents in an AP-Ipsos poll said the government should be required to first get a court warrant to eavesdrop on the overseas calls and e-mails of U.S. citizens when those communications are believed to be tied to terrorism.

Agreeing with the White House, some 42 percent of those surveyed do not believe the court approval is necessary...

[converted_democrat]

1. Wonder if Scotty will quote this poll?? n/t

[fooj]

11. Sure he will.

:eyes:

[farmbo]

16. Question from Scottie's poll: "Do you support using effective measures...

...to prevent another 9/11 type attack including the warrantless monitoring of foreign al Queda phone calls, or, do you want the Terrorists to win?"

[sendero]

2. Any sane person....

... who has the slightest understanding of why the founding fathers built the checks and balances into our systems of government that they did, would have to be against these taps.

That said, every indication is that the FISA warrants were practically a rubber stamp anyway.

I'm strongly of the opinion that the real reason there were warrantless surveillance is because it was being done against POLITICAL, not terror, enemies. Unfortunately, it looks like the evidence (names) has already been scrubbed. Maybe there will be a whistleblower who will tell us the truth, and maybe there will not.

[AX10]

3. 42 percent think it is OK to spy without a warrant?

:wtf:?

[gulliver]

10. They think they live in the 1970's.

They don't understand the power that computers and digital communications technology could give the goverment. This is an absolute Republican-killer issue for the Dems if they see it. Bush and Cheney are whistling past the graveyard on this one. That 42% is heavily filled with Republicans and older people (per the article). Those folks don't understand that it's not about just a few wiretaps in time of war. It's a system that can be enormously effective in categorizing any communication for any reason and storing it indefinitely. It is not a weapon that needs to be in the hands of a single branch of the government.

[HuffleClaw]

12. the same people who are CONVINCED it will NEVER be

THEM that are targeted by such a thing. it will always be the 'funny looking guy down the street', 'that scary lady at that gay bookstore', or 'the arab guy who delivers the pizza'. but NEVER them. never.
until the day comes of course, that it IS them...

[Miss Chybil]

15. This is how the Nazis came to power. People don't think. nt

[rodeodance]

17. his base plus the ones Cheney scares

[Peace Patriot]

4. This is the same nearly 60% of Americans who opposed the Iraq war

from the beginning, before the invasion (58%, Feb. 03), and oppose it today, who oppose torture "under any circumstances" (63%, May '04), and who in fact oppose every major Bush policy, foreign and domestic, and have for several years; and it's the same nearly 60% by which John Kerry won the election. The ignored majority. The DISENFRANCHISED majority. The great progressive American majority many of whom have been convinced, by the war profiteering corporate news monopolies, that they are the minority!

[Harper_is_Bush]

5. Question is still not honest.....go read it here:

http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/client/act_dsp_pdf.cfm?name=mr060107-2topline.pdf&id=2929

Should the Bush administration be required to get a warrant from a judge before monitoring phone and internet communications between American citizens in the United States and suspected terrorists, or should the government be allowed to monitor such communications without a warrant?

Why not reflect in the question that THEY CAN MONITOR WITHOUT A WARRANT if they go to the court within 72 hours of the monitoring????

This fact is lost on many Americans, not reflected in this poll question, and Americans STILL came out against what Bush is doing.

If the question reflected the truth then the number wanting Bush to use FISA would be 80% +

Tell IPSOS what you think:
http://www.ap-ipsosresults.com/
[e-mail]

[lakemonster11]

6. Besides, they're asking specifically about "suspected terrorists."

The real question should be about "international phone calls" in general, not about calls to/from "suspected terrorists."

[Harper_is_Bush]

7. I could live with that if they at least described the truth about FISA

and the fact that they could monitor without a warrant under it as long as they go within 72 hours.

Americans are being lied to by Bush...making it seem like thier slowed down by FISA when they're not.

[Harper_is_Bush]

8. PLEASE GO TO THIS THREAD FOR IPSOS CONTACT INFO AND KEEP KICKED:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2354901&mesg_id=2354901

It is not neccessary to get a warrant BEFORE they start monitoring, and the question should have reflected that. They need to do another poll and make it honest.

[rateyes]

9. So now we have both the polls...

AND the Constitution on our side. Good to know.

[MasonJar]

13. The crux of this matter appears to me to be that not only are

these hooligans monitoring foreign phone calls illegally, but they are also listening in on American citizens, other politicians, reporters and who knows how many more. No court is going to sanction that policy. Remember Bush thinks he is infallible and the neo-cons continue to feed him that idiotic idea. He's a dry drunk, egotistical sociopath.

[PatrioticLeftie]

14. Next spin will be...

"This just in: Are Americans Anti-American?"

[zann725]

18. 42% of WHOM? It doesn't give US to "DU" it..

Give us some honest figures...please!

[greiner3]

19. At least it's a majority;

I think that when the sheeple find out who's being wire-tapped, a lot more of them will fall in line. Until then, a lot of Americans are still scared someone will pull down their trou and plant a bomb in their privates. GET A LIFE PEOPLE!