Bush Calls For Greater Wiretap Authority

[Judi Lynn]

Bush Calls For Greater Wiretap Authority
President Says Power Is Needed for Threat

By Anushka Asthana and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 8, 2006; Page A01

ATLANTA, Sept. 7 -- President Bush urged Congress Thursday to give him "additional authority" to continue his administration's warrantless eavesdropping program. The speech was his latest effort in several days to mark the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks by framing the election-year national security debate to political and policy advantage.

Bush asserted that his administration has filled many of the security gaps exposed by the Sept. 11 attacks but said he needs more power to adapt to changes in the threat.

"The nature of communications has changed quite dramatically," Bush warned in an address here. "The terrorists who want to harm America can now buy disposable cellphones and open anonymous e-mail messages. Our laws need to change to take these changes into account."

The president's appeal for congressional action to strengthen the legal underpinnings of the National Security Agency's surveillance program ran into roadblocks even as he spoke. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Spector (R-Pa.) suspended efforts to draft legislation until at least next week after Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) proposed new amendments and a bipartisan group of senators urged more hearings.
(snip/...)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090700837.html

[flyarm]

1. JUST SAY NOOOOOOO..NO WAY!!!!!!!!!! NO HOW!!!!!!!!!

[aquart]

2. The little vonce just doesn't quit.

[Drum]

3. What an ice-hole!

[magellan]

4. Whatta load of smelly stuff he is

"The nature of communications has changed quite dramatically," Bush warned in an address here. "The terrorists who want to harm America can now buy disposable cellphones and open anonymous e-mail messages. Our laws need to change to take these changes into account."

First of all, when Clinton gave the disposable cellphone reason for wanting expanded wiretap powers back in 1996, the Repug Congress turned their backs and were heard to mumble things about "protecting liberties" and not wanting a "police state".

Second -- the terrorists can harm us by "opening anonymous emails"?? :wtf: I gather this would be through the tubes on the internets, would it??

For crap's sake, can someone get the people in charge on the Right up to speed on the technology?!

[BadgerKid]

5. A cell phone "solution"

Put the phones behind the counter. Make the would-be purchaser have to show ID and sign a log book before being able to buy
:sarcasm:

Hint: This is the policy that has come to be for some over-the-counter drugs in the effort to curb meth production

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

6. OH don't forget about airport security

They might ban all disposable phones.....then sell them on Ebay:silly:

[maxrandb]

10. Background Checks and ID's for Cell Phones

but not to purchase a gun. Do I have the Republican priorities straight on this one?

[benEzra]

16. You do have to have a background check to buy a gun

but IMHO it's ridiculous to require one in order to buy a PHONE.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. WTF, he's gonna do it anyway, and then lie about it. n/t

[0007]

8. "V for Vendetta"

[Massachusetts]

9. OUR REPRESENTATIVES WILL ACCOMMODATE BU$HCO

"Personally, I'm in favor of democracy, which means that the central institutions of society have to be under popular control. Now, under capitalism, we can't have democracy by definition. Capitalism is a system in which the central institutions of society are in principle under autocratic control."
Noam Chomsky

[goddess40]

11. At least we have Feingold in there fighting for us

Bush must be getting nervous about what's going to happen to him if the Dem's take one of the houses

[PassingFair]

12. The 4th Amendment makes it PRETTY *UCKING SIMPLE!!!

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.

WHAT PART OF THIS DON'T THE SHEEPLE UNDERSTAND????

"The nature of communications has changed quite dramatically," Bush warned in an address here. "The terrorists who want to harm America can now buy disposable cell phones and open anonymous e-mail messages. Our laws need to change to take these changes into account."

This doesn't change ANYTHING! Our EFFECTS, whether they are "papers" or cell phones or papers or emails or OUR BLOOD or TISSUE SAMPLES!

WHAT THE *UCK HAPPENED TO PROBABLE CAUSE?

[gratuitous]

13. Bush violated the authority he had

Your teenager totals your second car with irresponsible driving. He comes back and says now he wants to drive the Lexus or the Mercedes or whatever the number one car in the garage is. Quick quiz for the family values Republicans: Do you give your boy the keys?

[MissMillie]

14. If they don't "give" him authority

He'll just claim he had the authority all along.

Isn't that pretty much the way he's been operating thus far?

[Javaman]

15. So, I'm confused here, he's* already wiretapping us without

approval. So why does he need greater authority? What? He's going to wiretap god now?

this guy* breaks law after law and now he's putting up this charade that he has to ask for permission?

give me a fucking break. If the bullshit spewed from this colossal failure was any deeper, I would be up to my waist while standing on the tip of the washington monument.

Have I stated how much I truly loath and hate that thing*, today?