Didn't we survive a more perilous time without warrantless wiretaps?

[DemoVet]

I was born at the dawn of the cold war and spent the better part of my life under the constant threat of nuclear annihilation. I don't remember a single president during that period trying to justify breaking the constitution and the law by claiming that he needed to do it to protect the nation. I don't know about anyone else here but I felt more threatened by the old Soviet Union than I do by al-Queda. The federal law enforcement agencies can get plenty of vital information in a perfectly legal manner, they're just incompetent when it comes to analyzing it, communicating it to other agencies, and using it effectively. How is getting more information illegally going to fix that?

[amitten]

1. We've survived plenty without sacrificing all our privacy rights.

And how many times have we been attacked at home...?

[Uben]

2. The "Sultan of Slack"

I like that name for Bush. He has cheated all his life. Cheated in school, college, TANG, business....you name it. If he didn't cheat.....he failed...always. He is the ultimate slacker.
Why should the presidency be any different? A cheater is a cheater. Bush is a loser. That is exactly the kind of pansy the right wing was looking for when the "Sultan of Slack" stepped up to the plate. He figures he can do anything he wants as long as he can get a lawyer to tell him he is right.

[spindrifter]

3. We have entered the Twilight Zone.

Neocons are trying to take our freedoms away. * is simply a figurehead. He will parrot whatever his handlers tell him to, and as we see over and over, he has no actual grasp on the facts. I used to scoff at the idea that he had a little transmitter taped to his back that told him what to say, but nafter hearing him today, I am beginning to believe he does.

[Sgent]

4. I agree with your premise (warntless anything sucks)

but we did inter 1000's of Japanese in WWII w/o a trial or evidence.

[northzax]

5. actually, the CIA and FBI were engaged in this

during the cold war. here's the Congressional report on it. http://www.icdc.com/~paulwolf/cointelpro/churchfinalreportIIIh.htm

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[DemoVet]

7. Oh, I'm sure it was done

just don't remember anyone trying to defend it, especially the president who ordered it. The only president who was caught red-handed resigned in disgrace (though there were other reasons why he left).