Question about the wire-tapping law.

[The Backlash Cometh]

Does it only involve phone communications through your computer on-line serice AND only international calls?

In other words, it's not really a spy vehicle for ordinary citizens making ordinary calls inside the USA?

[Kagemusha]

1. It's supposed to be but there's the rub, it's easily abused

And there seems to be no accountability or oversight dealing with people who are mistakenly spied upon.

[salin]

2. without independent court review... how would/will we (or anybody) know?

I read this morning that conversations (I think both phone and email) with US Citizens who are not a primary target (and who determines that?) are not supposed to be kept ("thrown away" was the wording I think I read). Does this reassure me? Not in the least, as we saw that the Pentagon maintained and kept files on people/orgs long after they were supposed to be thrown away. How was that learned? I believe through FOIA - which would not apply to this program. Maybe we could feel assured by the DOJ telling us there has been a thorough review with no problems found... oh wait, that happened about other programs (NSLs) - and Gonzo lied about it - to congress.

Sadly there is very little to verify, monitor, or halt if conducted in ways not specified by the law - the data collecution under this program.

Pure folly for those dems who capitulated. Pure unknown for the rest of us... I don't expect to see people disappeared in the near future... but it sure feels like the infrastructure for something like that to occur in the future is intentionally being put in place. And I tend not to be tin-foily - but I see this as a very potentially dangerous power to fall exclusively into the Executive Branch's domain with no oversight from the other branches.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. I can see harassment potential at a local level.

Salin, this is how life would work in my area: Somebody's buddy or somebody's son is in the FBI or even NSA; or a Republican local politician with same connections. The politician or son, as a favor to his morally challenged dad, uncle, neighor, etc, does a look up and finds that a neighbor is not aligned with the rest of the County. Suddenly, shit starts happening. It just does. It always does.

[salin]

4. Everyone should read, or re-read the crucible...

tells the tale based on real events/people of part of the Salem witch hunts... written as a commentary on McCarthy's red scare witch hunts. What you wrote made me think of it.

[Bitwit1234]

5. What would be nice is these democrats that voted for the bill

have all their secret information turn up on Fox.

[Warren DeMontague]

6. As far as you know.......... I mean, you trust THIS guy, don't you?