Oh definitely. The FISA court is almost a joke in how it has historically pretty much approved any request. I remember being pissed when the whole Echelon thing came out during the Clinton administration with how NSA surveillance was being given to the FBI to go after US citizens. The wiretap information had to go through the FISA court, but it was basically considered a rubber stamp process.
What stands out now is that the FISA court, by Sam's own story link, has modified or denied a record number of requests. And now that paper-thin barrier is even being brushed aside. I'm not really paranoid for my own self. I'm so far from an activist that it's laughable. But I do have a colleague who runs a peace organization protesting the war. She is the most amazingly gentle person you've ever met, but since she's been publicly engaged in leading _peaceful_ civil protests of the administration and the military going to iraq and speaking out to the local media, my guess is that she's on a watch list. Which is absolutely mind boggling to consider if you actually knew her. On 1/23/06, Gruss Gott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I'm not sure about that. I've heard from some smart folks that FISA > was really just a "feel good" law that was never legally necessary. > It was meant, in part, to quell concerns Nixon raised. > > Sam is probably right that the President does have the legal authority > although, at a minimum, this should go to the Supreme Court. If they > ok it, then Congress should do what's necessary to eliminate this > power. > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:193773 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
