I agree Ben, this is the exact point that everyone I talk to is upset about.
Do I find the difference between "reasonable belief" and "probable cause" the sticking point. No. I can see the difference between intelligence gathering and prosecution. If they are willing to give up the ability to prosecute for specific national security needs, I am OK with that. It is the enforced secrecy that bothers me. It is currently illegal to tell us they if they ARE breaking the law. The same problem with I have with the Patriot Act. There is no oversight (There supposedly is oversight, but by the same people enforcing the act, which is exactly the same to me as no oversight). If there was some assurance that SOMEBODY was watching them, somebody independent, I would feel better. I want to know that if someone does abuse the system, we will hear about it. And importantly, we will hear about it before the next election cycle. I propose we pass a law like FISA that allows the NSA to do what they say they want, to listen in on al Qaeda, only on domestic/international calls, if the have reasonable belief, but have oversight every six months (and weekly in the 2 months before federal elections), with an unclassified report issued by a panel of judges AND legislators (with clearance of course) showing the number of intercepts, reviewing the reasonableness, the al Qaedaness of the intercept, and a simple score on how useful the intercept was. The report should clearly list any violations (domestic/domestic calls, reasons other than al Qaeda). And also a detailed classified report that goes into real details. And the ability of this panel to recommend prosecution for any violations. That would satisfy me, giving them the tools they need, but preserving some accountability and oversight. On 1/26/06, Ben Doom <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Tony wrote: > > you know its all worst case scenario really, but for fucks sake, if > > their wiretapping > > prevents even 1 innocent american life... isnt it worth it? > > If I trusted them to use this for that and only that, then maybe. Not > yes, maybe. But I don't. I want judicial oversight. I don't trust the > gov't, because the gov't is made up of people. Stop watching what > they're doing, and it only takes 1 overzealous agent to start this even > further down the slippery slope. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:194606 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
