Spying on US Citizens

[Sundance]

Wow......... this should alarm both the left and the
right. And all points in between.

The erosion of the right to privacy is getting a major
bashing already, and if this BS goes through???:(

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/15/AR2008081503497.html?hpid=topnews

[iddee]

It is a catch 22 situation. If you tighten the laws, you hurt the good people.
If you relax the laws, you help the bad ones. It's always going to be a delicate balancing act.

[JPK1NH]

A quote from Lyndon B Johnson sums up my feelings on this bill.

"You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered."
Lyndon B. Johnson

LBJ was a horrid president and never followed his own advice....but it was and still is nonetheless sound advice.

WRT Domestic Terrorism......close the darn borders and see how much crime goes down......THEN come back and re-evaluate the situation in a handful of years. This is not a good step for a free society.....makes me think more about accounts I have read of Germany in the 1930's

[mike haney]

amazing how interested Bush is in my phone, computer, and my library record- AND THE BORDER IS STILL WIDE OPEN! tells me he's not that concerned with security, but is focused un spying on americans under COVER of security:(

[Sundance]

amazing how interested Bush is in my phone, computer, and my library record- AND THE BORDER IS STILL WIDE OPEN! tells me he's not that concerned with security, but is focused un spying on americans under COVER of security:(

That is for sure.............

If terrorists really wanted to strike, they'd have done it (and
may). The borders are like sieves as well as the ports.
Homeland Insecurity is a pacifier.

[alpha6]

Couple of things....

You guys are right about the borders. If we were serious about this stuff we would control the borders, have greater tracking ability on those in our country from others, have stiff penalties (as Europe and most 3rd world countries do) for persons caught in our country illegally (in Mexico if you are caught in the country illegally you are charged with subversion and its 20 to life).

Second, there already exists a huge problem with information sharing between the agencies. Since 9/11 sharing of information between federal agencies has decreased and is nearly impossible as all agencies are classifying their information to prevent it from being shared with other federal agencies. I am not joking about this. The EL Paso intelligence center which used to be the melting pot of LE intelligence is now basically useless as ICE, FBI, CIA, DEA, DIA, NSA and all others who collect intelligence are now requiring that none of their information can be released directly to other agencies but that individuals within those agencies must contact those respective reps in each of the agencies and through a long list of request forms and releases get some information but only if the giving agency feels that the information given will not effect an on going intelligence gather operation or investigation. So you can really get no info cause everyone says they have an on going investigation or operation. Additionally, there is NO CENTRAL intelligence data base and every agency has its own with no other agency has access to. No really, even after all these years...there is no sharing. It's crazy I know.

Lastly, the resources that it would take to gather intelligence on someone not committing a crime is a huge factor. There is already a lack of funding in every department to go after legitimate targets let alone someone who is just suspected. The only reason I could see for implementing something like this is to gather information for political reasons under the guise of the law. This is currently done by people, usually ex agents and paid for out of pocket (see Hillary's dream team of private investigators) but now people in political power can utilize government resources for the same thing if it passes, not a good thing.