Quote:
Originally Posted by aceventura3
I don't think you understand my position. I know that the Bush administration authorized this surveillance program. I know that innocent American may be subject to having their phone calls monitored. I, however, see the complexities in this issue.
I also know what I would do if I were President. I don't know what you would do.
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I would absolutely use surveillance against suspected terrorists, including monitoring phone conversations of citizens conversing with suspected terrorist overseas...but I would do it within the law because as president I took an oath to uphold the Constitution.
I would keep Congress (at least the Intel Committees in closed session) fully informed so that they can meet their oversight responsibilities and I would seek warrants from the FISA court. In the cases where surveillance was needed immediately, I would seek the warrant after the fact as is provided for in FISA.
Bush did not of these things. He kept Congress and the FISA court totally in the dark for nearly two years of surveillance activities. Congress had (and still has) no idea who was monitored, how many were monitored or if there were any abuses of the process.
That is something I would NOT have done.