We could discuss this, but then, according to Mike McConnell, the Director of National Intelligence, if we do, "some Americans will die":
Quote:
With a heavy heart, Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell told a Texas newspaper last week that due to the public debate over revising the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Americans will die.
McConnell, who before the late July-early August FISA legislation enjoyed broad bipartisan respect, placed the predicted deaths of Americans at the doorstep of an open society. Thanks to widespread efforts to understand what the NSA's highly classified warrantless surveillance program is -- from journalists, from legal scholars, from national security experts, from elected officials -- the Bush administration was forced last month to reveal too much about how the program operates, in order to correct misunderstandings. And that means, McConnell said, "Americans are going to die."
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003976.php
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I'll take the chance that al Queda operatives are not monitoring the TFP political board and American lives are not at risk as a result of this discussion.
Its bad enough that the hastily enacted (with Democratic complicity) Protect America Act effectively requires the telcomms to provide any information on citizens requested by the DoJ, FBI or DNI without a warrant, but it gives the telcomms immunity.
But evidently thats not enough.
Bush wants retroactive immunity for the illegal actions taken by the telcomms (or any private third party) for the four years prior to the bill's enactment several months ago...actions the telcomms "allegedly" took, according to the White House, in a post 9-11 patriotic fervor"
Our Work Is Not Done -- This Act Is A Temporary, Narrowly Focused Statute To Deal With The Most Immediate Needs Of The Intelligence Community To Protect The Country. When Congress returns in September, the Intelligence Committees and leaders in both parties will need to complete work on the comprehensive reforms requested by Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, including the important issues of providing meaningful liability protection to those who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001.
The pressure from the WH will be intense in the coming months as Congress moves to modify (and extend) the Protect America Act beyond its current expiration date at the end of this year.
If you care about your 4th amendment rights, contact your members of Congress and say NO to wiretaps or surveillance of citizens without a warrant or Congressional or judicial oversight and NO to immunity to any third party (telcomms and others) who voluntarily provide access to your personal data without a warrant.
From the ACLU:
Fact sheet on the Protect America Act.
From the Populist Party:
Kill the "Protect" America Act