Various FISA threads

[Michael]

My issues boil down to this. We are talking about unfiltered access of surveillance team to all phone calls and internet transactions of everyone living in America. They called it the "secret room" at the San Francisco main AT&T grid. A soon to retire electrician was given the job of wiring the new surveillance secret room. He then retired and became a whistleblower about no filter at all being installed. So the surveillance teams had access to absolutely EVERYTHING.

Without warrants or probably cause, this is a violation of the constitution. Remember the quotation "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Where is the oversight, checks and balances? What is there to keep someone from exploiting this total access for other than national security interests? For example, what if a Karl Rove in the white house wanted total surveillance of all democrats running for office - in short a mega Watergate? What would prevent that from happening with the white house usurping so much power?

I have nothing against doing what we must in surveillance of terrorists. That's not my issue. However, it should be absolutely mandatory that warrants be given by the FISA court.

[jafar00]

Does this mean we have to start watching what we say in US based forums for fear of being extraordinarily rendered and sent to some dungeon in a nondescript country to have our testicles electrocuted?

[jafar00]

Originally Posted by Bourne

We live in difficult times which requires extraordinary measures. Honest, law abiding people won't find this intrusive, only the terrorists will.

Some people will repeat that brainwashed mantra over and over until they find out some fat FBI desk jockey got his jollies from listening to phone sex they had with their wife/girlfriend while away on business or something.

We are talking about unrestricted monitoring of the communications of not only every single person in America, but of other people in the world unfortunate to be conversing with Americans.

If there are any FBI agents reading this.. f**k you, I do not give you my consent to read this message!

[ViolaLee]

Originally Posted by jafar00

If there are any FBI agents reading this.. f**k you, I do not give you my consent to read this message!

LOL!!! That's what I say when I'm talking to my friends on my cell phone.

F uck you NSA!!!!! I know you're listening.

[Bourne]

Originally Posted by jafar00

Some people will repeat that brainwashed mantra over and over until they find out some fat FBI desk jockey got his jollies from listening to phone sex they had with their wife/girlfriend while away on business or something.

And how would they find that out?

Originally Posted by jafar00

We are talking about unrestricted monitoring of the communications of not only every single person in America, but of other people in the world unfortunate to be conversing with Americans.

They'll be targeting terrorists and terrorist related conversations.

Originally Posted by jafar00

If there are any FBI agents reading this.. f**k you, I do not give you my consent to read this message!

That's just downright irrational and detracts from the credibility, such as it is, of the rest of your post.

[Bourne]

Originally Posted by ViolaLee

LOL!!! That's what I say when I'm talking to my friends on my cell phone.

F uck you NSA!!!!! I know you're listening.

Yeah, because Viola Lee is an NSA priority target.

Does the NSA ever answer you back?

[Drakej]

Originally Posted by Bourne

They'll be targeting terrorists and terrorist related conversations.

But that is the gray area. Look at how many people say F*ck Bush, that could imply hatred and hatred leads to violent action some times. So any time someone says I hate Bush that could possibly trip the filters right? I really do not see how they can effectively narrow down even a hundred thousand conversations. What are they going to key in on phrases? Like bomb, gun, explosion, shoot, president perhaps? I could come up with a completely legitimate conversation containing all of those words and even more. So not only have they started watching me for no good reason, they just wasted valuable time tracking those "terrorists" plotting our certain demise!

[ViolaLee]

Originally Posted by Bourne

Yeah, because Viola Lee is an NSA priority target.

Does the NSA ever answer you back?

Dude, if they are data mining, that means all of our calls are being monitored. Remember, Bush didn't use FISA for very long time. That's ILLEGAL wiretapping WITHOUT a warrant.

[malrenalds]

This is more stupidity from the GOP and the damn house dems.

One more time!!

It was not a lack of intell that allowed 9/11 to happen, It was not using the intell we had.

So every time I hear crap from Republicans like two here saying this is necessary I want to bust my keyboard over the screen.

I don't give a damn what you think is necessary.

Bourne Grim you two have shown nothing but contempt for the foundations of this nation, and the liberty for witch it was created. And quite frankly are what is wrong with this country.

[malrenalds]

mind you we need to get fisa back in the game but this bill is so not the way. The last few years need reform and this is not it.