What’s That Tapping We Hear? July 30
At the risk of stating the obvious, George Bush is daft. Already in enough hot water to brew the world’s largest decaf, half-fat, light-foam latte, he’s brought up the topic of snooping again. Is it not enough that his sorry excuse for an Attorney General is being toasted like a marshmallow at an RNC camp out due partially to his involvement in a snooping case?
The administration has gone back to the well to expand FISA wiretapping powers. After a court challenge last year, Bush reluctantly agreed to abide by FISA, but now, he has “new” reasons for rewriting the law to his tastes. Reasons that are a reprise of previously rejected justifications. “Terrists use disposable cell phones and the internets to recruit operatives and plan attacks.”
Well, at least this time he’s actually asking Congress to rewrite the law rather than just taking it upon himself. It’s sad actions like this constitute an improvement in his performance.
Snoop First, Ask Permission Later
Bush has never satisfactorily explained why FISA’s “snoop first, report within 72 hours” rule is onerous. With his track record there is sufficient evidence to suspect he’s afraid court reviews might find his taps illegal if he reports them. Remember, he secretly tapped for two and a half years before his own DoJ determined it was clearly illegal in 2004.
The Gonzales Domino Investigation shows the AG is rather cool to FISA. After all, his involvement in the pitiful Ashcroft Affair - when he tried to strong-arm a bed-ridden Ashcroft into signing off on the program - that’s landed him in dutch for possibly perjuring himself to Congressional investigators. Yet this is the man Bush would have monitor and enforce what few rules left in a gutted FISA.
Hens, meet your guardian Mr. Fox.
Strapping on the Miner’s Lamp
Not content with merely listening in, Homeland Insecurity Skeleton Michael Chertoff is also calling for yet another “essential security measure” - data mining airline records to profile inbound airline passengers. Information will include names, itineraries, credit card information, race, political opinions, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation.
Sexual orientation? Are we now afraid legions of GLBT operatives will attack James Dobson’s church?
The Center of Democracy and Technology sees problems with a program that keeps the information on file for 15 years - apparently in case walker-bound senior terrorists plan to attack AARP headquarters. “This is part of a broader trend of the government building databases on the ordinary, lawful activities of ordinary, law-abiding citizens.” And, it adds one more location where already dubious, controversial, and frequently erroneous corporate data-mining uncovers heinous crimes like redeeming Cashback Rewards on your Discover card. But not to worry, CNN reports passengers can see the records and correct mistakes, “in hopefully just a few months.
Tell It to the Grannies
Tell that to the dozens of grannies, 7-year olds, and those unfortunate enough to have the last name Kennedy who’ve been placed on no-fly lists. And, it’s not like the administration has a sterling record on complying with FOIA requests either.
Bush would be well-advised to juggle the scandals and suckpits he’s already dug for himself. His own fear-mongering has made Americans dubious of anything that comes out of his mouth and he seems hell-bent on continuing that downward trajectory until his last day in power. It’s sad we can’t trust him with the most minor of policies without fear of them going south like an AG tossed off a cliff. It’s sad the DoJ is now an oxymoron. It’s sad he wants more and more data about our private lives when by his own admission he can’t process what he already has because he neglected to hire enough translators and information processors. It’s sad he chips away at our freedoms like a drunk hacking away at Washington’s nose on Mt. Rushmore.
It’s time for Congress to stand up and do the job they swore to do - protect the Constitution from all enemies, foreign, domestic, and yes, feckless Presidents. We’ve already given up enough to make the framers spin in their graves. It’s time to stop the erosion before they die a second death. It’s time for ordinary Americans to stand up and be counted too. It’s what we all agree to when we recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Let’s not make it a hollow promise.
Tech Tags: politics wire+tapping bushomnipotent+poobah
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