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House Approves Warrantless Wiretapping Extension

An anonymous reader writes "The House of Representatives voted 227-183 to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to allow warrantless wiretapping of telephone and electronic communications. The vote extends the FISA amendment for six months. 'The administration said the measure is needed to speed the National Security Agency's ability to intercept phone calls, e-mails and other communications involving foreign nationals "reasonably believed to be outside the United States." Civil liberties groups and many Democrats said it goes too far, possibly enabling the government to wiretap U.S. residents communicating with overseas parties without adequate oversight from courts or Congres.'"

2 of 342 comments (clear)

  1. Re:huh? by NeverVotedBush · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    "reasonably believed to be outside the United States" = wild ass guess or just in case they might disagree with the Bush administration because everyone knows that anyone who disagrees with "C-average" Georgie is obviously not a patriot and could reasonably be suspected to be a "terr'ist".

  2. Stop showing your ignorance, Wiretapping is legal! by coffinsurfer · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I am amazed at the complete and total ignorance of people here who are replying and whining and complaining that this wiretapping is illegal and unconstitutional. You people need to get a life and actually read before openning your keyboards on items that you obviously know nothing about. The US Supreme Court gave the Preisdent the right to do this back in the early 1970's under the "Instant" case and not only said that this was legal...but it was in the US Constitutional Presidential Powers to do so and as such NO ONE, not the courts nor the Congress; has the ability to deny the President the power to do this without a Constitutional Amendment, and the chances of you even getting one is less then 0.0000000002% as over 15,000 amendments have come up in over 220 years and less then 30 have been actually voted into law...and one of these was recinded! So read it and weep lefties, as if you have nothing to hide; then what is the fuss about? And if you are not talking to a known terrorist member or group, then you have nothing to worry about. And if you are, then you should be tried under the fullest extent of the law. U.S. Supreme Court UNITED STATES v. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, 407 U.S. 297 (1972) 407 U.S. 297 UNITED STATES v. UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN ET AL. (PLAMONDON ET AL., REAL PARTIES IN INTEREST) CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT No. 70-153. Argued February 24, 1972 Decided June 19, 1972 http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?c ourt=US&vol=407&invol=297 thus finding that the domestic spying against agent(s) or foreign power(s) or US Citizens working with or for any foreign power(s) operating in the US and against US policy or against the safety of the US was INDEED CONSTITUTIONAL!!! So please take you whining and complaining somewhere else as you have just had your rear handed to you on a silver platter.