House Approves Extending the Warrantless Wiretapping Act 326
wiedzmin writes "The U.S. House of Representatives voted 301-118 today, in favor of extending the FISA Amendments Act until December 31st, 2017, effectively reauthorizing the broad electronic eavesdropping powers that largely legalized the George W. Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program."
How's your (Score:3, Interesting)
Constitutional republic?
I don't think you are any better off than me in the UK or anyone else in this part of the world.. Your 1776 revolutionaries must be turning in their graves...
Re:Can this be retroactively legalized (Score:5, Interesting)
If I understand what I've heard the way it works is you can make an action lawful ex post facto but you can't make it illegal ex post facto (I have no idea if this is right or not, just off the top of my head what I recall).
Re:Obama = Bush III (Score:5, Interesting)
Liberal and civil rights supporter Ron Wyden has put a hold on the corresponding act in the Senate, as he has on multiple such acts in the past.
Meanwhile, the Republicans (both in Congress and in the media) make emotional appeals to fear to explain why we must give up our rights in order to be safe and preserve our "Freedom," and ever since 9/11 have openly and vehemently accused anyone who questions the nascent police state of being unpatriotic, unamerican and traitors.
But you're right, clearly both sides are equally as bad. But the Democrats are worse, so you should vote Republican to be safe, amirite?
Re:Most of the voters do too - there lies the prob (Score:5, Interesting)
which countries, on this planet, are not currently being tapped by their governments?
don't parrot back to me what you think *should* be. we're probably in agreement on what *should* be. but answer me, what current gov, that has any core routers of its own, is *not* tapping and scanning and capturing and thresholding and triggering (all in hardware, these days)?
anyone who can buy or get their hands on top-end router and switch gear can install it and tap all they like. its not too expensive (for govs) and its very tempting to any human being with that much power.
the odds are very low that people will resist the temptation to spy. it seems to be in our nature and it surely seems to be in the nature of those that aspire to country and state leadership roles.
so go ahead, name me a country that is wired (has some internet ability for its citizens), or is even voice-connected, and is not checking on its population using tech means?
deal with the fact that this is a human problem, not a US or UK or aussie or whatever problem.
Nice strawman (Score:5, Interesting)
which countries, on this planet, are not currently being tapped by their governments?
Nice try, buckwheat, but you ain't fooling nobody.
I am not talking about other countries. I am talking about the United States of America - The Land Of The Free
Where "Liberty to All" is thing that supposed to differentiate the United States of America from the rest
This is also the country where "Give Me Freedom Or Give Me Death" has been taught in history lessons, to all students