Warrantless wiretapping here to stay

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
Further proof that the Democrats are barely indistinguishable from Republicans.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/28/fisa-feinstein-obama-democrats-eavesdropping

Come on Democrat faithfuls, defend your party. Blame the Republicans. Bu bu bu Bush! Here are your most high priests, acting exactly like your hated Republican enemies:

Yesterday, Feinstein stood up on the Senate floor and began by heaping praise on her GOP comrade, Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, for leading his caucus to join her in renewing the FISA act without any reforms. She then unleashed a vile attack on her Democratic colleagues - Wyden, Merkley, and Udall, along with Paul - in which she repeatedly accused them of trying to make the nation vulnerable to a Terrorist attack.

FEAR!!!! TERRORISTS!!!

Pathetic. And you wankers keep lapping up their bullshit, pretending that you're on the righteous side.
 

unokitty

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2012
3,346
1
0
But make no mistake: this vote was nothing less than abdication by Congress of its role as watchdog over Executive power, and a failure of its independent obligation to protect the Bill of Rights. The FISA Amendments Act and the ongoing warrantless spying on Americans has been, and will continue to be, a blight on our nation and the Constitution.

--from Congress Disgracefully Approves the FISA Warrantless Spying Bill for Five More Years, Rejects All Privacy Amendments

President Obama voting present again...

Uno
 

DCal430

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2011
6,020
9
81
I fail to see the problem with this law. It is design to target potential terrorist threats.
 

Doppel

Lifer
Feb 5, 2011
13,306
3
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More than a decade since 911 and the government is doing a fantastic job of keeping this fear fire alive, you gotta congratulate them on that. Only a society sick from the top down pays so much attention to a comparatively tiny threat to the nation.
 

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,837
38
91
I fail to see the problem with this law. It is design to target potential terrorist threats.

The problem lies in the abuse. Bleach is made for killing germs and removing stains, but you could use it to kill DNA and remove blood stains....for example. When power is in someone's hands, it's not always in the right ones.
 

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,837
38
91
I have a buddy at work that keeps saying how the people are gonna get fed up and revolt, shut down the govt or some such. i laugh and tell him, no they won't. people are too lazy, self centered and worried about themselves to do much more than complain. A small percentage will try something to make some media circus like the occupy wallstreet last year but that's about it and fizzles to nothing.
 
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Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
2,329
126
I fail to see the problem with this law. It is design to target potential terrorist threats.

I fail to see a problem with the government putting high def cameras that cover every square inch of your house as well as a team of assholes to follow you around and film your every action.

I do however have a problem with them doing it to me or any other sane individual that understands exactly why the 4th amendment exists irrespective of the much hyped but almost nonexistent terrorist threat.
 

UberNeuman

Lifer
Nov 4, 1999
16,937
3,087
126
ah, OP...

Warrantless wiretapping and those fly by night drones seeking out to kill are wrong...

Yet, you ask of the Democrats to belay it, or in your mind you expect it... *democrats please save us*......

Why would you ask for what you aren't ready to support?

\the grand Pauls'mals would seize up and buckle like a bitch if put to the test....
\\and once something is put into motion you'll play hell to stop it...
 
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Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,685
136
Of the 23 nay votes, only 3 were Repubs. Go figure.

It was, sad to say, a bipartisan fuckover.
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,230
701
126
More than a decade since 911 and the government is doing a fantastic job of keeping this fear fire alive, you gotta congratulate them on that. Only a society sick from the top down pays so much attention to a comparatively tiny threat to the nation.

Example: I told my mother-in-law that defense spending would be cut 10% by the fiscal cliff. She told me that if defense is cut at all, the terrorists would come over here, bomb and then take over our country (yes, she really said that - she is 70 years old).
 

Doppel

Lifer
Feb 5, 2011
13,306
3
0
I have a buddy at work that keeps saying how the people are gonna get fed up and revolt, shut down the govt or some such. i laugh and tell him, no they won't. people are too lazy, self centered and worried about themselves to do much more than complain. A small percentage will try something to make some media circus like the occupy wallstreet last year but that's about it and fizzles to nothing.

People won't do shit en masse until there are huge swathes of the populous starving to death or being carted away to death camps. And even then, chances are they wouldn't do jack. It is just human nature. Surveillance alone doesn't bother people enough to care unfortunately.
 

Doppel

Lifer
Feb 5, 2011
13,306
3
0
Example: I told my mother-in-law that defense spending would be cut 10% by the fiscal cliff. She told me that if defense is cut at all, the terrorists would come over here, bomb and then take over our country (yes, she really said that - she is 70 years old).

That would be quite a feat, the premier terrorist org in the world consisting of 200-1000 people usurping an entire nation.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903285704576560593124523206.html
 

Engineer

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
39,230
701
126
That would be quite a feat, the premier terrorist org in the world consisting of 200-1000 people usurping an entire nation.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903285704576560593124523206.html

I understand but she has bought on to the terrorist are going to get us line 110%. She is one of these people on SS and Medicare stating that me must cut these things now. On defense, she thinks that we need to increase the spending or we risk getting taken over. Cut the defense is out of the question.
 
Sep 12, 2004
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Democrats recognize that if they eroded FISA by any measure and the US subsequently suffered another sort of 9/11-style attack, regardless of how miniscule that possibility is, they would lose power for at least one if not two election cycles. They are not willing to take that chance. That's why the Democratic "no" votes were half-hearted.

This is politics as usual. It's not about us, it's about them maintaining power.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
Isn't it illegal for the government to open your mail without a warrant? Something about a 4th Amendment or some such thing?

If information is transmitted by electrons over copper and silicon, rather than ink or graphite on a piece of processed wood, that seems to magically shift it into the public domain.


"It's for your own protection." Uh huh. Yes, I'm sure they're all perfectly benevolent fonts of integrity.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,897
55,175
136
I like how Boberfett was able to work himself up into a rage before anyone else even posted. I think there's been a fairly bipartisan condemnation of the surveillance state on this board.
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
I like how Boberfett was able to work himself up into a rage before anyone else even posted. I think there's been a fairly bipartisan condemnation of the surveillance state on this board.

The quiet discontent coming from Democrats since Obama's inauguration is a whisper compared to their daily outpouring of violent outrage at nearly everything Bush did.

BUSH LIED PEOPLE DIED!!!! THE CONSTITUTION IS TOILET PAPER!!!! BUSHITLER IS EVIL!!!!!!!!!

The best Democrats can muster now is "Yes, I'm somewhat disappointed by Obama's position." Such a pathetic bunch of transparent hacks, groveling at the feet of big government, provided it's the right team shredding the Constitution.
 

thraashman

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
11,112
1,587
126
The quiet discontent coming from Democrats since Obama's inauguration is a whisper compared to their daily outpouring of violent outrage at nearly everything Bush did.

BUSH LIED PEOPLE DIED!!!! THE CONSTITUTION IS TOILET PAPER!!!! BUSHITLER IS EVIL!!!!!!!!!

The best Democrats can muster now is "Yes, I'm somewhat disappointed by Obama's position." Such a pathetic bunch of transparent hacks, groveling at the feet of big government, provided it's the right team shredding the Constitution.

It's easier to be passionate about something when it starts. Once it's there and entrenched, it's pretty hard to do anything about it and you're just out of breath yelling. Part of the problem here is that the warrantless wiretapping under Bush was unconstitutional, and now they've updated FISA to say "nope, now it's Constitutional." It's also still less invasive than what Bush was doing, doesn't make us happy about it. Eventually you just fight the battles you can actually win.