House Passes Changes in Eavesdropping Program
(Carl Hulse and Edmund L. Andrews, New York Times)
Under pressure from President Bush, the House gave final approval Saturday to changes in a terrorism surveillance program, despite serious objections from many Democrats about the scope of the executive branch’s new eavesdropping power.
Racing to complete a final rush of legislation before a scheduled monthlong break, the House voted 227 to 183 to endorse a measure the Bush administration said was needed to keep pace with communications technology in the effort to track terrorists overseas.
(via Talking Points Memo)
We should be strengthening and increasing restrictions on what can be done without judicial review, not opening more ways in which intelligence can be gathered without strict procedures and due process. This is shameful.
Yes, there is a threat. But we are doing more damage to ourselves because of our paranoia and fear than anything actual terrorists could even imagine in their wildest dreams.
Sigh.
