Wednesday, August 8, 2007
MoveOn.org Insists Bush Will Wiretap You
By Susan Jones, CNSNews.com Senior Editor
A liberal advocacy group is blasting the Democrat-run Congress for giving the Bush administration "more unchecked power to wiretap Americans without a warrant."
President Bush "used fear to intimidate lawmakers" into passing the Protect America Act last week -- "and it worked," said MoveOn.org in a message to its supporters.
The legislation updates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to help the intelligence community gather information about budding terrorist plots.
The White House argues that the government should not have to get a court order to wiretap the phone calls and emails of "foreign intelligence targets" located abroad who communicate with Americans in the United States.
"When our intelligence professionals have the legal tools to gather information about the intentions of our enemies, America is safer," the White House said.
President Bush has made it clear that the warrantless wiretapping does not extend to Americans communicating with each other within the United States. In those cases, a court order must be obtained for surveillance.
But liberal groups aren't buying it: "Enough is enough. We have to send a strong message to Congress that there is no trade-off between fundamental liberties and security," MoveOn.org said on Tuesday.
"Preserving our Constitution is essential to our security -- we can't lead on freedom around the world when we're actively undermining the rule of law at home."
Following its normal procedure, MoveOn.org is asking "hundreds of thousands of us" to sign a petition "demanding that Congress reverse their capitulation to Bush and the politics of fear."
The group says if enough people speak out, it will send a message that Americans are rejecting the administration's "scare tactics."
MoveOn.org said it will deliver the petitions to members of Congress this week.
American Freedom Campaign
"The President used fear of another terrorist attack to bully Congress into giving him more unchecked power and they gave in to his scare tactics," MoveOn.org said. "While most Democrats voted against these expanded powers, Democratic leaders in Congress didn't put up much of a fight and they didn't stand up and say 'no' to Bush."
MoveOn.org said Democrats capitulated to the White House because they were afraid of being seen as weak on national security -- and because they think that most voters "don't really care about constitutional freedoms."
MoveOn.org announced on Tuesday it is launching an American Freedom Campaign - a long-term effort to "keep the pressure on Congress and make sure they fix this mess instead of making these powers permanent." The reforms included in the Protect America Act expire in six months, unless Congress renews them.
"It's Congress's job to act as a check on the president's authority -- not as a rubber-stamp. They have to know that we're watching them and we're demanding real accountability for this overreaching president," MoveOn.org said.
'Highly misleading
On Monday, the White House took the unusual step of responding to a "misleading" New York Times report on the Protect America Act.
"Today's New York Times story by James Risen makes the unfounded claim that new FISA legislation has 'broadly expanded the government's authority to eavesdrop on the international telephone calls and e-mail messages of American citizens without warrants.' This is highly misleading," said Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto.
"The new law makes clear that a court order is not required to conduct surveillance of foreign intelligence targets located overseas. But under FISA, court approval is required for the government to target an individual located in the United States, and nothing in the new law changes that," Fratto said.
"Congress has recognized there does not have to be a trade off between the goals of protecting Americans' rights and keeping our Nation safe. The Protect America Act accomplishes both goals."
White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino said it's important to be clear about what the law does and doesn't do:
The law involves going after "foreign targets in foreign locations for foreign intelligence surveillance. Anytime you have a target on an American you have to get a warrant," she told Fox News.
"That was true before the President signed the bill yesterday, and it's true now."
Perino said that Congress, in establishing the FISA courts, "never intended to apply American civil liberty protection to foreigners who are located overseas."
By Susan Jones, CNSNews.com Senior Editor
A liberal advocacy group is blasting the Democrat-run Congress for giving the Bush administration "more unchecked power to wiretap Americans without a warrant."
President Bush "used fear to intimidate lawmakers" into passing the Protect America Act last week -- "and it worked," said MoveOn.org in a message to its supporters.
The legislation updates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to help the intelligence community gather information about budding terrorist plots.
The White House argues that the government should not have to get a court order to wiretap the phone calls and emails of "foreign intelligence targets" located abroad who communicate with Americans in the United States.
"When our intelligence professionals have the legal tools to gather information about the intentions of our enemies, America is safer," the White House said.
President Bush has made it clear that the warrantless wiretapping does not extend to Americans communicating with each other within the United States. In those cases, a court order must be obtained for surveillance.
But liberal groups aren't buying it: "Enough is enough. We have to send a strong message to Congress that there is no trade-off between fundamental liberties and security," MoveOn.org said on Tuesday.
"Preserving our Constitution is essential to our security -- we can't lead on freedom around the world when we're actively undermining the rule of law at home."
Following its normal procedure, MoveOn.org is asking "hundreds of thousands of us" to sign a petition "demanding that Congress reverse their capitulation to Bush and the politics of fear."
The group says if enough people speak out, it will send a message that Americans are rejecting the administration's "scare tactics."
MoveOn.org said it will deliver the petitions to members of Congress this week.
American Freedom Campaign
"The President used fear of another terrorist attack to bully Congress into giving him more unchecked power and they gave in to his scare tactics," MoveOn.org said. "While most Democrats voted against these expanded powers, Democratic leaders in Congress didn't put up much of a fight and they didn't stand up and say 'no' to Bush."
MoveOn.org said Democrats capitulated to the White House because they were afraid of being seen as weak on national security -- and because they think that most voters "don't really care about constitutional freedoms."
MoveOn.org announced on Tuesday it is launching an American Freedom Campaign - a long-term effort to "keep the pressure on Congress and make sure they fix this mess instead of making these powers permanent." The reforms included in the Protect America Act expire in six months, unless Congress renews them.
"It's Congress's job to act as a check on the president's authority -- not as a rubber-stamp. They have to know that we're watching them and we're demanding real accountability for this overreaching president," MoveOn.org said.
'Highly misleading
On Monday, the White House took the unusual step of responding to a "misleading" New York Times report on the Protect America Act.
"Today's New York Times story by James Risen makes the unfounded claim that new FISA legislation has 'broadly expanded the government's authority to eavesdrop on the international telephone calls and e-mail messages of American citizens without warrants.' This is highly misleading," said Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto.
"The new law makes clear that a court order is not required to conduct surveillance of foreign intelligence targets located overseas. But under FISA, court approval is required for the government to target an individual located in the United States, and nothing in the new law changes that," Fratto said.
"Congress has recognized there does not have to be a trade off between the goals of protecting Americans' rights and keeping our Nation safe. The Protect America Act accomplishes both goals."
White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino said it's important to be clear about what the law does and doesn't do:
The law involves going after "foreign targets in foreign locations for foreign intelligence surveillance. Anytime you have a target on an American you have to get a warrant," she told Fox News.
"That was true before the President signed the bill yesterday, and it's true now."
Perino said that Congress, in establishing the FISA courts, "never intended to apply American civil liberty protection to foreigners who are located overseas."
