Comments on: FAQ: How far does the new wiretap law go?

Protect America Act signed Sunday temporarily makes it easier for the feds to eavesdrop on calls and e-mail. But what are the privacy impacts?

[kenny-J]

The real problem....

is not that we shouldn't do everything we can to protect the Nation and Citizens from Terrorism, it's that the US Government Bureaucrats have proven time and again that they are over zealous and can't be trusted.

The latest example is the dips---t from TSA saying he is single handedly going to scuttle the Registered Traveller Program.

I am not a liberal, not quite a conservative either, but I come down on the side of the civil liberty folks on this one.

[technofreek]

wiretapping services

OOnce again it just shows thqat no matter who you put in office, they'll promise you the mmoon but give you junk.

[jhmblvd]

Terror wins again

Though tragic the loss of life when terrorism struck on 9/11, more tragic is the loss of freedoms that America has suffered since. The attacks gave those who would see our freedoms perish a giant push forward. Even the Democrats are afraid of looking weak on the "War on Terrorism". We cannot ignore the threat but we cannot nor should we allow the threat to take from us that which makes this country great, Bin Laden and those like him win with each freedom erroded away. It seems that we must continually be at war with something. War on Drugs was the fear monger of the 90s now it is the war on terror. When will we quit going to war, and begin living in peace? Why must our politicians rule by fear? I am tired of the charade.

[mizellie]

Wiretap law

My comment is this. Congress shouldn't be allowed to go on their summer break as long as we are at war. Additionally, when laws are being decided and congress is afraid to do something because of an August summer break, they shouldn't be allowed to leave!

[bhrater]

Yes we are being tapped.

Yes we are being tapped, a computer is looking at our phone conversations and texts and e-mail. And you know I don't care about that because I am a good guy.
What I do care about is the people doing the tapping don't like oversite, and that bothers me allot. We all(even intellingence gathering comunities), should be accountable to someone.

[budeverett]

More problems with this Wiretap Law

The Bush administration says it wants to be able to wiretap foreign communications that pass through the U.S. or carried by a U.S. company, although neither the sender or receiver of the communication is in the U.S. This may cause foreign governments, under pressure from their citizens, and foreign companies to build telecommunication systems that bypass the U.S. completely and are not carried by U.S. companies. This will defeat the U.S. government's desire to wiretap foreign communications that don't originate or end in the U.S. Also, U.S. companies will lose business to foreign companies. Since U.S. companies handle a large percentage of communications, this could be a big money loss.

[majarosh]

More problems with TalkBack Posts

Bud wrote:
"The Bush administration says it wants to be able to wiretap foreign communications that pass through the U.S. or carried by a U.S. company, although neither the sender or receiver of the communication is in the U.S. This may cause foreign governments, under pressure from their citizens, and foreign companies to build telecommunication systems that bypass the U.S. completely and are not carried by U.S. companies. This will defeat the U.S. government's desire to wiretap foreign communications that don't originate or end in the U.S."

There is no U.S. legal restriction on the collection of communications outside the U.S.
The reason the FISA law needed updating is current technology permits foreign communications to "pass through" the U.S. between targets outside the U.S.

The Protect America Act of 2007 is available to read by opening the link in the article or thru google.

[montgomeryhk90]

Why us?

AS far as they see fit I'd imagine.

[nothingavailable]

Where is Bin Laden, where are the arrests?

Why has this government been so completely and utterly incompetent in bringing even a single person to trial and conviction concerning 911.

When someone constantly shoots themselves and their friends in the foot with a BB gun, don't give them a AK-47 to play with.

Bush brings a new definition to incompetent jackass.

[GEBERWEIN]

OBL and Arrests

Isn't there a guy in Fed lockup in Colorado after beign convicted for his role in 9/11.

The other guys in that event are charcoal in the debris of the towers, Pentagon and a field in Ohio. The leaders of that thing are also dead or in custody somewehere. Of that whole chain only a few are still free (because some of our 'allies' let them go) and OBL is probably in a luxury condo in NW Pakistan or Iran, where our troops are not allowed to go by those nations.

And, I heard all this on regular news. Amazing.

[wbenton]

The Arrests are all pending...

They're pending approval of denied requests for wiretaps of certain suspects within the US because they dialed an international phone number which our government feels may be terrorist related, but without proof that the international line IS ACTUALLY a terrorist organization, the current judges just won't allow such a wiretap and thus turn down the request.

When you run up against a wall, the only way forward is to go around the wall or bust through it.

That's what this law is all about.

Walt

[Freedom44]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!

Have a Great Birthday Mr. Robert Mueller, 8/7/44. My B'day is 8/14/44. I think you are doing a fine job as Director of the FBI.

[nicki73]

THE NEW WIRETAP LAW GOES FAR ENOUGH. OR DOES IT?

SO IF THEY LISTEN TO PHONE CALLS AND READ E-MAILS THAN THEY MUST HAVE A REAL GOOD REASON TO DO IT. THEY MADE A LAW ALLOWING IT, SO WHO AM I TO OPPOSE. BUT IS THAT ENOUGH? WONT PEOPLE USE CODES AND CREATE OTHERS WAYS OF COMMUNICATIONS? I THINK THAT EVERY SUPERCOMPUTER AVAILABLE SHOULD BE ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUSPICOUS AND NOTHING SHOULD BE OVERLOOKED. I REALLY DONT CARE IF SOMEONE IS READING MY E-MAILS OR LISTENING TO MY PHONE CALLS. I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. BIG COMPANIES, SMALL COMPANIES MAY NOT FEEL THE SAME. SOMETIMES INFORMATION HEARD, RECORDED IS FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY AND I UNDERSTAND THE THREAT OF TRADE-SECRECTS SUBJECT TO DATA FILED AND STORED WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE. IN THESE TIMES DATA IS NOT ALWAYS SAFE FROM THEFT. WHEN IT COMES TO MAKEING A DECISSION ABOUT SECURITY HAVEING TO USE INFORMATION REAL-TIME...TAKE EVERY COMMUNICATION AND BREAK IT DOWN, ID RATHER KNOW WE ARE SAFE AND NOT SORRY. IF YOU'R A PERSON WHO FEARS FOR THE COMPANY'S SAFTY OR THAT YOUR DATA WILL BE STOLEN, YOU SHOULD COMMUNICATE THAT AND CREATE A REALATIONSHIP THAT ALLOWS YOU TO NETWORK WITH THE ONES ABLE TO SECURE AND COPYRIGHT YOUR INFO. DONT LIVE IN FEAR, LIVE KNOWING YOU DID WHAT MAKES YOU, ALLOWS YOU TO REST AT NIGHT AND WAKE KNOWING YOU DID THE BEST THING. AS FOR THE REST OF YOU, THE ONES WHO LIVE EVERYDAY WITH THE CONSCIENCE HIDEING OF THE FACT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE...I HOPE YOU GET CAUGHT AND WHAT COMES TO YOU IS WHAT YOU DESERVE.

[nicki73]

SWEET CHILD

I DONT CARE IF IM A WALKING GPS, I HATE WAR, KILLING IS FOR THE COWARDLY. I DONT THINK BECAUSE I HAVE A GUN AND HUNT IM A SUSPECT, OR BECAUSE I DONT AGREE WITH WAR IM A SUSPECT. I DONT THINK CAMERAS ARE IN AMERICANS HOMES. BESIDES WITH DNA SATELLITES CAN PICK-UP WHERE ONE IS, WHAT THEY DO, HOW THEY LIVE, WHAT THEIR INTENSIONS ARE. AND SUPERCOMPUTERS CAN PRACTICALLY READ ONES MIND. COMPANIES WHO HAVE INFORMATION CIRTICAL TO THEIR BUSINESS THEY MUST COPYRIGHT THEIR WORK AND BE SMART ABOUT IT MATTERS. LOOK THE SIMPLE FACT IS EVEN THOU I HATE WAR, AFTER 9/11 I THOUGHT IF THEY DONT GO TO WAR, IF WE DONT THAN WHAT? WE ARE SUBJECT TO ATTACKS AND THAT MAKES US WEAK AND VOLNERABLE. WHEN BUSH SAID "IF YOUR NOT WITH US YOUR AGAINST US." EVEN SWITZERLAND AND FRANCE WERE WITH US, ITS A WAR ON TERROR, THE WAR THAT ENDS WAR. SO IF IT MEANS WE HAVE TO THINK WE ARE SUBJECT TO WIRETAP THAN SO BE IT. THAT IS JUST HOW I FEEL, THE REASON I RESPONDED TO YOU IS BECAUSE YOUR NOT ALONE, COMPANIES WHO FEAR THEIR CRITICAL INFO IS AT RISK AND PEOPLE WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THE HAPPENINGS ARE NOT THE ONES WIRETAPING IS LOOKING AT. THEY LOOK AT THE KILLERS, THE ONES WHO DONT HAVE PRIDE IN HUMANITY, WHO DONT ACT WITH ANY RATIONAL AND WHO ARE NOT FOR LIFE, LIBERITY AND HAPPINESS. THIS WAR IS NOT ABOUT OIL OR POWER ITS ABOUT CREATING PEACE.

[gavstamp]

Sweet child

I think it's great that the kids are taking part in this discussion. You've got to love the naivety. Oh, and the terrible spelling and of course the shouting. Please tell us more about the DNA tracking satellites and mind reading supercomputers. I would suggest they use that supercomputer to read Bush's mind but they may have trouble finding it.

[Dingbattie]

Why do the cons

hate the Constitution so much?

[SeizeCTRL]

Come on...

That's like saying the Democrats hate freedom or hate America.

2 Party Politics has forced us into this situation. On one hand we have the conservatives doing things like you suggest they hate the constitution. But at the same time, you have the liberals doing things like wanting open borders or giving health care and food stamps to illegal aliens.

Having idiots on both sides of the fence sort of balances it out. If we didn't have liberals, the we'd end up having a cross between 1984 and the Christian version of Afghanistan. Without the conservatives, we'd end up in some socialist crap pit where all your hard earned money is taken from you and redistributed to the people who chose not to work, or just sneak in to this country illegally.

It's not the government's job to feed you or provide you shelter or health care. If you feel that way, you should just up and move. The government though is supposed to protect you... like it or not, there are forces in the world that HATE you for the simple fact of where you live and what you may or may not believe... and if given the chance, they would kill you without even thinking.

Yes it really really sucks that we are losing privacy and I don't agree to the philosophy of invasion of privacy for security. We have too many foreign individuals in this country for the wrong reason and I see no reason why they shouldn't be subject to monitoring. Now when this falls into political discontent for not agreeing with the government, I see no reason why the government should wiretap you or read your email. You are simply speaking out and expressing an opinion. But say you are a Muslim who just moved here, has weapons training and a hatred of freedom and would like to see the U.S. destroyed or turned into an Islamic State... then I see exactly why the government would want to know what that individual is up to. That's just common sense.

[justthe_facts]

the burning ears of gODDballs

The most satisfying and rewarding means to end
the war OF terrorism is intelligence indigestion;
If everyone tossed into their chats, email, and
voice calls regular expressions being screened,
the tiny minds at the White House would pop like
so many popcorn kernels with false emergencies-
From their perspective and record- "you are either
with us, or against us".

kind of like what has been foisted on the world
the past six years. The tide has turned. The
terrorists in the White House are afraid- very
afraid some little children will state the
obvious- bad men lied. the liars are the only
terrorists which need be eliminated. let our
freedom ring; wring those wrong necks right now.

Our children demand justice, a future. We all do!

Jihad I known Osama bin Yo Mama, got herpes?
milk, bread, AK-47, fat-free new clear I scream
Boo-Dist Linux for Wayward Christian solder Iran.

all together now "STAND DOWN!"

[novelator]

We Will Have to do More than Talk

It's becoming increasingly apparent that we the People of these United States will soon be required to do more than merely talk if we are to remain free.

The only hope I have, although so very slight as to not be visible to the naked eye, is that Congress will choose to give us all the right to a binding national referendum once a year where we decide as a nation issues such as whether or not we wish to be wiretapped or have our freedoms impinged in the so-called interest of national security.

For more years than I care to mention, I have watched our civil rights erode, chipped away one tiny bit at a time, knowing all the while that the day might come, in my lifetime, where I, where we will be forced to either emulate our forefathers or succumb to tyranny.

This new surveillance protects nothing but the government afraid of its own people. There is nothing on this earth that politicians of both parties, from the White House through the House of Representatives to the state and local levels fear more than a united people. How sad that the very thing they fear most, they appear determined to bring upon themselves, one unnecessary law at a time.

M.L. Bushman

[System Tyrant]

FREEDOM!!!

I find it amusing when people tell me how our country won't give in to terrorism, but yet we've allowed our way of life to be dictated by the fear of terrorism. We allow our freedoms to be eroded by it. And so many people are glad to see it happen.

"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
- V from 'V for Vendetta'

I think that quote says a lot about *how* our government should be run. Sadly it's just the opposite.

[majarosh]

HOW FAR DOES THE NEW WIRETAP LAW GO?

After reading the article, I believed the TalkBack question was an inportant issue that should be discussed. Although relatively new to this form of communication, I was eager to read the comments of others and share mine regarding the question posed. I fully expected there to be a few fanatics, tossing grenades into the discussion. What came as a surprise was how few of the responders actually responded to the question, and the number that mentioned the question without offering an answer to it.
I'm not inclined to ctitique those responses, however, I will share a little history.
In the time of my generation's youth, there was great hope that a "new" form of communication that had the potential to educate, enlighten and inspire people all over the world. That with a nation wide, or even a global shared experience, people would realize everyone, everywhere shared identical feelings, hopes and difficulties. And by working together, we could accomplish anything, overcome any difficulty. That "new" form of communication was television. It came closest to fulfilling that potential in July of 1969 when man walked on the moon.
There was a WSJ opinion article yesterday that I offer for consideration to any who are willing to explore varied respectives. Respectfully, Rog

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010438

[thetopnerd]

Amen - Killeen Texas Computer Nerds

The US Government should have unfettered cart blanch on wire taps. We live in a new world and our enemies don?t play by any set of recognized rules.

If one can commandeer an airplane and fly it into a building and cause a war, than who cares if the Government can listen in on every phone call made by any one.

What could we possibly be talking about on a telephone, fax or e-mail that we would not want the Government combing over in the interests of National Security.

Do you really think the Government cares who you are sleeping with or you dialed a porno line?

As Americans, we should be doing everything we possible can do to support our Government and its objectives in its fight on terrorism.

If we don?t believe that, then why are we in this Country in the first place?

Just my thoughts!

Shawn Richeson
Killeen Texas Computer Nerds

[srwitt]

Move TO CHINA

I hope that was sarcasm, if not move to China.