The Constitution dies tomorrow

Both Democrats and Republicans are pushing this forward. Obama is doing nothing to stop it. It's really shameful.

Please everybody take a minute or two to write or call your Senators and let them know how you feel about this.
The fact of the matter is Bush started illegally wiretapping american citizens BEFORE 9/11 and now congress wants to help with the cover-up. We cannot let this happen. During World Wars I and II despite the seemingly long odds of victory there was never any discussion of spying on americans, why start now? Please call or write.

Our government has gone rogue on us, they've totally thrown the public overboard.

This isn't a Republic anymore, it's an Elected Oligarchy. Soon to be an Empire if things keep going this way.

This is so disappointing, at least Ceasar was a soldier and a decent strategist. Dubya is just a dweeb.

That is the only right that you are actually allowed to use anymore. If a cop comes to your house without a warrant. You can say go the hell away. I love it! I cant lose that.

I'm not a multiple offender. I was once a college student with jerk-ass neighbors. You know how it is.

I'm sorry, but this is the Reality. People in the US, the "citizens" have no balls. This is why you get all this shit.
War, High Gas prices when is no real crisis yet(you are about to make one), teaser gunned, High food Prices and the right to be arrested without single proof.

It's safe to say no matter who our president is, the administration could care less about the opinions of the American people.

I've been writing my Senators for the past two weeks. Obviously, no response from either one.

I don't trust a government that doesn't trust me. It's a two-way street man. And if that very government doesn't believe they have to follow the rules that they put in place, I don't believe I should either. "Common" American or not, we're all American.

Holy shit... People aren't going to put up with this once it starts.

oh well, I wasn't using my civil liberties anyways.

Not that this is not a horrible evil thing, but it sounds a bit like an attack ad itself. How do they know what obama will do? According to the people in my town, if he's elected, by 2010 we will all have our very own knee rug to bow to Allah with. Maybe he won't filibuster it, maybe he will. Maybe he won't bomb the white house his first week in office, maybe he will. It's all nonsense.

WTF????? THIS IS THE BEGINGIN OF A COMMUNIST AMERICA SERIOUSLY

It died a long time ago...

This + Corporate ownership of the Internet= one step closer to revolution.

Here is a summary of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=summary&bill=h110-3773

Some key points that grabbed my eye were the following:

- [A] court order is not necessary for electronic surveillance of any communications between persons who are not known to be United States persons and who are reasonably believed to be outside of the United States (Sec. 2).

[Basically, if you're not a U.S. citizen, and you communicate with foreigners, then it is legal to spy on you...]

- [An] application for a court order from the court established under FISA is not required to identify specific places of surveillance (Sec. 3).

[...anywhere...]

- [I]n emergency situations, the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence to authorize surveillance for up to 45 days of non-United States persons who are reasonably believed to be outside of the United States and who may be communicating with someone inside the United States, but that within seven days, an application must be filed for approval from the court established under FISA (Sec. 4).

[...for up to a month and a half without legal permission.]

In my opinion, though, there are also a few good apsects of the bill:

- Prohibits the disclosure of information obtained from surveillance that would identify a United States person unless such information is necessary to understand the foreign intelligence collected or to protect the national security of the United States or members of the Armed Forces (Sec. 6).

[Essentially, it's illegal to spy on John Q. Public unless his/her identity is needed to "understand" the information...

...unless you're in the Armed Forces - then you're fair game!]

- FISA is the only means by which foreign electronic surveillance may be conducted (Sec. 9).

[In other words, it's either the FISA way or no way...

...but the key word is "foreign," and laws never stopped anyone before.]

- The government must inform the communications service providers used to conduct surveillance that the requirements of this law have been met (Sec. 19).

[Hopefully this portion of the bill will prevent telcom companies from unknowingly doing the goverments dirty work...

...but just because an exectuive of the company knows something, does not mean the average employees do.]

R.I.P. My Civil Liberties

I hardly knew thee.

Well, I guess the last shred of democracy in this country is about to go down the drain. Fare thee well Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You will be missed.

all the fighting ppl have done to get to this country, all the dreams, all the promises... and now this? America was once synonymous with freedom. i guess that is not what our government wants to be known for anymore.

how can this stand?

this is really sad that our government can do things like this but i guess its proof that if you have enough money you can do whatever you want

Why do we still keep paying taxes?

I really do fear for the future on this one.

where should we move to?