It’s safe to say that "trust us" no longer works on Capitol Hill, given the skepticism of senators Tuesday in response to the Bush administration’s lobbying for more and updated domestic spying powers. Two hours of testimony by National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell and others left the Senate Intelligence Committee seemingly unconvinced of anything except that they needed more information on warrantless wiretapping and other matters. Still, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act dates from the 1970s. If the nation’s outmoded intelligence tools are putting the nation at risk, senators shouldn’t let the Bush administration’s past excesses keep them from acting now.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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20 Comments
“If the nation’s outmoded intelligence tools are putting the nation at risk, senators shouldn’t let the Bush administration’s past excesses keep them from acting now.”
Okay, to me at least, that is one of the dumbest comments I’ve ever read!!!
Actually, Rhonda is correct, the Senate SHOULD act. They should craft legislation that will enable security agencies to carry out surveillance as needed and should also build in safeguards to prevent further excesses by the Bush administration.
It is time for the Senate to exercise its oversight responsibilities; responsibilities that have languished for six years due to the “leadership” (sic) of people like Pat Roberts.
Ben,
That would give Bush an excuse to exercise the third veto of his administration.
I’m just going to grit my teeth and wait til January 21, 2009.
It can’t come soon enough.
The nation is always at risk. That is the chance we all take everyday when we step out the door to go to work. The Constitution prohibits unlawful search and seizure. That is exactly with the Bushies are wanting. More surveillance with no oversight. I personally am glad the committee did not allow this crap!
Yes, Senator “Leakey” Leahey wants the opportunity to leak more secrets like he did in the 80s. Oh that leakage got a CIA operative killed.
How’s that for outting someone?
Sounds like someone is grasping at straws(Republican). You can’t make an interesting comment on the subject so you go digging up something on a dem from 20 yrs ago? Getting a little desperate Republican?
Not grasping at straws – just showing the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party. Someone gets killed because of Leakey Leahy’s mouth and they shrug it off as inconsequential.
HAS THE WICHITA EAGLE BLOG EVER….EVER EVER EVER EVER….CRITICIZED A DEMOCRAT OR LIBERAL?????
JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS GETTING OLD.
Ben – Is his administration (Bush) not who would be getting the additional powers?
Capt. P – We had to listen to everyone B***ch for 8 years when Clinton was in office, so just deal with it!!!
As soon as they screw up the country then you will get your turn. GOP has been in charge for 6yrs executive and 12 yrs in Congress. They have been without accountibility until recently. Finally, the truth starts to come out and the Bushies are suddenly tired of the bashing? Clinton and his supporters endured 4 yrs of bs investigation after investigation. Face it, you support a crooked party that claims to represent the moral highground. Sadly, they don’t practice what they preach. And now its biting them in their ass.
The success of the 1990s had nothing to do with the Democratic or the Republican party. It was part of Internet business and Computer Software/hardware boom.
Clinton balanced the budget by slashing the hell out of military budget. It had nothing to do with his wise financial planning.
You really want to get into crooked Politicians? Democrats crooked politicians is so long, it would fill several sets of encyclopedias.
“Not grasping at straws – just showing the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party. Someone gets killed because of Leakey Leahy’s mouth and they shrug it off as inconsequential.”
But it’s okay for this republican administration to start a war on faulty “intelligence”, and get thousands killed. You and gs need to get together and maybe, just maybe, your combined “intelligence” might just equal the working temperature of an ice cube.
“You really want to get into crooked Politicians? Democrats crooked politicians is so long, it would fill several sets of encyclopedias.”
hahahahahahahahaha!
Try these:http://www.gimmiesometruth.com/tricks.htmlhttp://talkingpointsmemo.com/grandolddocket.php(That one names the repuke liars and thieves.)
. . . and republicant should love this one:http://www.prisoners.com/repcrook.html
Granted, there are many democrat crooks, but when one side, republicant, decides to cherry pick, he better make damn sure there are cherries on the tree.
Old argument and same answer “Ben Franklin” Al-Qaeda wants to destroy our country… Our freedom… our higher principals.Should we really be giving them this much aid and comfort?
You want to know the scariest thought that’s occurred to me? What if “Curveball,” the source for all the fake intelligence on Saddam’s WMD’s, turns out to be Karl Rove? And even scarier, how few people would be suprised if it did?
funny how nobody answered the question.
sebelius has been in power since 2002, so the argument that b/c the gop has been in power and is an easy target is flawed.
the point is that that whole editorial board above is as partisan and hackery as anyone else on this blog.Especially Schofield. My dealings with him have never been pleasant – always with some slanted agenda. his editorial about how journalists must be activists was pure bull$hit.Brownlee wants people to think he is fair, but when you look at the whole of his writing and stories, its just as bad as schofield, he just doesn’t wear it on his shirt. and all together holman is one of the worst – I can’t think of a worse hack.
oh well – guess it keeps me reading. and god knows the eagle won’t do anything about it – they could care less about real journalism – they would probably site some of those wacky sites someone posted above as fact…
Sebelius’ power is very limited; she faces large Republican majorities in the legislature. So, if she were doing much corrupt she would be subject to oversight.
On the other hand, Bush has had ABSOLUTE power for six years; zero oversight. Pat Roberts, for example, helped quash any kind of oversight.
“Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”
Good choice for a nic poindexter: a multiple FELON who got off by a technicality.
CapnP -
The folk you find fault with are opinion writers. They are not journalists, in the sense I think you mean.
Deep breaths will help… In… out… that-a-boy…
Steven,
I don’t think his fault-finding with opinion writers is the problem. I think Poindexter’s, and other’s, problem is that when they don’t like the message, they want to hang the messenger.
Well, I don’t take this blog seriously. As I said before, we are nothing more than their guinea pigs on which they can test journalistic experiments.
I know it and they know it. It’s a mildly amusing thing to do, getting the Libs blood pressure up. :)