MSNBC.com-

 

CAMP DAVID, Md. - President Bush on Sunday signed into law an expansion of the government?s power to eavesdrop on foreign terror suspects without the need for warrants.

 

The law, approved by the Senate and the House just before Congress adjourned for its summer break, was deemed a priority by Bush and his chief intelligence officials.

 

Bush signed the bill into law on Sunday afternoon at his retreat at Camp David, Md.

 

?When our intelligence professionals have the legal tools to gather information about the intentions of our enemies, America is safer,? Bush said. ?And when these same legal tools also protect the civil liberties of Americans, then we can have the confidence to know that we can preserve our freedoms while making America safer.?

 

The administration said the measure is needed to speed the National Security Agency?s ability to intercept phone calls, e-mails and other communications involving foreign nationals ?reasonably believed to be outside the United States.?

 

The law is designed to capture communications that pass through the United States.

 

Civil liberties groups and many Democrats say it goes too far, possibly enabling the government to wiretap U.S. residents communicating with overseas parties without adequate oversight from courts or Congress.

 

The new law updates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and it will expire in six months unless Congress renews it. Bush wants deeper, permanent changes.

 

?We must remember that our work is not done,? Bush prodded. ?This bill is a temporary, narrowly focused statute to deal with the most immediate shortcomings in the law.?

 

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I think it should be noted that the former Attorney General, John Ashcroft, deputy John Comey, and current FBI director Robert Mueller all disagreed that this program was appropriate, and none of these people can reasonably called liberal.

 

I will be writing a letter of complaint to Senator Bill Nelson for voting in favor of this assault on civil liberties.

wow. People are so stupid. All the Government has to do is put the word terrorist in anything and they do whatever they want.

But .. but - if you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about!!!! :mischief

I keep hearing that Democratic strategists were concerned that there MIGHT be a terrorist attack while the Democratic members of Congress were on vacation, and that was the reason why they gave in to Bush's demands. There is no reason that they need to do this when Bush has an approval rating of less than 30 percent. They should have just gone on vacation.

hi stalin...oh...sorry george...i didnt recognize behind your mask of bulls***, lies, and money

I keep hearing that Democratic strategists were concerned that there MIGHT be a terrorist attack while the Democratic members of Congress were on vacation, and that was the reason why they gave in to Bush's demands. There is no reason that they need to do this when Bush has an approval rating of less than 30 percent. They should have just gone on vacation.

 

 

bush's approval rating is actually higher than congress

I keep hearing that Democratic strategists were concerned that there MIGHT be a terrorist attack while the Democratic members of Congress were on vacation, and that was the reason why they gave in to Bush's demands. There is no reason that they need to do this when Bush has an approval rating of less than 30 percent. They should have just gone on vacation.

 

 

bush's approval rating is actually higher than congress

Yes, but Congress' approval rating is almost always really low, ever since they started these polls.

 

Considering the fact that Bush has accomplished none of his goals legislatively, I don't see why Congress should just hand him a victory.

I keep hearing that Democratic strategists were concerned that there MIGHT be a terrorist attack while the Democratic members of Congress were on vacation, and that was the reason why they gave in to Bush's demands. There is no reason that they need to do this when Bush has an approval rating of less than 30 percent. They should have just gone on vacation.

 

 

bush's approval rating is actually higher than congress

 

That could be because of their failure to restrain Bush on Iraq, one of the major reasons they were actually elected. They really have gotten other things done except that.

 

-increased min wage

-ethics and lobbying reform

-9/11 commision recommendations

-expansion of child healthcare that passed enough to overcome Bush veto

-student loan reform

-stem cell bill

-fuel standard changes

So much for the Democrats restoring the Constitution