Obama Defends Bush Wiretapping

[lostfan]

Congress isn't going to do it either. That'd be too angry and partisan, you know, enforcing the law, and we can't have that.

Right, so we're back where we started. Nobody is going to bother, so I'm not going to waste my time caring that much.

 

If you want to basically advocate another time-wasting circus on the scale of Clinton's impeachment trial though, be my guest.

Edited April 8, 2009 by lostfan

[kapkomet]

The only way this gets "resolved" is if it gives Obama political cover to opportunitively beat the s*** out of the last administration. That's been his M.O. so far.

 

[Balta1701]

The only way this gets "resolved" is if it gives Obama political cover to opportunitively beat the s*** out of the last administration. That's been his M.O. so far.

Personally, I'm hoping the President decides to use his newly given powers to spy on every single Republican voter, organizer, candidate, or media figure in the 2012 campaign. Put Nixon to shame. Congress has declared it newly legal again, so why not?

[kapkomet]

Personally, I'm hoping the President decides to use his newly given powers to spy on every single Republican voter, organizer, candidate, or media figure in the 2012 campaign. Put Nixon to shame. Congress has declared it newly legal again, so why not?

Go for it. In fact, REALLY go for it.

 

You know, since Republicans obviously did that and more.

[southsider2k5]

Personally, I'm hoping the President decides to use his newly given powers to spy on every single Republican voter, organizer, candidate, or media figure in the 2012 campaign. Put Nixon to shame. Congress has declared it newly legal again, so why not?

 

I would bet it was already being done.

[LZPride08]

Go for it. In fact, REALLY go for it.

 

You know, since Republicans obviously did that and more.

 

We cant really blame it on the GOP anymore, because the fact that Obama feels the need not only continue The Bush Administration's policy, but expand it, looks like we're getting 4 more years of Bush's foreign policy

[lostfan]

We cant really blame it on the GOP anymore, because the fact that Obama feels the need not only continue The Bush Administration's policy, but expand it, looks like we're getting 4 more years of Bush's foreign policy

a - you just kind of jumped to a conclusion based off what Reddy titled this thread

b - this is domestic, not foreign policy (actually, Bush tried to use foreign policy to justify domestic policy which is fail)

c - even if it was foreign policy, not every decision Obama makes has to be necessarily different than one Bush made (don't tell the netroots this though)

Edited April 9, 2009 by lostfan

[whitesoxfan101]

I understand this isn't as simple as the thread title implies, but this isn't the change people voted for in November. Ignoring the constitution seems like a popular thing to do in both parties though nowadays, so I shouldn't be surprised.

[Reddy]

a - you just kind of jumped to a conclusion based off what Reddy titled this thread

b - this is domestic, not foreign policy (actually, Bush tried to use foreign policy to justify domestic policy which is fail)

c - even if it was foreign policy, not every decision Obama makes has to be necessarily different than one Bush made (don't tell the netroots this though)

a - ok lostfan, how is the title incorrect. does he NOT defend it? does he (or his admin) NOT want to expand it? i've yet to figure out who that's wrong. yes it's simplified, but nonetheless accurate.

[lostfan]

a - ok lostfan, how is the title incorrect. does he NOT defend it? does he (or his admin) NOT want to expand it? i've yet to figure out who that's wrong. yes it's simplified, but nonetheless accurate.

That wasn't why I said that although I don't really know where you got the "expand" part from since all the DoJ did was dismiss another case. I was saying that it seemed clear to me he didn't read the article.

[Reddy]

the expand part is the making it impossible to sue the government if they wiretap you without your knowledge.

[lostfan]

Meh that was already the case and it doesn't just apply to this. It sounds kind of ridiculous to put it in words like this, but the government can only be sued when it wants to be sued.

[Reddy]

Meh that was already the case and it doesn't just apply to this. It sounds kind of ridiculous to put it in words like this, but the government can only be sued when it wants to be sued.

no you're actually right. even with this case, the fine print is that the government can ONLY be sued if they've already declassified or divulged the information they found publicly... so yeah, if they don't want to be sued, they just don't release the findings - simple as that.

 

i just think it's funny "oh yeah, you still have your right to sue the gov't! but... ya know, they just have to be ok with it first"

[lostfan]

I'm posting this mostly for you, kap, but for anyone that implied Obama is doing the same illegal activities:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090416/ap_on_...domestic_spying

 

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has reined in electronic surveillance by the National Security Agency after finding the agency had improperly accessed American phone calls and e-mails.

 

The problems were discovered during a review of the intelligence activities, the Justice Department said in a statement Wednesday night.

 

The New York Times, which first reported the matter on its Web site, said the NSA had been improperly intercepting communications by Americans.

 

In its statement, the Justice Department said it has taken "comprehensive steps to correct the situation and bring the program into compliance."

 

The Justice Department did not elaborate on what problems it found.

 

Once corrective measures were taken, Attorney General Eric Holder sought authorization for renewing the surveillance program, officials said.

 

Government officials have also briefed lawmakers on the issue.

 

Domestic eavesdropping has been a contentious issue since 2005, when the Times revealed that for years following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the NSA intercepted international phone conversations and e-mails involving U.S. citizens without a warrant.

 

That program ended in 2007, and the following year Congress passed legislation requiring the NSA to get court approval to monitor the purely domestic communications of Americans who came under suspicion.