over 325,000 served
Well, not exactly. Saying that they were “served” implies some sort of above board, out in the sunshine, legal process. . . and little could be further from the truth.
Two headlines placed near the top of the Washington Post website Wednesday morning (pushed down the page by that other story). One trumpets the revelation that the government watch list of alleged international terrorists has grown to 325,000; the other warns that a congressional probe of the NSA’s illegal domestic spying is now in doubt.
The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) maintains a “central repository” of 325,000 names that it culls from a number of places, but a source tells the Post that most come from the NSA. Though that source says few of those names are of American citizens, the story makes it clear that, since the list is secret, we have no way of knowing.
With the NSA conducting its White House-ordered illegal dragnet, it seems unquestionable to me that the tripling in size of the NCTC list owes something to warrantless domestic eavesdropping.
How will we ever know? Maybe with congressional investigations, but that prospect grew more unlikely in the last week thanks to an “all-out White House lobbying campaign.” Again, according to the Post, there were enough Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee last week who were willing to vote with Democrats to pass a Democratic-sponsored motion to start an inquiry, but now passage in a Thursday vote seems unlikely.
“Closed door” briefings delivered by administration officials last week appear to have given some of those previously pro-investigation Republicans enough cover to reverse their position. And a special Republicans-only visit from Dead Eye Dick Cheney on Monday seems to have provided the necessary closed door arm-twisting to make sure the political cover will be used.
Now, Olympia Snowe (R-ME) is saying that investigations are not “essential or necessary,” and Mike DeWine (R-OH) is saying this can all be fixed by making the FISA by-pass legal with a revision to the 1978 act. Putting aside that the law has already been broken, and Congress, according to the Constitution, can’t make retroactive changes to law, the abdication of legislative authority and oversight in DeWine’s proposal is scandalous (and makes you wonder what was said behind closed doors to DeWine, who is in for a big electoral fight from Democrat Sherrod Brown come November).
Alas, what will make the reversal, abdication. . . and betrayal. . . even easier is that other story, which has pushed NSA spying off of most front pages altogether.
Two headlines placed near the top of the Washington Post website Wednesday morning (pushed down the page by that other story). One trumpets the revelation that the government watch list of alleged international terrorists has grown to 325,000; the other warns that a congressional probe of the NSA’s illegal domestic spying is now in doubt.
The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) maintains a “central repository” of 325,000 names that it culls from a number of places, but a source tells the Post that most come from the NSA. Though that source says few of those names are of American citizens, the story makes it clear that, since the list is secret, we have no way of knowing.
With the NSA conducting its White House-ordered illegal dragnet, it seems unquestionable to me that the tripling in size of the NCTC list owes something to warrantless domestic eavesdropping.
How will we ever know? Maybe with congressional investigations, but that prospect grew more unlikely in the last week thanks to an “all-out White House lobbying campaign.” Again, according to the Post, there were enough Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee last week who were willing to vote with Democrats to pass a Democratic-sponsored motion to start an inquiry, but now passage in a Thursday vote seems unlikely.
“Closed door” briefings delivered by administration officials last week appear to have given some of those previously pro-investigation Republicans enough cover to reverse their position. And a special Republicans-only visit from Dead Eye Dick Cheney on Monday seems to have provided the necessary closed door arm-twisting to make sure the political cover will be used.
Now, Olympia Snowe (R-ME) is saying that investigations are not “essential or necessary,” and Mike DeWine (R-OH) is saying this can all be fixed by making the FISA by-pass legal with a revision to the 1978 act. Putting aside that the law has already been broken, and Congress, according to the Constitution, can’t make retroactive changes to law, the abdication of legislative authority and oversight in DeWine’s proposal is scandalous (and makes you wonder what was said behind closed doors to DeWine, who is in for a big electoral fight from Democrat Sherrod Brown come November).
Alas, what will make the reversal, abdication. . . and betrayal. . . even easier is that other story, which has pushed NSA spying off of most front pages altogether.
posted by guy2k at 6:10 AM
1 Comments:
Guys2K,
Regardless what Snow may thinkg -- that investigations aren't "necessary" -- I'm lost on how Congress can "make big decisions" if they don't find facts.
There's a way to compel Congress to investigate, even if they refuse: [ Click ] This will show teh public whether the congress is for or against the rule of law. This can't be buried in the RNC controlled committee: Congress can be compelled to show it's hand: Are they for the Constitution, or for the tyranny.
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