JUDGE: PRES. BUSH'S WIRETAP PROGRAM VIOLATES CONSTITUTION & MUST STOP

JUDGE: PRES. BUSH'S WIRETAP PROGRAM VIOLATES CONSTITUTION & MUST STOP
It?s a historic bout in the battle of the branches: the executive says it?s legal, but the judiciary says it?s not. It concerns the government?s domestic spying program ? the monitoring of Americans? phone calls and e-mail messages without warrants. Today, in a stunning rebuke to the Bush administration, a federal court ruled that the program is unconstitutional ? and must stop. In a decision, Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, of the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division, struck down the NSA program, which she said violates the rights to free speech and privacy under the First and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution. The judge?s 44-page memorandum and order also says the program violates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) passed by Congress in 1978. Because of those things, the judge says the domestic spying program must stop. And then there?s this: in a stunning claim against the president, the judge writes that President Bush violated the Constitution, the decision saying, ?The President of the United States... has undisputedly violated the Fourth in failing to procure judicial orders." The Justice Department says it will appeal.

[Flint]

Why does Judge Anna Diggs Taylor hate freedom so much? Is she a Taliban?

[glatt]

The Washington Post article this morning said that many people have criticized her ruling as being poorly reasoned and it's questionable that it will hold up on appeal. I haven't read her ruling, and I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know if that's spin from the other side or if it really is a weak ruling that won't hold up on appeal. We'll see.

[Happy Monkey]

It can't be as poorly reasoned as Bush's argument: "It's legal but we can't tell you why".

[glatt]

I'm not saying it is. I certainly hope it holds up on appeal. It was the first good news I have seen in the press in a long long time.

[Clodfobble]

Didn't they claim that the whole UK-to-LA-liquid-bomb scheme was uncovered because of the wiretapping of international calls?

[9th Engineer]

And the tracing of money transfers and accounts. You can't win, spy and trace in order to stop the attacks and you are called a facist. But if an attack goes through, then the government isn't doing enough to stop the terrorists.

[DanaC]

That poster is awesome.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by DanaC

That poster is awesome.

Then you need to spend more time here:
http://homepage.mac.com/leperous/PhotoAlbum1.html

[DanaC]

Wow. That's a fantastic site.

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Flint

Why does Judge Anna Diggs Taylor hate freedom so much? Is she a Taliban?

Almost. She's a Democrat. But you're not supposed to be able to tell.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by MaggieL

Almost. She's a Democrat. But you're not supposed to be able to tell.

Let's see....

Who wants to force their religious views on the entire nation, and make them law of the land, like the Taliban?
Who wants to force prayer in school, like the Taliban?
Who were against the ERA, wanting to keep women in their place as second-class citizens like the Taliban?
Who wants everybody in the country to tote around an AK47, like the Taliban?
Who would never stand for same-gender marriage, like the Taliban?
Who punishes you for opposing their agenda like the Taliban?
Who has a core following who are fundamentalist religious conservative extremists, like the Taliban?
Who doesn't care if their fellow countrymen live or die, like the Taliban?
Who bypasses diplmacy, in favor of violence, like the Taliban?

The repubicans, that's who!

[MaggieL]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Let's see....

The repubicans, that's who!

Are you done chanting slogans? Like the Taliban?

This judgement is so palpably political as to be totally embarassing. Watch what happens to it on appeal.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Didn't they claim that the whole UK-to-LA-liquid-bomb scheme was uncovered because of the wiretapping of international calls?

A little dissent on the liquid bomb story.