More on Domestic Spying

There has been a lot of articles about recent developments with the NSA eavesdropping issue. Just within the past couple of days, a deal has been brokered between Senate Republicans and the Bush administration, which would allow the program to continue with a longer time period allowed for warrantless wiretaps. From what I have read, the program basically remains the same, but gives the President a longer time period before getting a warrant. It still seems to me that the issue over the extent of Presidential authority remains unresolved, but maybe that will be for the courts to decide. Here's a description of the Republican proposal from a recent New York Times article:

The Republican proposal would give Congressional approval to the eavesdropping program much as it was secretly authorized by Mr. Bush after the 2001 terrorist attacks, with limited notification to a handful of Congressional leaders. The N.S.A. would be permitted to intercept the international phone calls and e-mail messages of people in the United States if there was "probable cause to believe that one party to the communication is a member, affiliate, or working in support of a terrorist group or organization," according to a written summary of the proposal issued by its Republican sponsors. The finding of probable cause would not be reviewed by any court. But after 45 days, the attorney general would be required to drop the eavesdropping on that target, seek a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court or explain under oath to two new Congressional oversight subcommittees why he could not seek a warrant.

Below are some more articles on the same subject, all of which are worth reading:

G.O.P. Plan Would Allow Spying Without Warrants from the New York Times.

Ex-Justice Lawyer Rips Case for Spying from the Washington Post.

Rights Groups Ask Courts to End Domestic Spying from Reuters.

--Tom Hayes