A relevant post from July of 2007...

[kentuck]

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/kentuck/245

Early last year, George W Bush admitted to "data mining" and eavesdropping on millions of Americans, with the assistance of AT&T and other communication giants. Of course, in his admission, Mr Bush changed the name of "data mining" to the more acceptable "Terrorist Surveillance Program". He "unclassified" the program to let the people know that it was only to eavesdrop on "terrorists" calling in or out of this country.

Of course, they immediately arrested all those folks on the other end of the phone calls from the terrorists.<sarcasm> Hadn't you read about all those folks they caught with their "data mining"?? I didn't think so. But why didn't they arrest those on the other end of the phone, especially those in our country?? Did they just let them continue going about their daily business, so as not to blow their cover? Could anyone honestly buy that bunch of bologna?

The truth is that Mr Bush used "TSP" as an excuse after the NYTimes exposed the "data mining" scheme, which was illegal. Of course, the "data mining" program was kept classified and, most likely, is going full steam even today? Now Mr Bush wants to change the law to make what he did "legal". That is why he insisted on changing the FISA laws in his radio address yesterday. Bottom line: The laws were broken and Mr Bush knows he alone is guilty of breaking the FISA laws. If it were to protect the American people, how many arrests have been made?

When Alberto Gonzales testifies before Congress that they went to the hospital bed of John Ashcroft, in attempts to get him to approve the actions of George W Bush and the Justice Dept, and that they discussed "other intelligence matters" than the program the President defined, the Terrorist Surveillance Program, then he is technically correct.

Because at that time, there was no TSP, there was only the "data mining" that was being done illegally. Several members of the Administration, including Ashcroft and the FBI's Mueller, threatened to resign if this went forward. That is when Mr Bush changed the name of the program to Terrorist Surveillance Program and promised that they would no longer do the illegal "data mining" that had been going on for years. Of course, why shouldn't we believe this Administration? Haven't they been honest about everything else?

[NYC_SKP]

1. "If you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to fear."

This is the foundation for all kinds of violations of our rights, whether it be a simple traffic stop or during a house to house search for the Boston Marathon bombers.

Of course the whole War on Terra has always been a not so well-veiled plan to further weaken our rights.

It's a crime and, ultimately, there will be a revolution or war or other upheaval as a result.

K/R