Democratic Concessions Are Expected on Wiretapping

[cal04]

Two months after vowing to roll back broad new wiretapping powers won by the Bush administration, Congressional Democrats appear ready to make concessions that could extend some of the key powers granted to the National Security Agency.

Bush administration officials say they are confident they will win approval of the broadened wiretapping authority that they secured temporarily in August as Congress rushed toward recess, and some Democratic officials admit that they may not come up with the votes to rein in the administration.

As the debate over the N.S.A.’s wiretapping powers begins anew this week, the emerging legislation reflects the political reality confronting the Democrats. While they are willing to oppose the White House on the conduct of the war in Iraq, they remain nervous that they will be labeled as soft on terrorism if they insist on strict curbs on intelligence gathering.

A Democratic bill to be proposed Tuesday in the House would maintain for several years the type of broad, blanket authority for N.S.A. wiretapping that the administration secured in August for just six months. But in an acknowledgment of civil liberties concerns, the measure would also require a more active role by the special foreign intelligence court that oversees the N.S.A.’s interception of foreign-based communications.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/08/washington/09cnd-nsa.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[tularetom]

1. Why am I not surprised

:banghead:

[rucky]

2. Relax, it's just temporary!

:puke:

[Hydra]

3. Color me surprised

"We'll do what we can to fix this 6 months from now...just have some patience"

Yeah, they'll fix it. Expanded power, permanently.:puke:

[Forkboy]

4. Democratic concessions are expected on everything.

[mmonk]

5. Could someone please explain to me the House democrats please?