"The House handed President Bush a victory Saturday, voting to expand the government's abilities to eavesdrop without warrants on foreign suspects whose communications pass through the United States.
"The 227-183 vote, which followed the Senate's approval Friday, sends the bill to Bush for his signature." [41 Democrats voted with the Republicans to enable the Bush victory. For a breakdown of the House vote see]
The Congress seems to be the only place in the U.S.- outside the pages of the N.Y.Post - where anyone still believes that the president has even a clue about how best to overcome terrorism. No other institution in the U.S. would give this totally incompetent administration greater power. That's what last November's elections were all about. Clearly the Democrats still don't get it. Protecting our civil liberties doesn't seem to be on the their agenda. Working the strings of the puppets in Congress seems to be the only mission Bush can actually accomplish.
"Many congressional Democrats wanted tighter restrictions on government surveillance, but yielded in the face of Bush's veto threats and the impending August recess.
"'This bill would grant the attorney general the ability to wiretap anybody, any place, any time without court review, without any checks and balances,' said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., during the debate preceding the vote. 'I think this unwarranted, unprecedented measure would simply eviscerate the 4th Amendment,' which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures."
(quotes from AP)
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