<p>U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency's program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy.</p>
<p>The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of journalists, scholars and lawyers who say the program has made it difficult for them to do their jobs. They believe many of their overseas contacts are likely targets of the program, which involves secretly taping conversations between people in the U.S. and people in other countries.</p>
<p>The government argued that the program is well within the president's authority, but said proving that would require revealing state secrets.</p>
<p>The ACLU said the state-secrets argument was irrelevant because the Bush administration already had publicly revealed enough information about the program for Taylor to rule."</p>
<p>Incredible. It took months just for a judge to finally rule the wiretapping illegal. How can the Bush administration say wiretapping is legal? (Unless there is a warrant). I'm just curious how people feel about this. I think we should protect our country from terrorists however, our rights are always the top priority. We died and fought for freedom and the rights we have today.</p>
<p>well i dont know the whole specifics of the program...like how they would monitor EVERYONE being wiretapped. it just doesn't make sense. and it is and invasion of privacy. i mean, i don't say anything on the phone that im' ashamed of, but who the hell would be listening to me exactly? really, how would it help?</p>
<p>it's sad it took this long. the bush admin are idiots.</p>
<p>Let's face it people.. whether or not you support Bush, it is clear that our rights are clearly violated. It took months just for this decision. This decision should have came the second this information leaked.
To be truthful I am furious our government is not protecting our rights and is capture by the "find the terrorist frenzy". Well, even with our rights violated to "protect the people", we are in CONSTANT danger... our borders are being crossed as many illegal aliens are entering our land. A lot of those aliens have criminal backgrounds. Also, let's face it, our border patrolmen are in danger from gangs who shoot at them to get their clients across the border. Gangs enter through the borders and we failed to even protect ourselves. Also, what is going on with our ports? Remember Dubai trying to buy our ports. What is going on?! We totally forgot what Bush tried to do to us. Trying to sell ports to a foreign country who had terrorists store money in their country. MAJOR flaw in our approach to protect our country.</p>
<p>I HATE to admit this, but USA was better with Clinton in power. I have nostalgic memories of the days when gas was $1.20 and when there was no oil price gauging. I also remember the days when we had surpluses rather than be in almost two trillion dollars debt. </p>
<p>We definitely lost faith in our government. Both democratic and republican officials have failed the American people. Next election season, lets all hope we get politicians who are willing to put our right, which we fought so hard to get, as our first priority. Let's also hope we are able to stabilize our economy and protect our borders as well as become a world leader, rather than a world dominator.</p>
<p>The gas thing was bound to happen at some point. </p>
<p>As far as the Patriot Act, I really don't have any strong feelings for or against it. I think it's good for catching people planning attacks (like the folks in the UK) and stuff, though...and am really not seeing anything that strongly suggests that they use it on the average Joes. I could very well have missed something, but certainly can't recall anything at this point. </p>
<p>Debt....I couldve sworn we were in a debt with clinton as well.....dont you mean deficit, rexrun467, because I think the US has ALWAYS had a debt. Look, im not a hardcore republican, but if you guys are going to bash Bush, at least read up on things first, like how liberals are complaining about the deficit....because there has always been a debt! my two cents :). I also fail to see how anyone can lose faith in the American government, be it a republican or democrat president. Frankly, this place is just too damn good to lose faith in the government :)! But liberals do tend to be overly dramatic soo....</p>
<p>clinton had a budget SURPLUS, but he was far from being able to pay off the national debt. still, better than bush. by far. he's taken us in quite a bit, erasing any progress clinton had done in reducing it.</p>