Should the government attempt to inspect every cargo container that comes into our ports...even if that cargo container happens to contain a package from your cousin Bruce in Singapore that sent you some CD's? Would you feel like your privacy was being invaded then or you were being considered a terrorist suspect?

Again, not trying to offend, pass judgement or call anyone out, just trying to figure out where the line between protecting our safety and invading our privacy happens to be.

 

I was going to leave this one alone but heck Steve jumped in....

Your first premise indicated a subpoena...that is a far cry from secretly conducting this surveillance outside the bounds of the checks and balances of our government.

Inspecting cargo:

All our bags are searched when we get on a plane. We are searched personally, and I don't feel that is a violation of any privacy.

The government has a responsibility to ensure our ports. Scanning cargo & looking for tell tale signs of contra-band is certainly different than cataloging every one of our phone call patterns.

Personally I'm not anti-government. I know it may seem that way. I just want our rights respected and our Constitution respected. If these types of plans were developed, debated, and reviewed for Constitutionality I could stomach them a lot better. I may not like the decision but at least the process was allowed to work.

I understand the need for secrecy and a quick response but not when it cuts away at the core values of what this country is built on.

 

Everything that has been going on with the wiretaps and NSA has been approved by the Supreme Court. If someone doesn't agree with the wiretapping, I advise you come up with a better plan and submit it. Please, let us know when you hold your class..."How to catch terrorists before they strike 101" I'm sure those against the wiretaps can educate us all. Not trying to be arrogant but if you don't have a better answer for how to catch 20 terrorists in a nation of 300 million then maybe you don't have a clue what we are up against. I've said it before... The U.S. Government has to be right every single time to prevent an attack, the terrorists only have to get it once. Those of you against the taps would be the same people trying to impeach the President if we got attacked and you found out we didn't do everything at our disposal.

 

whoops missed that mark. And yes I know it is the pot calling the kettle black.

I've got a coffee in front of me and I'm typing a paper on IT governance....fun stuff....this is a nice break.

In the end I believe we all have the same goals.

Keep the country safe
Kill the terrorists
Keep Ol' Glory flying high and proud.


I don't think that what Bush is doing is a malicious attempt to violate our privacy or snoop on us. I truly believe (maybe naively) that he has the best interest of our country at heart.


What scares me is precedent. He is establishing powers and behaviors that the President would not normally be able to pull off without serious flak.

When the next president, not driven by such idealistic goals, takes the oath it will be much easier to wiretap without subpoena, track phone calls, etc for much more nefarious reasons.

I don't envy Bush. He is in a no win situation. If he respects everything I believe in, we may never know what is going on. If he respects everything you believe he may establish a police state.

I truly hope he is successful in this balancing act and the war in general, God knows he has my support.



Jim.

 

Now that's a post I can respect...

 

It is understood and agreed to prior to trying to import something that your shipment has to clear customs, which may involve opening the package.

Apples to oranges.