Why did the Washington Post write this story without getting the opinion (on or off the record) of a single member of Congress? Why don’t we know what the Intelligence Committee chairs (Sen. Diane Feinstein and Rep. Silvestre Reyes) think about it? Can’t they do better than getting a single spokesperson from the Justice Department to go on the record? Couldn’t they get a reaction for a single Republican office holder?
I think it’s crap reporting. I’m glad to know that the administration is trying to expand the breadth of electronic communications they can obtain without a warrant, but I’d like to know what Congress thinks about it. I know that the ACLU and other civil liberties groups are going to oppose this, as they should. I’d like to know if I have single ally anywhere on Capitol Hill. And the Washington Post can’t even give me a single reaction from anyone.
As far as I am concerned, the government should not be able to see any of my electronic communications or telephone records unless a judge signs off on it. To change my mind, you’d have to demonstrate to me how these National Security Letters actually work to prevent mass casualty events. I think they are an abuse of my rights, and they entice federal agents to abuse other’s rights. It used to be that there were people on the Right who agreed with me. Where are they now?
