Bush Signs Bill Expanding FBI Authority (unreal)

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- President Bush signed legislation making it easier for FBI agents investigating terrorism to demand financial records from casinos, car dealerships and other businesses.

The changes were included in a bill authorizing 2004 intelligence programs. Most details of the bill are secret, including the total costs of the programs, which are estimated to be about $40 billion. That would be slightly more than Bush had requested.
snip>

* requires the CIA director to prepare a report as soon as possible on what intelligence agencies have learned from their experiences in Iraq. An internal review has been under way. Both the House and Senate intelligence committees have been conducting their own inquiries on prewar intelligence.

* creates a new intelligence office in the Treasury Department to improve coordination with intelligence agencies on fighting terrorist financing.

* creates pilot programs to examine whether analysts from one agency should have access to raw data from another and to improve information sharing with state and local governments.

* authorizes agencies to continue research on computerized terrorism surveillance projects formerly operated by the Defense Department. Those projects were widely criticized on civil liberties grounds, prompting Congress to remove them from the Pentagon.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-bush-intelligence-bill,0,7800436.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Emphasis mine but What The Hell is this?!

[eyesroll]

1. And this is what gets rammed through when the rest of the world is paying

attention to something else.

For once that "something else" is actually newsworthy, but still. Wouldn't surprise me if we found all sorts of Christmas presents from the administration after the All Saddam All The Time parade stops.

[papau]

2. Estimate of total spent on intel no longer secret I thought.

In the 90's I thought the breakthrough was finding out about the $30 B spent on NSA, CIA, FBI, and the other 12 or 13 spy budgets (most of the other folks are in Pentagon.)

In 2000 the budget was just over $30 b - and I thought much was wasted.

3 budgets later and it is at $40 billion! For what?

As to "authorizes agencies to continue research on computerized terrorism surveillance projects formerly operated by the Defense Department. Those projects were widely criticized on civil liberties grounds, prompting Congress to remove them from the Pentagon." - this was the compromise GOP's Tom Delay demanded in order to shut down the "1984" inspired auto track of every financial transaction done - from porn to food - for every person in the country - which was the grand idea for an airport check system - if the computer flagged your transaction history as curious - you could not fly. So it is shut down - but we continue to research the idea.

[enough]

3. Too disgusted to think of anything to say except

Kick

[kalian]

4. And....this comes as a surprise...?

:shrug:

People...rejoice...oh enchanted day! Saddam has been captured!
Haven't you heard our glorious and fearless leader?

Please now...continue spending. Be a good citizen... :eyes:

(/sarcasm off)

[w4rma]

5. Looks like Poindexter's Total Information Awareness is back

[Melsky]

6. Yikes

one of the creepiest logos I have ever seen. Goes with the program, I guess.

[Sugarbleus]

8. MELSKY????????? !!! WOW

Your artwork IS AWESOME! I LOVE IT! I checked out ebay and your prices are pretty reasonable for the size and the beauty of the work.
My God, I wish I could paint like that. It's just my style.
Perhaps "Santa" will be kind to me this year and bring me one of your fabulous paintings.
WTG Mel!

[MadHound]

7. Yuppers, TIA is back folks

Along with expansion of Carnivore and other fun privacy invading programs and gizmos.

Wonder if they'll bring back the finacial/odds market that put odds on when the next terrorist attack was going to come. Actually, I remember hearing on NPR that they're privatizing that one.

[Snazzy]

9. Amazing TIA is back

Didn't hear a word about that in this bill.

But did hear about the bill before Saddam. Leads one to wonder if that's the main thing/only thing flown under the radar today.

Bet there is more, especially Monday, um today. Will be hard to get any real news about anything for the next couple of days.

Add some development with Jacko, sharks, the flu, snow, something, and we are doomed to eat some sort of evil sneak legislation/exec finding/policy/etc.

Probably need to read foreign press carefully in the next couple to catch whatever component of the Bill of Rights, the environment, human decency, or whatnot that will be gutted and which pork barrels roll out while we're all forced to look at the flash in the pan.

[soup]

10. Here's the path it took to *jr's poison pen.

Small discussion here on November 21, 2003:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=233555

based on this article - barely a blip on the radar:
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate gave final approval Friday to a measure that will make it easier for FBI agents investigating terrorism to demand financial records from casinos, car dealerships and other businesses.
The changes were part of a bill authorizing 2004 intelligence programs. The Senate approved the bill in a voice vote. The House approved the bill 264-163 Thursday, and it now goes to President Bush for his signature.

Most details of the bill are secret, including the total costs of the programs, estimated to be about $40 billion. The amount is slightly more than Bush had requested, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Porter Goss said Thursday.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGASKLLKAND.html

Senate slid it through - on a Friday - via voice vote. Thanks for the follow-up, party_line.

At the risk of sounding hopelessly stupid, is it still mostly a secret? How is that possible? Wouldn't at least the cost have to be made public now? Are we not supposed to ask? or am I forgetting we're living in an alternate universe?