Should the NSA program be legitimized by Congress as long

[liveoaktx]

Poll question: Should the NSA program be legitimized by Congress as long

as the NSA tells some committees in Congress what spying they are doing on citizens regularly?

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20060302-061329-8011r

A White House official authorized to speak to the media said the administration had been "for several weeks ... committed to legislation and to briefing more members (of Congress) into the program ... to ensure reasonable oversight that allows the program to operate effectively and maintain its secrecy."

But the official stressed that no deal had been done as yet. "We have not committed to any particular idea or legislative proposal... We are actively discussing the matter with Congress."

In an interview with United Press International, Hoekstra acknowledged that the modalities of the oversight arrangement had yet to be worked out, but he said that the administration had agreed in principle to expand full briefings on the NSA program beyond the so-called Gang of Eight -- the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate and the chairmen and ranking members of the intelligence committees of both chambers.

"The only question open is how big the group (of members being briefed) will be, and how it will be made up," Hoekstra said, adding that the committee might use one of its existing subcommittees, or might establish a new subcommittee.

[liveoaktx]

1. At the risk of sounding like I'm a NAG about this, CALL CONGRESS

They are planning, right now, to okay NSA spying on you.

[IsItJustMe]

2. I don't understand why you would trust FISA?

Seven judges on a secret court have authorized all but one of over 7,500 requests to spy in the name of National Security. They meet in secret, with no published orders, opinions, or public record.

http://mediafilter.org/caq/Caq53.court.html

[liveoaktx]

3. Missing the point- AT LEAST FISA has a probable cause standard

What Congress is proposing right now is a "reasonable suspicion" standard that would not go to any court, but to Congress for oversight and IF Congress, after looking at a list that NSA would supply for them of WHO THEY ALREADY SPIED ON, thinks it worthy enough, would THEN maybe send to a court.

The whole process is secretive and assumes that it is okay for the NSA to do this program that the public knows little about, and that includes citizens.

Editing to add- And you would trust a super-secret NSA Program told to Congress which would supposedly have oversight over a court? And that thinks it's okay to spy on people without a warrant as long as you have "reasonable suspicion"?