Thursday, January 04, 2007

 

Dubya Pries into Snail-mail; E-mail, Web Next?


W pushes envelope on U.S. spying

New postal law lets Bush peek through your mail


BY JAMES GORDON MEEK
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

President Bush added a "signing statement" in recently passed postal reform bill that may give him new powers to pry into your mail - without a warrant.

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Feds take aim at Internet records
Privacy groups worry about government’s monitoring of citizens

By John Reinan
The Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

MINNEAPOLIS — The federal government wants your Internet provider to keep track of every Web site you visit.

For more than a year, the U.S. Justice Department has been in discussions with Internet companies and privacy rights advocates, trying to come up with a plan that would make it easier for investigators to check records of Web traffic.

The idea is to help law enforcement track down child pornographers. But some see it as another step toward total surveillance of citizens, joining warrant less wiretapping, secret scrutiny of library records and unfettered access to e-mail as another power that could be abused.

Comments:
I suggest we all start using 'Dog Speak' for all internet activities, so Dubya's government monitors will be kept completely off guard.

For example:

Riff Ryou Ran Read Riss, Ren Rou Rar Ra Rary Rood Rog!

Ruff, Ruff!
 
He'll just get Barney to decode it...
 
If Bush feels he can open snail mail and email, what else is there? Attorney-client privilege. That's because only the rich can afford attorneys.
Face it, even those of you making 200k per year, we are screwed.
Of course all this only appeared in a signing statement, but Bush thinks his signing statements are law. I just wonder if this Supreme Court will feel the same. Not impossible considering their political bent.
 
AP is now starting to report on the possible Whitehouse violation of US Mail privacy.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/opening_the_mail

Statement May Allow Gov't to Open Mail - Associated Press Writer Fri Jan 5, 7:43 AM ET

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WASHINGTON - A signing statement attached to postal legislation by
President Bush last month may have opened the way for the government to open mail without a warrant. The White House denies any change in policy.

The law requires government agents to get warrants to open first-class letters. But when he signed the postal reform act, Bush added a statement saying that his administration would construe that provision "in a manner consistent, to the maximum extent permissible, with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances."

"The signing statement raises serious questions whether he is authorizing opening of mail contrary to the Constitution and to laws enacted by Congress," said Ann Beeson, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. "What is the purpose of the signing statement if it isn't that?"

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The Constitution is becoming a meaningless piece of paper, like those of the various People's Democracies around the world. It looks and sounds nice, but isn't good for much. We are at a pivotal time in US history. Do we support what we say we believe in, or is it all just a bunch of window-dressing?
 
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