does the goverment have the right to wiretap persons the feel are a national security risk?

Answer 1

Only with a judicial search warrant allowing a wiretap, which can be obtained either before or within 72 hours after the wiretap is started. There is never an excuse for avoiding a proper warrant.

Our government is broken up into three separate groups.

Legislative branch makes laws;

Executive branch does the government's business,

Judicial branch decides on matters of law and how the execution is done.

It is the responsibility of the executive branch to get permission from the judicial branch to wiretap people. This is in the Constitution, and should never be changed because our civil rights as citizens are at stake. Civil rights are more important than any feeling about national security that anyone, including the government, might have.

A woman asked Ben Franklin as he left the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia what kind of government had they created, and he replied, "A Democracy, ma'am, if you can keep it."

It is up to us to preserve the legacy given to us by the Founders for our children and future generations, as our forebears did for us.

Answer 2

if you are asking do they ethically have the right-that is debateable. I certainly feel it is my right to say what I want and not be listened in on but if some jerk that did not like me made up some story and said I was going to harm a bunch of people I would want the government to listen in and know that i was not. On the other hand, there are people out there who make such plans every day and it is hard to tell a jerk from a real bit of information. I guess the only way to know is to listen and if it save lives then I believe it should be done. It is sad that everyone else has to loose a little of their freedom for that to happen, but it beats being dead if it can stop a terrorist. As for the legal right, well who makes the laws? If the government says tap, it will be done and if it is necessary to have a law to do something, there will be, and when there isn't, it is only a matter of time and there will be and we all know that law too can be retroactive which means it covers what has already been done before it passed.

Answer 3

All these people that answered it's okay for the government to do anything it wants to in the name of fighting terrorism make me sad. There are literally tens of thousands of Americans that have died protecting the freedoms that exist in our Constitution. And here we have one man by the name of Bush that has succeeded in doing what many foreign nations that have sent armies against the USA to do....weaken that Constitution. People...under no circumstances should we as a nation allow our own government to take our rights away. Under no circumstances should this President or any other be permitted to go around the laws of this great country for any reason...including this so called war on terror. There are LAWFUL ways these wiretaps can be done so why doesn't this President, who swore on a Bible to uphold the Constitution, use legal means to do this?

Answer 4

When it comes to nation security, and protecting the lives of this great nation's citizens, I will gladly forsake a little bit of my privacy.

This to me is not really a big deal, because I am not doing anything that could be misconstrued as terriorist activities, or the like.

I don't see what's the big deal. It's not like the government is going to gossip, about people cheating on their spouses, or other personal issues.

Chill out people.

Answer 5

Yes. The primary function of Government is to defend the lives of The People. Wiretapping, with probable cause, is one of their duties to investigate whether that probable cause is an indicator of actual nefarious activities.

If they failed to investigate people they feel are a national security risk, they would not be doing their jobs.

Terrorists are savvy to the traditional limitations on wiretapping. The news media has informed them, repeatedly, that it typically takes days to get a warrant. So, the terrorists have been caught purchasing disposable cell phones by the thousands that they only use for 24 hours.

In times of war, the duty of Government has always been to fight to win. In WWII, there were severe restrictions on the press, on personal freedom to communicate certain information, people were forced to black out their homes at night, forced to use ration books ... and that's why we won. Americans adapted to defeat the enemy.

Today, there are elements of our political culture that look at the techniques terrorists use to succeed (such as beating warrant approval time with disposable cell phones) then fight like crazy to ensure we do not adapt to defeat them. In conflict, that is treason.

If one provides an enemy with a winning strategy, one is a fool.

Answer 6

Absolutely they do. This will be accomplished one of two ways. They will get a warrant and they will tap your phone. It it is an emergency and time is of the essence then the president can authorize a wire tap. this has only occurred 30 times so I hardly doubt you would have been affected.

Answer 7

I don't have anything to hide. If a person is living morally and doesn't have any security risk than it is the right thing to do. Maybe they should have done it before .

Answer 8

Did you ever wonder what will happen to those that the government deems are a national security risk?
http://www.global-conspiracies.com/fema_concentration_camps.htm

Answer 9

Yes, especially if they are on the phone with known terrorists overseas.
Democrats are concerned about the terrorists rights.
I am concerned about saving the lives of Americans.

Answer 10

Yes, with all the different kind of terrorists who take advantage of canadian big heart to infiltrate in this country of ours. Then if thei have choosen to be canadian, like me, will be pleased that the country is taking every steps how unpopular they may seems to protect us.