Why isn't Yahoo putting up stories about the Cheney-Specter Bill?

Question

Why isn't Yahoo putting up stories about the Cheney-Specter Bill? This is about a free pass to write over the Fourth Amendment and if we can blow other mindless drivel out of proportion on our news channels then this griveous misuse of government power should be on display as well.

Answer 1

When hasn't the government exercised control over the press and media? I am sure the story is out there, but keeping it off the headlines is just as effective as burying a story completely.

Answer 2

I don't know, but it is another assault by Bush and the Republicans on taking away our liberties!

It gives the FISA Court to give permission for all programs, not just individual acts, and to top it off, all lawsuits have to go thhrough the FISA court, who gave permission in the first place! Sounds like a Kangaroo court to me!

SUBJECT: Summary of Substitute to S.2453 (Specter National Security Surveillance Act)
DATE: July 13, 2006
Section 1. Short Title
Section 2. Findings.
Section 3. Definitions.
The NSSA updates the definitions of “electronic communication” and “electronic surveillance” to
include technologies such as cell phones and the Internet that did not exist in 1978. The NSSA coins
the term “electronic surveillance program” to denote programs such as the Terrorist Surveillance
Program.
Section 4. Jurisdiction.
The NSSA grants the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court jurisdiction to review surveillance on a
program-wide level. In the event the court declines to authorize a program, the Attorney General may
modify and resubmit the program to the Foreign Intelligence Court of Review. This section also
allows all lawsuits challenging an electronic surveillance program to be channeled to the FISA Court
of Review, and empowers the FISA Court of Review to conduct discovery where needed.
Section 5. Applications for Approval of Program.
To obtain approval of an electronic surveillance program, the Attorney General or his designee must
submit (i) his legal basis for concluding that the program is constitutional; (ii) the proposed operational
and minimization procedures; and (iii) an explanation of how the program is reasonably designed to
ensure that the communications intercepted involve a terrorist, agent of a terrorist, or someone
reasonably believed to have communicated or associated with a terrorist.
Section 6. Approval of Programs.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court must (i) assess the program’s constitutionality; (ii) find
that the program is reasonably designed to ensure that the communications intercepted will include a
terrorist, agent of a terrorist, or person who has had communication with a terrorist or agent of a
terrorist; and (iii) verify that the government has complied with the other requirements of the bill.
Section 7. Congressional Oversight.
Every six months, the Attorney General must provide all members of the House and Senate
Intelligence Committees with information on any electronic surveillance programs in effect.
Section 8. Allows seven days, instead of 72 hours, to obtain authorization in an emergency.
Section 9. Section 9 confirms that the bill does not unconstitutionally retract any constitutional
authority the President has to conduct collect information from foreign nations and their agents.
Section 9 also increases the criminal penalties against officials who knowingly misuse foreign
intelligence information.
Section 10. Modernizes FISA by (i) updating the definitions of “electronic communication” and
“electronic surveillance” to include technologies such as cell phones and the Internet that did not exist
in 1978; (ii) allows the FISC to authorize emergency surveillance as long as the court deems necessary,
but no longer than one year; (iii) allows officials other than the Attorney General to begin emergency
surveillance provided that the attorney General or his designee obtains FISA approval to continue that
surveillance within seven days; (iv) requires the Executive Branch to conduct a feasibility study to
develop and implement a document management system for classified information; and (v) creates a
new criminal penalty for any official who “discloses or uses information obtained under color of law
by electronic surveillance.”




This bill hasn't gone entirely unnoticed:

Slipping into dictatorship: Bush three times said a dictatorship would be easier. This is an entire page of links on the unauthorized surveillance of Americans, both commentary and news coverage.

Westwood-Westside Democratic Club: ACLU opposes "Compromise" Cheney-Spector Bill on surveillance.


You may have read headlines calling the Cheney-Specter bill on surveillance oversight a "compromise." But make no mistake, this deal is nothing short of a complete capitulation to the Bush administration. The bill includes legalized assaults on our civil liberties worse even than the sweeping powers ceded to the government by the Patriot Act, and would write into law what is now the administration's belief that the president can wiretap any American he wants without any check.

Answer 3

Because they want the story hidden and not have much attention. They did this when they approved a Saudi gov't of running our ports. CNN broke the story and all of a sudden ppl started paying attention.

Answer 4

because there is no such thing as a cheney-specter bill. the vice president cannot sponsor bills, only a senator or congressman can.