Putting the brakes on Big Brother??

Unlike some of the folks in DC...

Bush: Eavesdropping Helps Save U.S. Lives

By JENNIFER LOVEN, Associated Press Writer
Sat Dec 17, 6:42 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Facing angry criticism and challenges to his authority in Congress, President Bush on Saturday unapologetically defended his administration's right to conduct secret post-Sept. 11 spying in the United States as "critical to saving American lives."

Bush said congressional leaders had been briefed on the operation more than a dozen times. That included Democrats as well as Republicans in the House and Senate, a GOP lawmaker said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she had been told on several occasions that Bush had authorized unspecified activities by the National Security Agency, the nation's largest spy agency. She said she had expressed strong concerns at the time, and that Bush's statement Saturday "raises serious questions as to what the activities were and whether the activities were lawful."

Often appearing angry in an eight-minute address, the president made clear he has no intention of halting his authorizations of the monitoring activities and said public disclosure of the program by the news media had endangered Americans.

...some politicians are starting to realize this government is supposed to have a system of checks and balances...

Senate Rejects Extension of Patriot Act
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent Sat Dec 17, 9:53 AM ET

WASHINGTON - In a stinging defeat for President Bush, Senate Democrats blocked passage Friday of a new Patriot Act to combat terrorism at home, depicting the measure as a threat to the constitutional liberties of innocent Americans.

. . .

"We can come together to give the government the tools it needs to fight terrorism and protect the rights and freedoms of innocent citizens," said Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., arguing that provisions permitting government access to confidential personal data lacked safeguards to protect the innocent.

"We need to be more vigilant," agreed Sen. John Sununu, a Republican from New Hampshire, where the state motto is "Live Free or Die." He quoted Benjamin Franklin: "Those that would give up essential liberty in pursuit of a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security."

...other, that is, than our writing them checks to increase their balances.

And does anyone other than me think putting a giant fence around the country is a distrubing thing to do? For whatever reason?

House votes to build a border fence
House approves tough immigration bill
By Lisa Friedman, Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Far-reaching legislation that turns America's estimated 11 million illegal aliens into felons passed the House late Friday after a raging two-day debate.

The bill passed 239-182 largely along party lines after Republicans beat back a last-ditch attempt by Democrats to scuttle it.

The legislation authorizes construction of a fence along 698 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border and makes employees responsible for knowing the immigration status of their workers. Anyone who hires an illegal immigrant could be fined as much as $25,000 per worker.