Obama Versus the Fourth Amendment

Obama disappoints again, this time by expending his newly won political capital in favor of a Republican" compromise" bill to expand federal wiretap power. The self-described advocate of “change” and a new break from the"old politics" uses the following weasel language to explain his position:

Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. . . .

After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year's Protect America Act. . . It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.

It is not all that I So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives -– and the liberty –- of the American people.