What Privacy?

It's a Penumbra of Nothin'

The FBI secretly sought information last year on 3,501 U.S. citizens and legal residents from their banks and credit card, telephone and Internet companies without a court's approval, the Justice Department said Friday.

The Bush Administration has as much respect for civil liberties as it does for war planning. But now that the popularity ratings are tanking, some folks are "finally" showing their inner "non-coward" (yes, that's all sarcasm):

New expressions of frustration over how little information the administration has shared about the National Security Agency's warrantless eavesdropping on Americans flared yesterday in the Senate, one day after House Republicans barred amendments that would have expanded oversight of the controversial program.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said yesterday that he will file an amendment to block the NSA program's funding -- but said he will not seek a vote on it at this time -- in hope of stirring greater debate on the warrantless surveillance, part of the agency's monitoring of alleged terrorists.

"Where is the outrage?" asked Specter, who has chaired hearings that questioned the NSA program's constitutionality.

Um, Arlen, there's this guy you work with -- Russ Feingold, from Wisconsin. It's a state next to Minnesota and Illinois. Perhaps you've heard of him?

In addition, I've got some outrage, in fact I'm typing this post just with the middle finger of each hand. If Bush was north of 45% approval your piehole would be shut tighter than Don Rumsfeld's sphincter.