Bush Asks Congress To Extend NSA Prgram

A recent article in the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dun/content/article/2007/09/19/AR2007091901111.html) describing a proposal that would make the Warrentless Wiretapping Law, set to expire in February, permanent.
The Warentless Wiretapping Law was passed in August when the Bush administration pointed to intelligence reports that that the US was in a “heightened threat environment”. This law gave the government complete authority to eavesdrop without a proper warrant, on phone calls, e-mails, and other forms of communication, between US. Citizens and “suspected” terrorists abroad.
President Bush recently called on Congress to extent the law on the grounds that “it is the job of Congress to give the professionals the tools they need to do their work as effectively as possible”. After harsh criticism the program received the Bush administration launched an attempt to sway Democratic lawmakers into believing the law would not cause domestic surveillance on physical home searches, domestic mail, or computers. Even after, Democratic leaders still wanted to rework the law to limit the president’s authority and provide more oversight. President Bush obviously did not at all agree.
To me this article is very significant. I strongly believe it abuses our rights as citizens to due process of law, free speech, and equality. President Bush has misled the public many times throughout the mess of his eight year term. We are in a war with an unknown terrorist enemy, who many just call Muslims. This puts a terrible situation at home for US citizens who are Islamic especially those who still have family members in their home countries. Who are these “suspected terrorists” abroad anyway? When I call my grandmother in England as a Caucasian female I probably won’t be tapped. So is it fair that a US citizen just like me who has a higher chance of be tapped just because they call a place where the “suspected Islamic terrorists must live”. I think this article should definitely be read especially with an upcoming election. It is our responsibility to look in to all the candidates to make sure we end up with a new president that has a real plan to end this mess before we lose more of our rights.