Top Items:
Richard Morin / Washington Post:
Poll: Most Americans Support NSA's Efforts — A majority of Americans initially support a controversial National Security Agency program to collect information on telephone calls made in the United States in an effort to identify and investigate potential terrorist threats, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Discussion:
In From the Cold, Bring it On!, The Blogging of the President, Hit and Run, Michelle Malkin, Macsmind and Democrats.com
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New York Times:
Bush Is Pressed Over New Report on Surveillance — WASHINGTON, May 11 — Congressional Republicans and Democrats alike demanded answers from the Bush administration on Thursday about a report that the National Security Agency had collected records of millions of domestic phone calls …
New York Times:
Ever-Expanding Secret — Ever since its secret domestic wiretapping program was exposed, the Bush administration has depicted it as a narrow examination of calls made by and to suspected terrorists. But its refusal to provide any details about the extent of the spying has raised doubts.
Bruce Mohl / Boston Globe:
Most put security ahead of privacy — Say that sharing call records OK — Mark Jellison, a Verizon customer in Quincy, isn't fazed that his phone company may have turned over his calling records and those of millions of others to the National Security Agency as part of an effort to thwart terrorism.
Eugene Robinson / Washington Post:
An Easy Call: Lying — At least now we know that the Bush administration's name for spying on Americans without first seeking court approval — the "terrorist surveillance program" — isn't an exercise in Orwellian doublespeak after all. It's just a bald-faced lie.
Discussion:
The Mahablog
Katherine Shrader / Associated Press:
White House Stands by Gen. Hayden for CIA — WASHINGTON - The White House stood by its nominee for CIA director, Gen. Michael Hayden, amid new controversy over the surveillance programs he piloted as head of the National Security Agency. — Hayden was to meet with senators on Friday …
ABCNEWS:
Phone-Records Surveillance Is Broadly Acceptable to Public — May 12, 2006 — Americans by nearly a 2-1 ratio call the surveillance of telephone records an acceptable way for the federal government to investigate possible terrorist threats, expressing broad unconcern even if their own calling patterns are scrutinized.
Chicago Tribune:
The NSA has your number — This sounds like a vast and unchecked intrusion on privacy
The NSA has your number — This sounds like a vast and unchecked intrusion on privacy
Judd / Think Progress:
Telcos Could Be Liable For Tens of Billions of Dollars For Illegally …
Telcos Could Be Liable For Tens of Billions of Dollars For Illegally …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Anonymous Liberal, ACSBlog, The Talent Show, Power Line, Bloomberg, RightWinged.com, ShrinkWrapped, Big Lizards, Comments From Left Field, NewsBusters.org, Majikthise, Liberty Street, In the Bullpen, Thank You Qwest dot Org, The Cranky Insomniac, The Reaction, The American Thinker, BluegrassReport.org, Firedoglake, Crooks and Liars, Pam's House Blend, Mathew Gross and Discourse.net
Timothy Dwyer / Washington Post:
One Juror Between Terrorist And Death — Only one juror stood between the death penalty and Zacarias Moussaoui and that juror frustrated his colleagues because he never explained his vote, according to the foreman of the jury that sentenced the al-Qaeda operative to life in prison last week.
Discussion:
Althouse, A Blog For All, Ace of Spades HQ, The Influence Peddler, Hot Air, Betsy's Page, Outside The Beltway and Lifelike Pundits
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Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
Sparing Moussaoui for the Wrong Reasons — I am no great fan of the death penalty. I oppose it in almost all cases, though not on principle. There are crimes — high, monstrous and rare — that warrant the ultimate sanction. — Not because it is a deterrent; the evidence for deterrence is very equivocal.
David Stout / New York Times:
Senate Leaders Expect Immigration Bill Next Week — WASHINGTON, May 11 — Senate leaders said today that they had broken a political stalemate and would bring to the floor next week an immigration bill that could put millions of illegals on the road to eventual American citizenship.
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David Espo / Associated Press:
Analysis: Immigration Bill All but Assured
Analysis: Immigration Bill All but Assured
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Captain's Quarters, Diggers Realm, ParaPundit, The Washington Monthly and Blue Crab Boulevard
David Ignatius / Washington Post:
How the CIA Came Unglued — To understand what went so badly wrong at the CIA under Porter Goss, it's worth examining the career of his executive director, the onomatopoetic Kyle "Dusty" Foggo. His rise illustrates the conservative cronyism, leak paranoia and political vendettas that undermined Goss's tenure.
Discussion:
The Cranky Insomniac
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Paul Caron / TaxProf Blog:
Joint Economic Committee Releases Tax Cuts Make Tax System More Progressive — The Joint Economic Committee yesterday released Federal Income Tax System Is Highly Progressive After Recent Tax Cuts (#109-36):
ACLU:
ACLU Condemns NSA's Massive Database of Americans' Phone Call Records, Demands Full, Thorough Congressional Investigation — WASHINGTON - In a story released today in USA Today it was revealed that the NSA has been collecting call information about millions of American residents and businesses served by Verizon, AT&T and BellSouth.
Iraqipundit / IraqPundit:
Indexing Iraq — Brookings, the liberal Washington think tank, this week released a massive compendium of statistics about the extraordinary situation in Iraq. The report, by Michael O'Hanlon and Nina Kamp, consists of 55 pages of tables and graphs addressing everything from civilian deaths to economic growth to life expectancy.
Larisa Alexandrovna / The Raw Story:
US military, intelligence officials raise concern about possible preparations for Iran strike — Use of Iraq terror group bypassed Congress, sources say — Concern is building among the military and the intelligence community that the US may be preparing for a military strike on Iran …
NEWS.com.au:
Video calls for 'sea of blood' — A VIDEO by an al-Qaeda member posted on the Internet overnight calls on Muslims to attack Denmark, Norway and France for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. — "Muslims avenge your Prophet .... We deeply desire that the small state of Denmark …
The Sandmonkey / Rantings of a Sandmonkey:
Pictures and words — Here are some pictures of today's [War] protests : — Policeman in plaincloths beating up a protester. — And he keeps on kicking. — Another protester getting arrested by plainclothed policeman. — A woman sucrries away with her child as she witnesses another protester getting beat up.
Associated Press:
Pentagon eyes ways to use military for border security — WASHINGTON (AP) — Faced with growing pressure from Southern states, the Bush administration wants the military to come up with ideas to help solve security problems along the U.S. border with Mexico.
Discussion:
Stop The ACLU, Hot Air, RightWinged.com, Outside The Beltway, The Sandbox and Blanton's and Ashton's