So much for the "Land of the FREE and the home of the BRAVE"...

Yeah right, ski - are you REALLY not free nor brave?

These guys aren't spending millions of dollars to sneak into your underwear drawer and look for your ****.

Were you (perhaps legitimately) complaining about this 10-15 years ago?

YES!!!!!!!

I find it very disturbing that the FBI was granted the ability to access our homes and places of business without a warrant, take a look around while we are none the wiser. Black bag search ops are an affront to our Constitutional rights. I don't care whether someone says they are not doing anything wrong, any government given that much power presents a danger to the public because it is too easy to abuse. While the FBI may not abuse it today or tomorrow you can bet your bottom dollar they will eventually.

What is to say they haven't abused it already considering, according to the Washington Post, the FBI "violated the law or agency rules more than 1,000 times while collecting data about domestic phone calls, e-mails and financial transactions in recent years, far more than was documented in a Justice Department report in March that ignited bipartisan congressional criticism. The new audit covers just 10 percent of the bureau's national security investigations since 2002, and so the 'mistakes' in the FBI's domestic surveillance efforts probably number several thousand, bureau officials said in interviews."

Furthermore the terror watch list has grown exponentially to more than 509,000 names. FBI agents are decent human beings, but just like the rest of us they make mistakes, too. Not only is it more-than-likely innocent people are on their list there are no restrictions or safety precautions to correct that. Equally disturbing any public citizen whose name is mistakenly put their list has no recourse at all in which to get it removed. Do we really want an intelligence agency given the power to arbitrarily, without warrant or oversight (sometimes without cause), to search our homes, spy on us and have the power to "mistakenly" classify citizens as terrorists.

Therein without checks and balances -- those pesky precautionary measures such as oversight, accountability, and the means to correct mistakes -- puts every individual at risk.

The laws in our Constitution were written to protect us from the overreach of government.

Free people do not give up their freedom for expanded, unchecked police powers. Argue all you want about not doing anything wrong and having nothing to hide, but the day it happens to you, You cannot complain.

All governments abuse power; that is a given. And that is the reason the Constitution of the U.S. of America is considered the Supreme Law of the land. It was written to protect us, we, the people. The Constitution is not a self-enforcing document. Government officials promise to uphold the Constitution, but it is the people's responsibility to make sure they do. Otherwise our fundamental democratic institutions will crumble. Should that happen, we have only ourselves to blame.

I could have SWORN I commented on this article, it must have been anouther. I just wanted to say I agree with you Seena 100% , this is a civil/constitutional rights issue and should NOT just be accepted as 'norm for the times'!

Ask yourself - What actions and incentives will bring elected and appointed public servants back under the control of the American People? --- Think about it: --- What are the real incentives for the men and women in "public service" who have sworn an oath to serve the best interests of People to actually do so? They are receiving their pay-checks and all of their benefits from the Federal and State Governments? --- So who do these “Public Servants” believe that they work for, the Government or “The People of America”? --- --- THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A MOMENT: --- What are the REAL incentives that “We the People” have put in place to ENSURE that the “Public Servants will consistently, effectively and efficiently “Serve the best interests of the People"? --- --- Is it possible that "We the People" have set in motion a flawed-system that was doomed to fail from the very start? --- --- Do you agree, that "We the People" as the CREATORS of the Federal and State governments, also have a responsibility as it's masters to ensure that all "public servants" obey their Oaths of Office and the Laws of the Land? --- --- So then, what steps must We now take in order to restore the Values of Our Founding Father's and their Great Vision for America and her people? --- --- Simple question/analogy: --- What would you do with a child who misbehaves? --- Reward the child, or Punish the child? --- --- Politicians are acting more and more like poorly raised children. --- So parents, who do you blame? --- Who MUST take responsibility for a child’s behavior? --- WHEN will you / WE start? --- And HOW will we ENSURE that we are “raising” well-behaved children (i.e., Politicians, Judges, Attorneys)?

DARE YOU ANSWER these Questions: --- Which side of the playing field do you stand on, and which team do you play for? --- The Founding Father’s Team for a Free America who have the goal of Restoring America's Greatness? --- or --- The NWO Team of Banksters who have the Goal of Creating THEIR New World Order (NWO)? --- --- So, what are your options? --- Either you make a commitment to join America’s Team and give your very best at all times? --- or --- You get the hell off the playing field, and go sit in the bleachers with the rest of the Not-So-American Sheeple. --- --- Which will it be: --- Are you here to WIN for America, or to WHIMP-ER under the NWO rulers? --- --- It’s time that all Americans clearly recognize the facts: --- 1. The Freedom-Bowl for your Liberty is being played RIGHT NOW all across American. --- 2. The future Liberty and Quality of Life for your family and friends is NOT a Spectator Sport, participate or LOSE. --- --- 3. WAKE UP America! --- Both the Republicans and Democrats are bought and paid-for by the International Banksters who are working very hard everyday to enslave you within “Their New World Order”. --- --- THINK ABOUT IT. --- Are the men perpetrating ‘Their New World Order” committing ACTS OF TREASON against America? – You Decide.

Buildings don't explode (9/11).

The constitution, unfortunately, does not directly protect privacy. Only through precedent and state laws are citizens really guaranteed any sort of privacy, but the supremacy clause of the constitution says federal laws come first and those laws currently give the FBI and other executive branch officers the right to search and detain without warrant or permission. It's a sad world we live in when a government over turns 100 years of precedent due to fear.

I think that people are missing some critical information in the article.

At no point did it say that these were warrantless searches. In fact, specifically mentions that before the FBI can do one of these "black Bag Jobs," they must obtain a court order or a warrant.

That means that that a judge must authorize each of these jobs. Moreover, the budget request that lead to this scrutiny, is undergoing Congressional review.

I'm not a legal scholar but as far as I can tell that implies that the executive branch's use of this tool, which was established by federal law, is being reviewed by the other two branches, which seems to be consistent with the conccept of checks and balanaces. Again, I'm not a genius, but I think that is what our founding fathers had in mind when they drafted the Constitution.

The American public has a right to know what tools their Government is using to protect them, but when such information is included in articles, the public needs to read it.

Just some thoughts.

If and when we get hit again by the terrorists (ala 9-11) then everyone is going to be asking why this wasnt done more.

How short our memories are - it is shameful.

The Gov't has failed us miserably. They have let criminals into the country for decades (open borders) and we have paid(9/11) and will be paying the price for this for decades or centuries to come. If we survive as a nation that long.

Great comment Lorax!
If you have nothing to hide what's the big deal. They really don't care about your sex toys and porn mags or the illegal recreational drugs some of you are obviously smoking.

Looking at the many opinion pages on news sites regarding so many issues, and reading these entries, an astonishing thought occurred to me:

Is the US Constitution, as written, simply obsolete?

Are we in danger of being unable to ensure our civil liberties while also enabling our security, simply because the Bill of Rights doesn't understand how to do them in the same breath because it's context is an age now more than 300 gone?

Wow. Do we need to re-write the constitution's provisions in such a way as to make it possible to be both safe and free in the 21st Century?

I'd posit an observation from Rome's own fragmentation therefore- If we don't do something like this, if we don't limit immigration, protect our borders, embrace genuine asylum cases while rejecting the increasingly bogus ones ... if we don't get into the 21st century head and heart ... then the US will disintegrate under the weight of opposing pressures from a liberalism that is foolhardy and a conservatism that enforces stagnation.

.. hell, I need a beer to think all that
over!

I think this is a much better idea than regular searchs with warrants. The police come in and mess with all your stuff, damaged things, and generally wreak havoc. This way, none of that happens. You can always put the stuff you don't want them to get at, at least without your knowledge, in a relatively inexpensive high-tech safe that cannot be opened without leaving "tracks."

search their house too

This type of activity, has been going on for decades.

If you understand that the : "FBI" -
Is - and always - Has been a - Criminal Organization.

Then you don't have a complaint.
The only people who : Complain.

Are those people who haven't - accepted the fact.

These operations are not conspiracy driven as some of you may think. In order for the FBI to enter without consent REQUIRES approval from a federal judge. EVIDENCE BEYOND A RESONABLE DOUBT must be presented justifying the action. The agents must clearly identify why the search is required, what they are looking for, where they suspect the information to be located, in addition to other requirements before approval. Once in the house, agents CAN NOT deviate from what they presented in their case to the judge. There are plenty of laws that govern this type of activity. The idea of these types of operations is not to alert the suspect of the action, which can result in destruction of evidence.

Thank you Lorax! Search me! Bring it on! I'm a law abiding, tax paying, gun toting American citizen!

Not much to say.
" The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." doesn't seem to be "The supreme Law of the Land" any more.
If they have evidence, go to the Judge and get the warrant.
If not, are they doing?!!!

A citizen who puts security over liberty deserves neither....

Instead of the bromide below...
"A citizen who puts security over liberty deserves neither...."

A citizen who puts security over liberty LIVES to enjoy liberty another day.

All for it!

I know that I'm never going to do anything to find myself on the wrong side of the law. The only poeple who need to fear this are those that are doing something very wrong.

"A citizen who puts security over liberty LIVES to enjoy liberty another day."

If this is what you believe, no matter how sensible you think it sounds, then you belong in another country -- like the former Kingdom of Great Britain that the United States declared its independence from on July 4, 1776.

We need a simpler 'law'. Simple human rights. No two groups/people/beings interfere with eachother in any way, shape, form, in emotion, in physical, or in effects or properties, unless both parties agree. In another way of saying simply, mind your own buisness do your own thing and enjoy life!

Just remind yourself... these people taking advantage of us all... are small in number. The web of lies has caught so many into thinking otherwise.

"Evil only triumps because good does nothing" -quoted, unknown

I find this VERY disturbing. All our communications are now monitored and they can go in our houses & businesses without declaring warrants. They create profiles for everyone of what we watch, what we buy, what we read, where we browse on the internet; they create files & profile everyone. What if our government became so tyrannical and homicidal that "We the People" needed to overthrow it? Is this not another incremental step ensuring that this will be impossible? Would they not immediately go get the people who have the skills of leadership and knowhow of how to lead a revolution, stomping it out immediately? There is not another continent to sail to get away from tyranny; there is no escape from it this time around.

You may say that it will never get to that. You may say that I am paranoid. You may say if I have nothing to hide then I should have no worries. My point is that they are taking away our insurance that it will never get to a point where 'ethnic cleansing' will occur.

Remember this, locks only keep the honest people honest. The criminals/terrorists only get more intelligent and ruthless in thier ways when we remove individual privacy and rights. We create a security grid, then they operate off the grid. The only thing that suffers is the freedoms of law abiding citizens. We now have to make sure we don't say the wrong things on the phone or in emails or suffer the consequences. It does make me very paranoid.

We have created enemies for the next 100 years or more. We are creating home grown extremists by this also. If we change our course considerably, we may minimize the damage we have done.

"For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction" -quoted, Albert Einstein.
"I'd gladly give up liberty for freedom" -quoted, unknown afraid doublespeak thinker