Well this just plain sucks:
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) predicted Sunday that lawmakers who favored shutting down the bulk collection of telephone metadata would not be successful in their efforts as Congress weighs potential reforms to the nation’s controversial intelligence programs.
“I don’t believe so,” Feinstein said during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “The president has very clearly said that he wants to keep the capability… So I think we would agree with him. I know a dominant majority of the — everybody, virtually, except two or three, on the Senate Intelligence Committee would agree with that.”
On Friday, the president announced a series of modest reforms to the top-secret surveillance programs, including a new requirement mandating intelligence agencies obtain judicial approval before reviewing databases of information about telephone calls.
He also ordered members of his administration to figure out a way to end the federal collection of the phone records, with the data instead likely to be held by telephone companies or a third party.
Feinstein conceded that requirement could prove “a very difficult thing” to work out logistically, because without a centralized database, the efficacy of searches could be eroded.
“Because the whole purpose of this program is to provide instantaneous information, to be able to disrupt any plot that may be taking place,” Feinstein said.
Any plot?
Such as what? Plotting to sell drugs? I’m tempted to use the b-word, but that would inaccurately single out Feinstein, who after all is only one vote. Many other Democrats and Republicans also support this grotesque and unconstitutional usurpation of power.
The president is not in charge. Congress is not in charge. And little wonder.
The Constitution is no longer in charge.