u. s. government eavesdropping approved by congress 2001-09-18

it is now known that the u.s. government reviews the voice and internet (Wiretap Whistle-Blower's Account), and banking activites (US secretly probes financial records to track terrorists) of it's citizens without warning and without court review.

U.S. Seeks Access to Bank Records to Deter Terror
National Security Department: Listening In
one troubling aspect of all this is that the u.s. congress voted to approve much of this activity in their haste to pass 'anti-terror' legislation after the 9-11 attacks in 2001.  in other words, the u.s. president's office drafted laws that the president's politcal party then passed without looking at the details.

Office of Attorney General letter to U.S. Senate (pdf)
now when newspapers write stories about these perceived abuses of citizen's rights, the white house points out that 'it is all legal and approved by congress.' 
too bad congress (or the citizens) never knew about it.


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