“Seven of your friends joined the group Support Soren Dayton!” My friend list just got trimmed by seven.

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One thing that’s recently become clear to me is that I really need to read a biography of J. Edgar Hoover. Anyone care to recommend one?

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I like robots.

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The Speech is really quite impressive—a richer, more thoughtful, and more honest speech on race than I recall hearing (or expecting to hear) from an American politician. I can pick out in advance the ones that are going to be flagged and quoted by angry conservatives and angry progressives. Watch for those; they’re probably the […]

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I have been (slowly but surely) plugging through David Kris and J. Douglas Wilson’s massive but absolutely invaluable National Security Investigations & Prosecutions—and let me give them a free plug here: It’s not a cheap tome, but anyone who wants to talk seriously about FISA really must have this book on their desk. The more […]

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Anyone notice this language in the new House FISA bill? SEC. 406. SURVEILLANCE TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES. This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall not be construed to prohibit the intelligence community (as defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4))) from conducting lawful surveillance […]

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I have an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times today in which I consider the pre-FISA history of executive branch wiretapping.

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It’s come to my attention that some of you reading this on a feed don’t want to miss the little “Quick Hits” links up in the sidebar, where I stick stories I think others might be interested in, but about which I don’t have a whole lot of deep thoughts to add. At the risk […]

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One of the frustrating things about the ongoing FISA debate is that it’s very difficult to independently check on the assertions made by top intelligence officials about the extent of the powers they need. If Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell says that, without quick action, intelligence capacity will be degraded by 50 percent or […]

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Glenn Greenwald and the Firedoglake folk have proposed a campaign to target the conservative “Blue Dog” Democrats who have crossed the aisle in support of warrantless wiretaps and retroactive immunity for telecoms.  I just kicked in a $50 donation; those of you with occupations more remunerative than “freelance writer” should consider giving too.

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