New Bush Spying Expanding!

Nod To FISA May Signal Surge In Wiretaps, Experts Say

Bush Turns To Marx Brothers Policy Once Again; Signs Point To Coordinating Mail Reading and Eavesdropping

In a stunning reversal, not unlike one we've seen before, President Bush has abandoned his illegal domestic spying, known by the adminstration as the Terrorist Surveillence Program, and will concede oversight of his wiretapping by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Some close to the White House say this is a "clear signal" that Bush is planning a "surge of wiretaps" to coordinate with his new Iraq policy.

The abrupt change by the White House also points towards the continuation of the President's "Hello, I Must Be Going" policy.

Back in October, the President shifted from his Keystone Cops method of operations and into the Marx Brothers, when he, and members of his administration denied ever stating "Stay The Course" or that it was the operational policy of the White House.

Surge In Iraq Needs Counterbalance With Surge In Wiretaps

"It's about time he put some lead in his pencil," bellowed Hugh P. Varicator, a consultant with the conservative hawkish think tank, “Cry Wolf”, that is said to be closely affiliated with The Project for the New American Century (PNAC), and, some say, may be an adjunct to the White House Iraq Group, or WHIG.

"We need to get those telephones calls over there, before we have to get them here, added Varicator.

"It makes sense," said Holly Martins, Publisher of Axis of Evil Illustrated, a quarterly publication, that is rumored to be a house magazine for the Project for The New American Century

"No doubt that the surge in Iraq will, inevitablly, lead to more telephone calls," offered Martins. "If he surges in Iraq, he has to balance it out on this end with the surge on the wiretapping. I don't see what all the fuss is about, he's already been doing it for nearly five-years and we haven't had a another, single attack within our borders. I say "Go for it, Mr. President, we're right behind you."

On Wednesday, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales sent a letter to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee, indicating a reversal in White House policy, saying that the warrantless surveillance program run by the National Security Agency would now follow the law set forth by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA.

The White House indicated that they are not retreating from their position that President Bush has full authority to order warrentless wiretapping, but rather new rules have made it easierm and quicker, to work within the framework of FISA.

Faced with a Democratic-controlled Congress exercising oversight, and with lawsuits pending over the warrentless wiretapping, President Bush is also not conceding ground on his hold of broad, extraordinary Executive Power, having last weeked, along with Vice President Dick Cheney, said that Congress could not stop him from sending the 20,000+ surge troops to Iraq.

A Bigger Plan In The Pipeline?

Other sources have told The Garlic that the White House's sudden shift to allow the secret surveillience court oversight on their wiretapping goes towards a larger plan coming from President Bush and his recent strategy sessions.

"He set himself up to read the mail," says Dix Whitcomb, editor of the newsletter "Our Laws Are Different", "so this must be a part of that plan."

Earlier this month, through the use of his controversial use of Signing Statements, President Bush added the statement to a postal bill that the Bush Adminstration "shall construe" a section of that law to allow the opening of sealed mail to protect life, guard against hazardous materials or conduct "physical searches specifically authorized by law for foreign intelligence collection."

'It could be," added Whitcomb, "that the wiretaps gave them intelligence that there was something in the mail. Now it's a matter of coordinating the wiretaps with the mail, get a fuller picture on whoever it is they are targeting."

Yesterday, in a grilling before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales made no reference of tying the opening of mail with the wiretaps

Main Street Quiet, Fears Getting Trapped By NSA

Public reaction to the move by the White House suddenly going to the FISA Court has been muted.

In an overnight survey, The Garlic found that over 77% of those polled say they have shied away from calling or emailing friends and family to discuss the news, out of fear that they may be monitored by the NSA.

"I insisted my friend," said one participant, "to meet me for coffee - and I didn’t say where, she knew - and we talked about it whispers and hushed voices."

"I started writing an email," said another, "but I deleted it before I sent it, I didn’t want to take any chances."

When asked what message the President was sending to the American people, with his policies of eavesdropping and opening others' mail, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow sighed;

"Well, let me -- because I'm constantly being asked, what message does the President get. It's probably worth asking, what message does Congress intend to give, and who does it think the audience is? Is the audience merely the President? Is it the voting American public? Or in an age of instant communication, is it also al Qaeda? Is it Iraq? Is it players in Iraq? Is it U.S. troops? Is it people in the Gulf who want to understand whether the United States is, in fact, a partner upon whom they can depend for security even in trying times?"