Wiretapping In Court

Ah, another battle over the government's right to invade privacy. Oh, wait, isn't it supposed to be about our constitutional rights? I forgot we had any.

A Federal Court case in Detroit opens today to determine how much eavesdropping the government can legally get away with. Sure, since the government doesn't pay attention to law (reference our constitutional rights), this case doesn't matter. But it should be fun to watch. As the Detroit Free Press writes:

The opening salvo of what is sure to be a closely watched and potentially landmark case over whether the U.S. government has the right to eavesdrop on thousands -- and potentially millions -- of telephone and e-mail communications will be fired in federal court in Detroit today.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuit in January, will ask U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor to abolish the Bush administration's program of intercepting international phone calls in its fight against terrorism, saying it violates Americans' free speech and privacy rights.

The Justice Department, which represents the National Security Agency, is expected to argue that the program is legal and a key weapon in the administration's war on terror.

If the Founding Fathers' could see what we've allowed our government to become, they'd roll over in their graves.