I like this editorial...NYT is (for once in a blue moon) not afraid to demand an end to the BS by the congress......Susan point is good...when will we get a government (or a newspaper of record ) which has to (try'n) tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

The cowardly senate passed it and the house is due to vote on it immediately. An important topic. Call your representative!

Once again the editorial department allows BDS to outweigh rational thought. Rather than editorialize on the subject, that is what is the necessary for national security and how does the US intercept and monitor foreign telephone calls (for all you in Marin County that means the calls originate and terminate outside the territory of the United States.) the NYT creates a strawmouse argument that this is being rushed through the congress. It has been an issue for 18 months, and for four months it has been a critical problem. Rush is not the word. The NYTs editorial department is woefully short of facts and plays on emotion. If present editoral policies continue a sad fate awaits what was the "Newspaper of Record". t

This *is* and editorial, but its unwillingness to present even a marginally balanced picture is pathetic. The last time I checked, the NYT Editorial Board was not the Supreme Court. Just one more example of why a once great newspaper is in financial trouble. I can read remarks just as good as this on any far-Left blog for free.

Yes, the only thing I see that the article didn't mention is that the illegal spying on Americans started before 9/11. It's important that a court review the wiretapping, because there is too much temptation for the program to be used for purposes such as spying on political rivals, or even used for blackmail purposes to pressure opponents. The court has found the program as Bush has been using it to be unconstitutional, so the main reason he's pushing so hard is to cover his own law-breaking.