Since Sept. 11, the government's efforts to enact regulations safeguarding the nation against future terrorist attacks while attempting to protect the privacy of American citizens has been a balancing act of national importance. Controversies have continued to arise concerning what steps the government should be allowed to take regarding issues of national security and domestic privacy, how individuals will be affected by these decisions and which branch of government should have the most influence over this legislation.
According to the Washington Post, a recent report released by the Congressional Research Service accuses President Bush of acting independently of congressional officials on domestic surveillance and intelligence issues. The memo from national security specialist Alfred Cumming stated that Bush has violated the National Security Act by not informing congressional officials of his "domestic spying program," the Post reported. This is the second report containing these allegations within a month's time, and lawsuits are pending from civil rights agencies, such as the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which wish to acquire more information about the program and the president's actions.
Many individuals, such as fourth-year Engineering student Christopher Clarke, question the extent to which the government can use its power to intercept personal information from American citizens for the purposes of national security.
"There are scenarios where it would be a beneficial and acceptable tool, but there are also cases where it could be a usurping of power," Clarke said. "This is a fine line the executive body is going to have to walk."
Through the National Security Agency, Bush has been able to monitor suspicious telephone and e-mail conversations between the United States and overseas that could be linked to the Al Qaeda network, the Post reported.
According to second-year College student Brandy Seegars, although the need for this surveillance exists, the ways in which the president gained this information were not democratically sound.
"It's necessary for our safety, but the routes he took were wrong and they undermine our democratic system," Seegars said. "Why he is doing it is necessary, but he should have gone through the right channels."
White House officials continue to claim that Congress was briefed about the National Security Agency's program despite the continuing allegations, the Post reported.
According to second-year Engineering student Dexter Galozo, the outcome of this discovery all depends on how people will react to the news, and how this will shape their future opinion of the president.
"The topic brings out trust issues and whether you can trust a president to do the right thing," Galozo said. "I have nothing to hide so I'm okay with it."
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