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PBC News & Comment: Fourth Amendment Is Now Optional

Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in wiretap case slams the door on almost any constitutional challenge to widespread surveillance under FISA…..this essentially nullifies the Fourth Amendment, and legalizes programs that conflict with its clear language.  We all know our communications are monitored, but since we can’t prove it (because it’s a secret!!) then we can’t sue to protect our rights.

–GOP ends filibuster of Hagel nomination by 71-27 vote, then confirms him to run the Pentagon by 58-41 vote

–Obama illustrates the impact of the “sequester” by releasing hundreds of immigration prisoners from the for-profit prisons talked about yesterday

–following the prison death of Palestinian Arafat Jaradat last week, Israel was struck by a rocket from Gaza

–report says Obama plans to tell Netanyahu that the US “window” to attack Iran opens in June, when Obama visits Israel in March

–the 2012 Obama campaign has morphed into “Organizing for America” which plans to raise millions in unlimited donations and disclose the donors voluntarily

–we note the death of C. Evertt Koop, former Surgeon General who showed courage in confronting two killers: AIDS and tobacco