Tell me this is a joke. The problem is that the NSA is running a secret wiretapping program of dubious (at best) constitutionality.
So what does Specter do? How does Congress get a ruling on the constitutionality of the program?
In secret, of course. He's agreed to the creation of a secret court to rule on the constitutionality of the program.
It gets worse.
It would also give the Justice Department greater flexibility to impose "emergency" wiretaps with a retroactive court order and to conduct "roving" wiretaps and use other technology in surveillance, and it would allow the FISA court to hear all challenges to the program, including several civil suits pending in the federal courts by the A.C.L.U. and other groups.
That's right. All the previously-filed challenges to the spying program are hereby dismissed and sent to a secret court, where the issue will be subject to a secret ruling by secret judges after a secret hearing presumably prompted by secret parties, making secret arguments and filing secret briefs.
Thank God there's the right to a secret appeal to FISA.
You get the idea.
The proposal does include some concessions sought by the White House. In a bow to the president's inherent authority as commander in chief, the measure states that it "does not unconstitutionally retract any constitutional authority the president has" to collect information from foreign nations and their agents.
"Some concessions"???
That's some quid pro quo, Senator Specter. Way to stand up and show you got a pair.