In response to Gerard Rihl's letter, "Domestic wiretapping typical for government," Jan. 27, I think I speak for most of us "liberals" and even some conservatives when I say that I am all for the protection of our great nation in this "War on Terror."

However, I am also for the Constitution, its ideals, and the single most powerful notion that no one American is above the law. Not even President George Bush. So when I am told that the White House is authorizing wiretaps to "protect our freedoms," I am giving them a "big thumbs up." But when I find out that the White House is authorizing wiretaps without approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court, then I have a problem. The FISA court was established to ensure that there is not an abuse of power with the National Security Agency. Even further, the FISA court is extremely lenient on wiretapping.

When FISA is ignored, Bush could be protecting our nation or he could be protecting his Republican interests. He could even be pulling a Richard Nixon and be intercepting Democratic Party communications. He could be listening to a cute girl's voice or he could be listening to guys in Iceland and laughing as he listens to how funny they sound. Without FISA, it's whatever tickles his pickle, really... and that terrifies me.