Domestic Wiretapping Up, Terrorist Prosecutions Down

Investment: flaying of civil-liberties that are the core of what it means to be an American. Return: Um...

The number of Americans being secretly wiretapped or having their financial and other records reviewed by the government has continued to increase as officials aggressively use powers approved after the Sept. 11 attacks. But the number of terrorism prosecutions ending up in court -- one measure of the effectiveness of such sleuthing -- has continued to decline, in some cases precipitously.

The trends, visible in new government data and a private analysis of Justice Department records, are worrisome to civil liberties groups and some legal scholars. They say it is further evidence that the government has compromised the privacy rights of ordinary citizens without much to show for it.

If the Bush Presidency (and McCain's promised extension of the same business model, despite condemning warrantless wiretapping in 2006) were a business, stockholders would be jumping ship.

Consider this post an inside trading tip for stockholders voters in November.

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