Dems, GOP cut wiretap deal

From the AP:

House and Senate leaders have agreed to a new compromise surveillance bill that would effectively shield from potentially costly civil lawsuits telecommunications companies that helped the government wiretap citizens' phone and computer lines after the September 11 terrorist attacks without court permission.

The House will debate the bill on Friday, potentially ending a monthslong standoff about the rules for government wiretapping inside the United States.

It looks to me that, when it comes to wiretapping, Democratic lawmakers anticipate being the ones wearing the headphones and deciding whose lines get snooped on. They're certainly going to hold on to Congress and the odds are in favor of their guy taking the White House.

I mean, Civil liberties are fine when the other side is in charge, but why hobble your own (mis)use of government power?