The NSA is tracking the locations of “hundreds of millions” of people worldwide using cellphone GPS. They said they weren’t in previous comments, but that was just one of many lies they got caught in. Now they’re defending it.
And, showing their predictable lack of shame, the NSA is now openly claiming that tracking everyone’s whereabouts by cellphone GPS is perfectly legal, not subject to court review, and authorized by an executive order that contains none of the following words: cellphone, GPS, or tracking.
It’s not surprising that they’re not mentioned, because when Ronald Reagan issued the order, in 1981, there were no cellular telephones in the United States, and there was no such thing as civilian GPS.
The convenience of blaming Reagan in this regard is that nobody can realistically call them on it. Congress never authorized the tracking, and it has become well established that US courts won’t hear lawsuits related to the violation of an executive order.
The excuse is essentially bulletproof, and the NSA could do essentially anything, insist Reagan said it was okay, and the simple fact that he didn’t is totally irrelevant.
Well, that should bring the Reagan acolytes out of the woodwork…can't have the Gipper's image besmirched.
This from the same man who insisted on sanctions AGAINST the release of Nelson Mandela from prison, e.g.. America needs its head read. Folk down there are so dumbed-down its amazing they know where to find themselves on map let alone be concerned that their every move is being tracked by an insidious outfit regardless of who, what, when, where or why they talk to whomever they do. Talk about W5, eh; wouldn't own a cell phone if they were handed out for free.
Above and beyond the law. End of the rule of law, end of justice, end of democracy, end of American "exceptionalism". We're run like Venezuela/Ecuador, by presidential decree and nothing and no one can stop the rogue government.
LOL — in Reagan's time, a "mobile phone" was the size of a small suitcase. Hard to imagine he "Authorized" this. Or that such an authorization would be valid in any nation that had "rule of law" to protect the freedoms and liberties of its citizens.
When we re-create an American democracy, one thing we need to do is to eliminate or seriously curtail the ability to issue "executive orders".
In the 21st century version of fascism. I reserve the right to know who is looking over my shoulder besides me.