In late July, the Amash Amendment to end the NSA’s telephone surveillance scheme barely failed, just 205-217, in a vote which saw a mass exodus of rank-and-file Congressmen on both sides away from the party leadership, which on both sides was supportive of keeping the plan in place.
Repeated claims that the NSA is respecting Americans’ privacy played a big role in convincing some of those voters to “trust” the administration, but after the Washington Post’s revelation that there are thousands of such violations annually has changed things more than a little.
Some in Congress are saying that knowledge would’ve swung the vote, and Rep. Justin Amash (R – MI) says he is planning to take another shot in the near future, pushing a similar amendment at the next opportunity.
President Obama still doesn’t want to admit it, but the reality is that he’s losing the NSA battle, and every time one of his lies gets found out by another leak, it’s going to make it harder and harder for Congressmen facing reelection next summer to ignore their constituencies.
“Reform” is no longer a matter of rebranding the program in a more palatable way, and kicking and screaming from the administration aside, change is eventually coming.
I think by know that "thousands of violation" is turned out to be million/s by know, adding time and date of violations.
Change may be coming but they will just re-brand the program and continue under another name.
Remember Total Awareness that was supposedly ditched?
We live in a lawless state where the power of unbridled capitalism is now a boot on the face of whoever opposes it.
Who will be the next "Big Brother" and who after that?
Only by virtue of secrecy does an Empire gain the ability to satisfy its insatiable quest for expansion, absolute darkness that prevents the light from forcing the slightest brutal imperialism to give way.
I'm of the opinion that even if a new Amash amendment passes the executive branch will ignore it and carry on with business as usual.