The Senate Intelligence Committee is going to offer a bill that will nominally “limit” NSA collection of Americans’ phone records, offering a time limit for how long the data should be kept, but keeping the process otherwise intact.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D – CA), an outspoken advocate of the surveillance programs, dubbed the bill a “change but preserve” bill, that would not stop the bulk collection of Americans’ data.
The pro-surveillance leadership all seems on board with this, but other senators are pushing more ambitious plans aimed at ending bulk surveillance in general, though they are facing major opposition from the administration.
NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander insisted that the nation needs to collect all phone records as a matter of course, while James Clapper argued that even if they didn’t catch actual imminent threats it was worth spying on Americans just for “peace of mind.”
So what they are doing is making a an unconstitutional act, still unconstitutional but trying to claim that it is sort of constitutional even though it isn't Constitutional!
So, tell me we didn't see that coming? The American people have moved on now that months have gone by and the NSA stuff is no longer headlines. The attention span has been exceeded so now the Congress can tweak the "non" surveillance hubbub under the stairs and move on to…getting re-elected!!! The renewed donations from the "non" surveillance industry should be a boon for those we elect to represent us. Until the American people make it clear that we are dissatisfied with how they are representing us, things will never change – and low poll numbers is an insufficient message.
Agreed. And, there are far too many Americans that have the 'I've nothing to hide' attitude, for real change to happen, despite the bravery of Assange/Manning/Snowden/Greenwald, I fear.
The powers that be don't care about poll numbers. That's an illusion to make you imagine you have a voice when in reality you don't. No… the only thing that will keep these vermin at bay is the threat of room temperature or a nice cold cell for the rest of their lying lives. Otherwise its secession since they, like King George of yore, just don't listen anymore. And then watch their long knives come out!
A threat is all it is. When caught they are allowed to "retire" but there is no perp-walk to the hoosegow. A perfect example is Tom DeLay, found guily of money laundering and sentenced, on appeal – to his buddies in the Texas bench system – acquitted and now exonerated making millions in speaking fees. Worse, they feel no shame for what they do.
The ever-scheming, sly politicians will boast at reelection time about how they reformed and overhauled the surveillance programs to protect the privacy of their constituents.
So now they're claiming they "need" to hoover up all telephone records when just recently they outright lied that they were doing it at all? And Feinstein is just peachy about doing it to YOU? Roll them heads people and keep the pressure on. They never take no for an answer unless it means their demise and even then don't trust the rats.
So, that is a work anyone will be able to do. These one hundred men and women take a little bit of time from their otherwise busy schedule to take on such a serious subject, give it no thought whatsovever, put a little make up on that pig, and — done. They cannot touch the God. All the "intelligence" is money-driven private product being peddled to our "representatives", and continuously bolstering the "need" for more programs, more expensive technologies, more expensive consultants, more expensive ephypanies that are nothing but bromides a grade school kid can easily come up with.
Money is the king, the queen, the president, the executive branch, the legislative branch, the judiciary, head of our military forces, and the God Almighty of all denominations, all creeds, all faiths in the world. It alone rules the planet. There are pockets of resistance, but as Darth Vader declared in UN speach, the resistance is futile. Money is absolute ideal, the core of our exceptional nature, all bow to its divine glory.