The Government Is Watching You
The National Security Agency’s admitted intercepts of private telephone calls and e-mails is broader than previously acknowledged.
Supporting that conclusion is the account of a former N.S.A. analyst who, in a series of interviews, described being trained in 2005 for a program in which the agency routinely examined large volumes of Americans’ e-mail messages without court warrants. Two intelligence officials confirmed that the program was still in operation.
Democrat Rush Holt of New Jersey (r), Chairman of the House Select Intelligence Oversight Panel, says, “Some actions are so flagrant they can’t be accidental.”
The N.S.A. is believed to have gone beyond legal boundaries designed to protect Americans in about 8 to 10 separate court orders issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, according to three intelligence officials who spoke anonymously because disclosing such information is illegal. Because each court order could single out hundreds or even thousands of phone numbers or e-mail addresses, the number of individual communications that were improperly collected could number in the millions, officials said.
One analyst was investigated beacuse he was reading the personal emails of former President Clinton. And I love the term they’re using to describe getting unauthorized data: “overcollection.”
It’s just a little “accidental” trampling of the constitution (just a piece of paper), and some “inadvertent” desecration of all the best that “America” represents (just a few mere ideals).
But it points out the problem with power. Give them power and they will use it. Not just once in a while, when it seems like the survival of the whole earth is at stake. But every day, routinely, minute by minute.
Which is why the FBI issued hundreds of thousands of “national security” letters.
We made it easy.
John G. Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Something must be amiss, Rocky actually made sense. Now, take the next step, Rocky, and question what will happen if the Government gets all the power you want to give them to control every aspect of our lives? You want to give government the ability to control which healthcare we can choose, which car we can buy, which radio station we can listen, and which credit card we can use. You are perpetuating the problem with power.
EricG Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I don’t think the government is trying to “control every aspect of our lives.” I think you are one of the many people who would never speak out for individual liberties and freedoms in the Bush years of fear and madness but now that we have a Democrat in office these is no way you can listen to anything they plan to do without rejecting it outright or allowing yourself to hear the BS from Glenn Beck or where ever you’re getting this nonsense.
We need healthcare for everyone. It’s a right. We need a balanced media. Not a huge media monoply by a few companies and a so-called ‘fair and balanced’ conservative-media. The credit card companies have been ripping YOU and ME off for decades and that has to stop.
I believe you are the one perpetuating the problem by not allowing yourself to look at the facts and instead viewing all of politics and reality by a very narrow view.
John G. Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Name one aspect of life that you don’t want the government to regulate or control in one way or another.
Healthcare is a right? So just by virtue of birth (assuming Mom makes the right choice), we have the right to have a doctor treat us for any ailment? Is this really what you are saying?
No credit card company has ever ripped me off. If you borrow money from them, you live by their terms. YOU have the choice to not use their services.
I believe you are completely blinded to reality by your partisan beliefs and fail to take into consideration that each “little” problem you solve with a government solution leads to greater power to the government and greater likelihood of abuse.
GuidoVanHorn Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 2:33 am
credit cards in an of themselves are rip offs and they do rip people off all the time above and beyond their normal scam by changing terms of agreement with little to no notice. They reserve the right to change the contract whenever they want.
Rocky the Liberal Rottweiler Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
“You want to give government the ability to control which healthcare we can choose, which car we can buy, which radio station we can listen, and which credit card we can use. You are perpetuating the problem with power.”
The remarkable thing is that even here in the greatest country on earth there are probably people stupid enough to believe your accusation.
That’s why people like you and Limbowel and Savage pose some of the most serious threats to the long-term survival of the human race.
And I’m sure you have no problem with health insurance corporations deciding who lives and who dies, and who merely loses everything they own.
John G. Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Using your “logic,” under your solution the Government will decide who lives and who dies. Sounds like that really solves the problem.
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:26 am
The government wants to control our health care Rocky. That is why they want nationial health care. The government wants to decide which car you drive. That is why they mandate CAFE standards. The auto industry cannot meet those standards unless they make European style jelly bean cars that are in fact death traps. The government wants to tell you who you can listen to on the airwaves. Ever hear of the Fairness Doctrine? The government wants to tell you what type of gun you may own or even if they will allow to own any guns. The government wants to tell you what you can eat. They want to decide for you what foods are good for you. They want to tell you you cannot smoke. And if you do they will steal from you with exopentant taxes.
The government wants to take money from you even after you die.
So, yes, the government does want to control every aspect of your life.
Government is inherently evil. If left unchecked they will rule your life.
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:19 am
John G..
Rocky said, “Give them power and they will use it.”
What he meant by that was give Republicans power and they will use it. It was really an attack against Republicans.
Rocky doesn’t have a problem with Obama and his incessent power grab. He thinks government, run by Democrats, should control every aspect of your life. Many of his posts here validate that.
So he made sense, but only from the liberal point of view.
OldLefty Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:25 am
“What he meant by that was give Republicans power and they will use it. It was really an attack against Republicans.”
…………………………
Nobody said that.
Actually, what most on the left, and many from the right have been screaming about is even if this president, (Bush), does abuse this “unitary executive” power, a future president may, that’s why we should not roll over and give it to him just because we are scared right now…..we told that we sympathize with “the terrorists”.
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Come on Lefty, you know Rocky. Have you been reading his comments here?
I think Obama is abusing his power with the nationalization of the banks and car industry. With setting the salaries of CEO’s and the firing of the GM CEO.
OldLefty Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Well, we said Bush was abusing his power with spying on citizens and rolling over the FISA courts, etc.
Bush is the one who nationalized the banks, Cheney said Bush let Obama deal with Gm.
GM and the banks asked to become employees of the government.
They are the ones who screwed up and then came begging for money.
Imagine if you ruin your company, ask the bank for a loan to rebuild it, then demand that the bank give you enough to maintain your high salary??
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Now Lefty, many of the banks want to return the TARP money, but the Obama administration will not allow them to return the money. It sure sounds to me like the government wants to maintain control over the banks.
Whoever heard of a lender refusing to take money owed them from the one who borrowed it?
June 18th, 2009 at 11:33 am
I always fell like, somebody is watching me…..
OldLefty Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Where my husband and I both worked, there was a psych hospital.
He always wanted to sell the rear view mirror glasses that cyclists wear to patients who are paranoid.
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:54 am
The hospital wasn’t for the people where you worked, was it Lefty? :)
I’ve heard of jobs driving a person crazy, but I never heard of having a psych hospital where the persons worked. :)
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Lefty, did you say the patients had a pair of noids? :)
Daddio Reply:
June 19th, 2009 at 8:56 am
What exactly is a noid?
June 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
We need healthcare for everyone. It’s a right.
It’s not. But don’t let details stop ya.
We need a balanced media.
Like ABC
Not a huge media monoply by a few companies and a so-called ‘fair and balanced’ conservative-media.
All 1 of them
The credit card companies have been ripping YOU and ME off for decades and that has to stop.
Cause you couldn’t just not use them, right?
TDro319 Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
“It’s not. But don’t let details stop ya.”
So let’s let everybody die and ship the corpses to Pino to dispose of.
“Like ABC”
Cause Pino knows that only Fox “News” is balanced.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
The White House pushes too many bills through Congress in too short of a time. Healthcare is important and needs input from all areas of health and medical fields, not just Congress and The White House. Too many appointees under the President to control all the measures, bills, stimulus, etc. taken in only, what, 5 gong on 6 months. What does the Cabinet members do these days with the added people who report directly to The White House, bypassing Congress? How much more money do we pay for these people? I get the feeling D.C. operates in another world than USA citizens/taxpayers. Too much control over citizen’s lives too quickly.
June 18th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
So let’s let everybody die and ship the corpses to Pino to dispose of.
And under Obama no one dies? See, truly The Blessed Leader.
Cause Pino knows that only Fox “News” is balanced.
By latest reports, is more neutral than ABC News.
TDro319 Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
“And under Obama no one dies? See, truly The Blessed Leader”
Glad you see the light =)
“By latest reports, is more neutral than ABC News.”
This report brought to you by – Fox “News”
June 18th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Dear Mr. NSA: “Can you hear me now?”
June 18th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I hear people say things like the govt wants to control everything and those people scare me the most. They end up being parrots to spread the talking points from Rush and Hannity and can’t even tell you real points about certain subjects.
For instance, the Fairness Doctrine is not going to tell you what to listen to. It says that both points of view need to have equal time on a radio show. Which is a great thing since so many of the shows like Rush and Savage only want their side to be heard.
The idea of a govt being the big bad boogie man that is going to try and take everything away from you is just such a childish statement. And what is so funny is when Bush wanted warrentless wire taps the Reps didn’t say a thing. Now all of a sudden the govt is such a bad thing because they are needed to step in and help some companies in a very difficult time. Give us a break please! I could go on and on but I will end it here for now.
I guess the main thing I would say is stop being a parrot. Take the time to read and actually get the facts instead of repeating what someone else tells you to say. Don’t get so caught up with the ‘Right’ versus the ‘Left’. Focus on the facts even if it goes against the side you are on. When it comes down to it we all want the truth right?
June 20th, 2009 at 12:06 am