In recent weeks the true extent of the federal government’s massive domestic spying initiative has been exposed – both in terms of the program’s size and scope as well as its practical application. In the process we’ve learned that everything former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden told us about the program is true – and everything the federal government told us in responding to Snowden’s revelations is false.
Still, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham – one of the arch-defenders of this unconstitutional invasion of our liberty – is standing by the NSA.
“The NSA program is proving it’s worth yet again,” Graham told CNN, referring to recent reports of imminent “terror attacks” against America which led to the closing of nearly twenty U.S. Embassies.
Not only that, he attacked lawmakers like U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Michigan) for their efforts to strip funding from certain parts of the program.
“To members of the Congress who want to reform the NSA program, great,” Graham said. “But if you want to gut it, you make us much less safe and you’re putting our nation at risk. We need to have policies in place that can deal with the threats that exist and they are real and they are growing.”
For once we agree with Graham … our nation is at risk, and there are “threats that exist” which are both “real” and “growing.”
In fact they’re coming from Nazis like him …
14 comments
The NSA “proving its worth” to the DEA:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/08/05/the-nsa-is-giving-your-phone-records-to-the-dea-and-the-dea-is-covering-it-up/
The NSA “proving its worth” to the DEA:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/08/05/the-nsa-is-giving-your-phone-records-to-the-dea-and-the-dea-is-covering-it-up/
NSA was tapping the phones of Senators back in 2004, according to one NSA whistle blower, and we have to assume that they used the dirt they found for blackmail. Lindsey Graham. with all the whispers about him, would seem a prime target to turn into a NSA puppet. He’s not a stupid man, so why else would he say such stupid things?
Big scoop here. A government agency using intel to pressure Senators. I bet J Edgar Hoover is rolling over in his grave learning that such things occur. Next you will tell me that Presidents going back to FDR used the IRS to pressure people.
Your sarcasm is noted. But the takeover of the US government using blackmail is a serious matter, and that’s what this spying on the entire power structure in DC implies. J Edgar Hoover’s secret files were child’s play compared to this. It’s closer to what Cheney used to call, ratf**king. And I mention Cheney because the orders to tap everyone were coming out of his office.
I hear what you are saying. However, my point is that what Hoover did (as well as others) may seem small by today’s “standards” but that is only because of the vast difference in available technology. The principle is the same.
Yeah, it’s the same in principle, but I doubt Cheney is looking to get a copyright on it.
NSA was tapping the phones of Senators back in 2004, according to one NSA whistle blower, and we have to assume that they used the dirt they found for blackmail. Lindsey Graham. with all the whispers about him, would seem a prime target to turn into a NSA puppet. He’s not a stupid man, so why else would he say such stupid things?
Big scoop here. A government agency using intel to pressure Senators. I bet J Edgar Hoover is rolling over in his grave learning that such things occur. Next you will tell me that Presidents going back to FDR used the IRS to pressure people.
Your sarcasm is noted. But the takeover of the US government using blackmail is a serious matter, and that’s what this spying on the entire power structure in DC implies. J Edgar Hoover’s secret files were child’s play compared to this. It’s closer to what Cheney used to call, ratf**king. And I mention Cheney because the orders to tap everyone were coming out of his office.
I hear what you are saying. However, my point is that what Hoover did (as well as others) may seem small by today’s “standards” but that is only because of the vast difference in available technology. The principle is the same.
Yeah, it’s the same in principle, but I doubt Cheney is looking to get a copyright on it. The NSA does bring something new to the scheme, however, with its bulk storage, and that is the ability to tap into the past. So if they get a warrant today, they can listen to you from now on, but also for the past ten years, before you ever thought to run for congress. They aren’t supposed to do this sort of collecting, but they have a (previously) secret definition for the word “collection.” It’s this–
Collection means intentional tasking and/or selection of identified nonpublic communications for subsequent processing aimed at reporting or retention as a file record.
From the UNITED STATES SIGNAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTIVE
Graham and the other neocons just don’t get it. “Protecting the nation”, as Graham states, only means ensuring that the realm, the geographical boundaries of America, are not attacked. I think they ignore the fundamental purpose of the American Republic, which was to create a society where men could live free from government tyranny. Those principles were embodied in our founding documents. Those principles are more important than the realm itself, and when they are abandoned and tossed aside, America itself ceases to exist. Graham and those of his ilk want to burn the village to save the village. A disassociated group of Islamic fundamentalists stretched from Morocco to Indonesia have no chance of destroying America, but Graham and the rest of the two-party Establishment hacks who so willingly defend government spying and secrecy certainly do.
Graham and the other neocons just don’t get it. “Protecting the nation”, as Graham states, only means ensuring that the realm, the geographical boundaries of America, are not attacked. I think they ignore the fundamental purpose of the American Republic, which was to create a society where men could live free from government tyranny. Those principles were embodied in our founding documents. Those principles are more important than the realm itself, and when they are abandoned and tossed aside, America itself ceases to exist. Graham and those of his ilk want to burn the village to save the village. A disassociated group of Islamic fundamentalists stretched from Morocco to Indonesia have no chance of destroying America, but Graham and the rest of the two-party Establishment hacks who so willingly defend government spying and secrecy certainly do.