Posted on 06/06/2013 5:03:48 AM PDT by SJackson
Those crazy American conspiracy theorists who live up trees with guns and drink their own pee don’t seem quite so crazy anymore. It turns out that a “secret court order” has empowered the US government to collect the phone records of millions of users of Verizon, one of the most popular telephone providers – a massive domestic surveillance programme and a shocking intrusion into the lives of others. For the first time in history, being an AT&T customer doesn’t seem such a bad thing after all.
Of course, it isn't the first time that a US administration has spied on its own people. The origins of this particular order lie first in the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and then in Section 215 of the Patriot Act, backed by George W Bush and passed by Congress after 9/11. Normally, domestic surveillance only targets suspicious individuals, not the entire population, but in 2006 it was discovered that a similarly wide database of cellular records was being collected from customers of Verizon, AT&T and BellSouth. There was plenty of outrage and plenty of lawsuits, but the National Security Agency never confirmed that the programme had been shut down. It would appear that it’s still in rude health: the latest court order for collecting data runs from April 25 to July 19.
A few observations. First, America is so conscious and proud of its history as a beacon of liberty that it often overlooks the tyranny that occurs on its own shores in the name of safeguarding democracy. The national security state has expanded to the point whereby it now functions outside of democratic control and with clear disregard for the Constitution.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.telegraph.co.uk ...
Gives a whole new dynamic to “can you hear me now?”
Note to “liberals”:
Der Fuhrer is no longer in need of your rabble rousing services. Further attempts to agitate will be severely dealt with. Thanks for all your help, now STFU.
“....being an AT&T customer doesn’t seem such a bad thing after all. “
Don’t think so was a customer once.... they are worse. They are problably giving the data without a warrant.
What about the tin-foil hats?
You forgot to mention the tin-foil hats.
> Note to “liberals”:
Der Fuhrer is no longer in need of your rabble rousing services. Further attempts to agitate will be severely dealt with. Thanks for all your help, now STFU.
In other words der Fuhrer appreciated your (liberals) support while he was setting up the police state but is now about to put his foot on your neck as well. You were useless expendable idios for the cause. Now get in the gas chambers with the Jews.
Since the majority of criminal activity in this country is ocmitted by Democrats I’m willing o bet they aren’t too happy about this. Just think of all the drug dealing activities it will expose alone...: )
“Finally, totaling every scandal up – IRS, AP phone records, Fox journalists being targeted, the Benghazi mess – this has to be the most furtively authoritarian White House since Nixon’s. We don’t yet have a “smoking email” from Obama ordering all of this, but it can’t be said often enough that there is a correlation between Obama’s “progressive” domestic agenda and the misbehavior of the other agencies governed by his administration – forcing people to buy healthcare even when they can’t afford it, bailing out the banks, war in Libya and the use of drone strikes to kill US citizens. This is exactly what the Tea Party was founded to expose and oppose. All the laughter once directed at the “paranoid” Right now rings hollow.”
Is a sarcasm tag really needed here???
——furtively authoritarian——
Oh come now...... That needs to be sharpened up considerably. I like treacherously tyrannical much better.
We must take control of the language used to discuss Obama
How much longer?
Guys... the foreign press is doing to us what we did to Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. This should chill you to your core. Foreign press outlets are proclaiming America to be under the rule of a tyrant. I’m truly in fear for our nation.
It’s only a matter of time before the Chinese or the Russians consider an invasion. We’re scattered across the world in skirmishes. Our military would not likely repel an invasion.
Rush did an excellent bit yesterday on how there is not one scrap of written evidence that Hitler ever ordered the extermination of the Jews. The people underneath him were so in tune with his philosophy he didn’t have to.
One is worse than the other.
I am always assuming they are listening.
What rules Does BO respect? Bowing to the Saudis is about it. That and putting his feet on our furniture at the WH, ensuring the bottoms of his feet are in our faces. That’s a rule he respects.
What else?
AT&T is the largest financial and pressure contributor to the turning of the BSA gay.
I'm wondering the same thing.
Just wait.
Interpol (and al Qaeda) will shortly be
shown to have been running the intercept of sigint.
Obama and Holder think that gives them
plausible deniability.
Think about that, America, on D-Day’s Anniversary.
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