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Proof: Spying about more than terrorism

Masada

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Many have argued that these spying techniques will be, or already are being, abused to include political issues. There's no doubt that these programs of data mining and spying are being used in ways that have NOTHING to do with catching terrorists, spoiling terrorist plots, etc.

Here's a prime example:

GCHQ intercepted foreign politicians' communications at G20 summits | UK news | The Guardian

Spying on G20 delegates to gain advantages, or to leverage bargaining power, etc. And here we thought these governments were using this technology to catch terrorists. Hmmmmm.....

Don't be surprised when it comes out soon that OUR government is storing all this data for political information as well. How could they not be?
 
Many have argued that these spying techniques will be, or already are being, abused to include political issues. There's no doubt that these programs of data mining and spying are being used in ways that have NOTHING to do with catching terrorists, spoiling terrorist plots, etc.

Here's a prime example:

GCHQ intercepted foreign politicians' communications at G20 summits | UK news | The Guardian

Spying on G20 delegates to gain advantages, or to leverage bargaining power, etc. And here we thought these governments were using this technology to catch terrorists. Hmmmmm.....

Don't be surprised when it comes out soon that OUR government is storing all this data for political information as well. How could they not be?

Bill Maher was right, there ought to be a surveillance provision that puts one in jail for 15 years should they ever use those powers for anything other than national security.
 
Bill Maher was right, there ought to be a surveillance provision that puts one in jail for 15 years should they ever use those powers for anything other than national security.

Strange to see a "libertarian" invoke Bill Maher, but ironically, I would agree. I can't be 100% certain, but after studying this stuff for a couple weeks now, it seems this is the difference between what the Bush administration was doing, and what the Obama administration is doing now.

Under Bush, the spying appears to be way more specific, focussing primarily on FOREIGN calls and email accounts. Whereas, Obama's program is broad, sweeping, and indiscriminate, collecting data on ALL calls and internet transactions.

In the question of privacy vs. security, I think that's a pretty big difference.
 
Bill Maher was right, there ought to be a surveillance provision that puts one in jail for 15 years should they ever use those powers for anything other than national security.

Either that or maybe Americans should stop being such freaking pathetic cowards and just accept the fact that sometimes bad people do bad things, you can't stop all of them, and maybe its time we stopped abdicating our civil liberties and Constitutional rights in this pathetic attemp to chase terrorisim like a dog chases its tail.

More Americans die of the common cold every year than have EVER died in a terrorist attack.

Yet we're going to give a government that can't even manage to balance a budget the authority to virtually track our thoughts with the caveat that they make "cross my heart, hope to die" promises that they're going to be responsible with that information?

WHEN was the last time our government has been thoroughly responsible with ANYTHING?

We're a nation of idiots.
 
Strange to see a "libertarian" invoke Bill Maher, but ironically, I would agree.

It doesn't matter to me if a good idea comes from someone with a different political ideology, I'm not some partisan hack. Truth is truth.

I can't be 100% certain, but after studying this stuff for a couple weeks now, it seems this is the difference between what the Bush administration was doing, and what the Obama administration is doing now.

Under Bush, the spying appears to be way more specific, focussing primarily on FOREIGN calls and email accounts. Whereas, Obama's program is broad, sweeping, and indiscriminate, collecting data on ALL calls and internet transactions.

In the question of privacy vs. security, I think that's a pretty big difference.

In that question, I say security be damned its more important that we the living be free; What signify a few lives lost in a century or two?

Either that or maybe Americans should stop being such freaking pathetic cowards and just accept the fact that sometimes bad people do bad things, you can't stop all of them, and maybe its time we stopped abdicating our civil liberties and Constitutional rights in this pathetic attemp to chase terrorisim like a dog chases its tail.

More Americans die of the common cold every year than have EVER died in a terrorist attack.

Yet we're going to give a government that can't even manage to balance a budget the authority to virtually track our thoughts with the caveat that they make "cross my heart, hope to die" promises that they're going to be responsible with that information?

WHEN was the last time our government has been thoroughly responsible with ANYTHING?

We're a nation of idiots.

No argument there, I'd just as soon not have any surveillance.
 
It doesn't matter to me if a good idea comes from someone with a different political ideology, I'm not some partisan hack. Truth is truth.



In that question, I say security be damned its more important that we the living be free; What signify a few lives lost in a century or two?



No argument there, I'd just as soon not have any surveillance.

It's a catch 22 though. Now that the public knows the government has this ability, god forbid we have another terrorist attack on this country. Whoever is in power when that happens is gonna get grilled big time. After all, what good is this technology if it doesn't stop terrorists?

When attacks do occur, what's the biggest question everyone asks? "Could we have prevented this?".....So, this is why it's a catch 22. The public wants the government to catch terrorists before they attack us, but they wan't privacy as well. It's kinda like the Tea Party in a sense. They want government to reform Medicare and Social Security, but they better not touch THEIR benefits.

So, we're left with a government that has a horrible track record of being responsible, giving the public those "cross my heart and hope to die" promises, and the public looks the other way.

This is why conservatives say "STOP! DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE". We're not obstructionists, we're realists. They don't manage ANYTHING well in government anymore, especially money. So just stop! Don't pass another freaking bill! Each and every time our government acts, things get worse. That's no exaggeration either. Pick a topic, and test that statement.
 
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