Posted on 06/10/2013 12:18:06 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Apparently the “chilling effect” of Justice Department leak investigations on communications between government officials and the press has not been so chilling after all.
It certainly did not deter former CIA employee and National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who has admitted that he is the principal source of recent leaks to The Post and the Guardian revealing top-secret NSA programs tracking terrorist communications.
The exposure of the PRISM program under which the NSA monitors foreign terrorists on the Internet, as well as the leak of a top-secret court order requiring Verizon to share calling data with the government, are incredibly damaging to national security. These leaks give terrorists information they did not have about our collection activities. They undermine the willingness of American companies to cooperate with us because these leaks have put their international reputations at risk. And they teach everyone — including sources and liaison partners — not to work with us because we cannot keep a secret.
But instead of being outraged by the damage done by these leaks, critics on the left and right are criticizing the NSA for undertaking activities that are lawful, constitutional and absolutely vital to protecting the country.
Calm down, folks. Big Brother is not watching you.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Agreed...
Seems that those of us who had concerns about the Knee Jerk act (Patriot act) were correct.
“and absolutely vital to protecting the country”
a data dump for a fishing expedition is not “absolutely vital to protecting the country”
the warrant did not say and was not based on the identification of any certain threat, any certain suspects, any certain telecommmunications identifier belonging to any certain suspects foreign or domestic
it as much as simply said - we want all the meta data Verizon has and just trust us we will only use it for good and sufficient reasons - which ones?, not said in the warrant.
Such a blanket fishing expedition is never “absolutely vital” and being blase about “just trust” the gubernut no longer cuts it.
And “Nativists”, don’t forget the “nativists”.
The Left keeps telling us how everything Bush says or does is wrong, so logically the should be getting really pissed at Obama about this.
LOL....exactly.
Perhaps someone should send Mr. Thiessen this link: Sensenbrenner: Collecting phone records abuses Patriot Act(The Author). But he may not care anyway, since it is a Dem abusing the Patriot Act.
They are ALL in on it!
>> activities that are lawful, constitutional and absolutely vital to protecting the country.
A dubious assertion.
There should be some public remediation and acceptance of the techniques and policies used to determine threats.
Marxism must not be facilitated.
With King Barry in charge, they just have to ring the "Bush did it" bell and most of the public starts to drool just like Pavlov's dogs.
The important thing is that no matter what King Barry does, muddy the water, change the subject, blame someone else, and the situation will be defused.
JMHO
I don’t trust either side of the political spectrum. They are all flawed humans and will eventually misuse the information. That is why we have “checks and balances.”
You probably just got flagged for that post.
Hear that knock on the door?
Sorry Bush, you started this and you should and did know what would happen.
Bite me.
The exposure of the PRISM program under which the NSA monitors foreign terrorists on the Internet, as well as the leak of a top-secret court order requiring Verizon to share calling data with the government, are incredibly damaging to national security.the leak of a top-secret court order requiring Verizon to share calling data with the government
Seriously, WTF.
Modern-day Star Chamber anyone?
The more that comes up in this, the more it offends every sensibility.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The Supreme Court Just Waved that 4th Amendment Right.When they said it was perfectly legal for the police to forcibly take your DNA.
We’re Toast.The Constitution Means Nothing if its Not going to be protected by People who swore an oath to do just that.
Who do we get to defend us?Barack Obama.Ha!
a 1984 Orwell ping... “We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.”
I believe the phrase/saying you’re looking for is: “the government that governs best, governs least.”
I'm listening to Jim Sensenbrenner, author of the Patriot Act, condemning whats going on right now.
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