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Posted on 05/31/2015 10:18:45 PM PDT by onyx
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The National Security Agency lost its authority at midnight to collect Americans' phone records in bulk, after GOP Sen. Rand Paul stood in the way of extending the fiercely contested program in an extraordinary Sunday Senate session.
But that program and several other post-Sept. 11 counter-terror measures look likely to be revived in a matter of days. With no other options, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in an about-face, reluctantly embraced a House-passed bill that would extend the anti-terror provisions, while also remaking the bulk phone collections program.
Although the lapse in the programs may be brief, intelligence officials warned that it could jeopardize Americans' safety and amount to a win for terrorists. But civil liberties groups applauded as Paul, who is running for president, forced the expiration of the once-secret program made public by NSA contractor Edward Snowden, which critics say is an unconstitutional intrusion into Americans' privacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
God uses the imagery of beasts to describe governments (kings/kingdoms) in reference to the succeeding world powers that would come after Nebuchadnezzar as the head of gold representing Babylon.
“The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand on the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.” (Babylon) Daniel 7:4
“a mans heart was given to it” = democracy
“I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” Daniel 7:8
Antichrist is a spirit (and was already at work in Johns day) and its this spirit which empowers the “little horn” at the time of end where its also given that it can “see” like a man. I conjecture this is referencing being able to monitor its citizens every move.
Its only been within the past few decades with the widespread availability of new technologies, communication satellites, cell towers, computers and now (Tower of Babel) internet connectivity, smart phones, webcams etc., that individual activities of law abiding free citizens everywhere on the Earth are being monitored.
Where our every move, purchase, credit transaction, web page visit, blog postings, opinions, habits and political affiliations along with anything else they want to know about us can be monitored, tracked, indexed and stored away until those in power need it to ‘protect’ us,
They want us to assume its normal, knowing that any society where its every collective thought is consumed with finding ways to bring themselves more entertainment, joy and self-gratification will eventually shrug and give up their freedom and privacy when that comfort is threatened.
We only need to have the appropriate kinds of ‘events’ happen to be adequately exploited along the way,
This is the spirit of antichrist at work,
It is ‘the eyes of a man,’
But...but...
...if the NSA keeps collecting phone numbers,
then the Justice Department will INDICT the malefactors over there and...
WHAT?
WHOSE “Justice Department”?
Oh, never mind...
But...but...
...if the NSA keeps collecting phone numbers,
then the Justice Department will INDICT the malefactors over there and...
WHAT?
WHOSE “Justice Department”?
Oh, RIGHT!
Never mind...
How are we going to know what the Tea Party is doing if the NSA can’t gather info?
Pray America is waking
Thanks for taking a serious topic and lampooning it.
I hope this is sarcasm otherwise give it a rest. This is not saving anyone and anyone who isn’t just a following sheep to the government can see that. Even if it is saving the world from being attacked I would rather we get attacked, keep our freedoms and fight back and win the war instead of a perpetual war and cowering in fear. Please watch me while I sleep so no one takes advantage of me while I’m resting. Nonsense. Honestly, I wish the country would stand up and say, “we are not afraid”. I suppose that’s not possible any longer since the country has turned from God. They have much to fear
You know, the fact that the House bill is called “US Freedom Act” should worry people. Why can’t it be called the “US Surveillance Act” or the “US Data Collection Act”. Why do they hide meaning of the bill behind meaningless names. It’s a sign that they don’t want an informed public.
It is strange what NSA is doing, collecting the calls of average Americans. But, why doesn’t Paul center his attention on the unguarded southern border, which in my mind, poses a much greater threat than what the NSA is doing. Terrorists are bound to be steaming in. They are being encouraged to do so. It is mis-direction on Paul’s part.
Hurrah!
It seems there may be a slight error in this article. I am seeing elsewhere that the bulk collection authorization is ended by the House bill. It may be the only real change that results, but that would be significant to me, and a real victory for Rand Paul and those of us who support him.
I sure hope that occurs.
The government doesn't need congressional authorization to bulk collect data. Whether or not the collection is constitutional is a judicial decision, not a legislative one. The function of the statute is to give an illusion of government transparency.
We can’t trust the Democrats to secure the borders. Democrats would allow anyone to vote including terrorists so why should we allow anyone in the government pretend to be fighting terror by spying on us?
..... Simple answer ..... As Rahm Emanuel once said and foundational the principal behind much of political posturing ..... "You never want to let a crisis to go to waste. … This crisis provides the opportunity for us to do things that you could not before."
.... The Democrats and the GOPe have feverishly being painting the narrative of the virtues of the Data Mining as a necessary tool for Terror Surveillance ..... Saying the consequences for letting it lapse would be very dire to American security (aka The Crisis). In short ..... The whole thing has now been set up to use to their advantage. All that has to be done now is one of two things .... either make a big bust and break up a terror network .... then tout the success of Data Mining Surveillance as the main tenet leading to the bust
....... OR ..... Simply look the other way and don't foil an operation that is being planned. Let the event take place then blame the lack of Data Mining as Surveillance lapse as the main reason that lead to the attack ..... then let the blame game begin!
.... Either way the careers of the detractors would come to a spectacular halt and the branding of that kind of thought and belief could easily be spun as ignorance and actually presents a danger to the public.
...... Politics is a very dirty beast and the tenets of Alinsky are in full use with this Administration. And any deed will be done by them for the cause of what they call the greater good.
.... I really do hope I am wrong about all of this ... but unfortunately this current administration is no friend to America. At this point in history .... it would be very detrimental to ignore the warning of Lao Tzu.
..... Lao Tzu — 'There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.'
If anyone thinks something changed over there at Ft. Meade overnight is just smoking funny weed. You think OBIE is going to obey the law all of a sudden??????????????
It is also my understanding that the NSA also must have FISA court approval to look at any particular piece of the data. That is, they acquire all of the phone data, but get the court review of what particular items they look for.
We’re worried because we can’t eavesdrop on terrorists while Obama is releasing the one’s we have incarcerated back onto the battlefield and opening our borders to make it easy for them to stroll into the country?
I have been pulled a little further into the Rand camp. When was the last time we saw a Republican, stand up and do what’s right even though he was catching it from all sides.
My issue is restoring this country to following the Constitution. So far, it looks like Rand is the only one to stand by the power of his convictions.
A tip of the hat also to Cruz, and to Mike Lee from Utah.
This was the “Constitutional” thing to do.
If we’re gonna’ “talk the talk” we damn well better support the people who “walk the walk”!
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