The insanity of the system is reaching new heights. A person can claim both the necessity of gathering 'everyone's' data and that it be done in a way that respects privacy rights...and it's presented as rational thought by popular news outlets. Like somehow collecting everyone's personal data without consent isn't a violation of "privacy rights". I'm going to go check out some "liberal/progressive" websites to 'see through their eyes' because I know a lot of "conservatives" ain't buying shit the GOP is selling...but haven't heard much "liberal" dissent. Edit: I did come across some dissent fairly easily, but I got the sense that, at least the news outlets, are expecting Obama/govt to end the mass collection of data. I didn't find any reaction to Feinstein saying, "Metadata ain't going anywhere. #Getoverit", but I did come across an article that stood out: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Chump-Change-Obama-s-Bogu-by-Donn-Marten-Corruption_Government-Secrecy_Intelligence-Agencies_Intelligence-Database-140119-92.html Just the first line: "Not that this is exactly earth-shattering news but the leader of The Homeland , commander of the U.S. killer drone fleet and overlord of the U.S. Stasi unconstitutional surveillance programs just pissed down the backs of all Americans today and told them that it was raining." Other than that, the Daily Kos made me literally want to vomit. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/19/1270898/-Week-s-High-Impact-Posts-January-11-17-2014 I didn't see ANY of their "high impact posts" mention nsa...but 78% mentioned Chris Christie. I haven't followed the "bridge-gate" but the GOP is fucking retarded if they are trying to defend that bullshit. If not the people obsessing about it are retarded. /end rant
Sorry for double post. I just wanted to mention that I've caught a few clips of different 'talking heads' and shows and it does look like the establishment are the only ones defending, specifically, metadata collection by nsa. Everyone else "left" or "right" is saying the discussion starts with metadata collection ending...at the very least. @[member="James"] Murray Rothbard Esquire III Do you have thoughts on what's so important about metadata that 'both' parties would explicitly defy their constituents? I doubt I really appreciate the magnitude of it. It's encouraging, if true, that a lot of people do have a line in the sand. How planted our feet are remains to be seen. Failed Syria Invasion 2.0
State power must always expand and once it expands it will always be defended by the establishment. This expansion has been happening since the day the Constitution was signed in the United State like it happens with all governments. There are too many powerful interests that desire that power be centralized and thus easy to manipulate, they use the useful fools for their own ends and throw the masses a bone once in a while. The metadata is just another stride forward in state power whether the metadata program is effective or not is irrelevant to the statists its just another step towards complete control. Also its not necessarily about a grand conspiracy this is a natural process for governments and for statists. They earnestly believe that through regulation and control they can force people to be better. They believe that force is justified. They will never succeed, but they can make lives miserable for the rest of us. Its no different then an Islamic extremist really. They earnestly believe that by following Mohammads teachings everyones lives would be better. Statist believe that by having society stringently controlled and regulated they can make us be good.
True shit. More specifically, I've heard from a "questionable" source that the nsa has the enthusiastic support of google, facebook, etc. After nsa 'collects' (there's gotta be a more accurate word) the data those politically connected individuals buy access to and or information from the pool. Now, it's not something that is surprising if true, but I can't find any independent verification of this claim. I'm still trying to grasp it all. The "evil government" is working with "evil corporations" to create a secret marketplace where everything from all of your known associates to how many gallons of milk you bought last year will be sold (profited from) without your knowledge...and therefore without consent. @General Why is anything even resembling the above scenerio continuing MONTHS later? I don't have a preference either way about political protests, BUT from all the shit I hear people say in 'real' life and online you'd think the capital would've been seiged within a week and nsa 'officially' decomissioned days later. Instead establishment figures go on t.v. and say 'Either continue to let us manipulate you to think this has shit to do about national security, or bite your tongue and move along, little bitch'. Now I know there are 'protestors' out there who are doing good things from Nullify to court lawsuits. I'm just pointing out, perhaps with slight exaggeration, the disconnect between peoples' words and actions. /end rant Edit: I feel sooo stupid. Apparently the 'siege' already took place. lol "Obama to end NSA's mass storage of telephone metadata" http://www.cnbc.com/id/101345381