Stunning Report On NSA Domestic Spying Confirms ACLU Warnings
ACLU:
The American Civil Liberties Union responded today to a stunning new report that the NSA has effectively revived the Orwellian "Total Information Awareness" domestic-spying program that was banned by Congress in 2003. In response, the ACLU said that it was filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for more information about the spying. And, the group announced that it was moving its "Surveillance Clock" one minute closer to midnight.
"Congress shut down TIA because it represented a massive and unjustified governmental intrusion into the personal lives of Americans," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the Washington Legislative Office of the ACLU. "Now we find out that the security agencies are pushing ahead with the program anyway, despite that clear congressional prohibition. The program described by current and former intelligence officials in Monday's Wall Street Journal could be modeled on Orwell’s Big Brother."
The ACLU said the new report confirmed its past warnings that the NSA was engaging in extremely broad-based data mining that was violating the privacy of vast numbers of Americans.
TPM has more...
Fristlike.
Stunning? We're stunned by this?
as long as they aint fucking whores....its ok
Now if anybody wants to know the size of my penis all they have to do is join the NSA.
Not stunning that the White House revived anything the Congress has banned.
The clock is silly since if the governemt ever got bad enough to deserve the clocks going to 24 no one would be able to see said clock.
Weren't we all called conspiracy thoierists for saying this was going on?
Isn't it strange that ALL of the conspiracy thoeries keep coming true?
Sometimes I hate being right all the time.
In a related case that i was involved in back in 1991 or 1992 the group i was working with; the Community for Creative Non Violence (CCNV) won a decision against the US Marshal Service.
CCNV was operating a 1400 bed 24 hour a day homeless shelter at 425 Second Street, NW in Washington, DC.
Repeatedly at 2 AM or 3 AM they stormed the building and woke everyone up and demanded ID from every person on the working man's floor (also known as 2 South) and compared their names to a computer list of all outstanding warrants in the District of Columbia. Besides being intrusive it also caused several men to lose their jobs.
The Judge (a Federal Judge) determined that this was unlawful and barred the US Marshals or any other Law Enforcement Agency from this type of blanket search in the entire company.
This action by the Bush Administration and the NSA violates that order as well as the United States Congress.
Like we didn't already know all this shit has nothing to do with terrorism and everything to do with GOP/Chimpy's political enemies hit list..... It's all just a hi-tech Nixonian redux..... The only real question is whether or not anyones going to step up legally and bring it to a screeching halt... Or if that's even possible as long as Bush/Cheney still breath.....JD
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 8:
Sorry, i meant country.
Fruedian slip.
Stunned? Not Me. Anyone?
CHRIST ON A CRACKER, IMPEACH THEM ALREADY!!!!!
Dear NSA: please focus on actual terrorism and not the political opponents of the conservative movement. Thank you for your consideration.
What bothers me is that the Democrats and the media keep giving these guys the benefit of the doubt, as if they'll suddenly tell us the truth after lying to us repeatedly.
In anticipation of the Republican response: Will you still feel that if you haven't done anything wrong you don't have anything to worry about when Obama is the President and Democrats control the Justice Department. and No this was not in response to 9/11 it had been happening before 9/11 and even after congress found out and banned the practice.
Stunned? Not me. I expected it would be so. There is nothing that the criminal bush administration wouldn't stoop to in order to carry out the new fascism.
So, everything I said back in 2003 was true. Our government was using fear and panic to justify a Stalinesque surveillance program, and start a massive fake war based on bullshit intelligence.
Fuck Bush. Fuck him and everything he stands for. Fuck his Administration. Fuck his party. And fuck all the stupid fucks who voted for him. And fuck the media who won't talk about this. And fuck the lousy stinking pieces of slime who stumble onto this site thinking they can defend this staggering horseshit. And all the motherfuckers from the government trolling this site looking for signs of dissent -- take a number. I'll fuck you and your mommies too.
why do we even HAVE a Congress when this administration does what the fuck ever it wants, when it wants and cites executive privilege!! I am beyond pissed at Pelosi, Conyers, Reid etc what must the evil little George have on them that NSA fetched?
slippy hussein toad @ 17:
I second the motion.
I am not at all stunned. It's why, in my poverty, I manage to scrape together $35 a year for the ACLU. I don't think their work can be lauded too much.
Finding real terrorists? Hah. Next up, ridding World of Warcraft of the t3rr0rist threat.
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”
– George W. Bush (August 5, 2004)
Pol Pot-O-Cheesesauce @ 19:
I third that emotion!
Errrr, not news. I was involved in analysing TIA on behalf of public interest groups when it was in the news and when it "went away" we all knew it had just acquired black funding instead of above the line funding. But did the world listen in the meantime?
erick @ 18:
Well, your first statement is telling it like it is, yet, by the time the second statement rolls around, you forgot what you just typed.
lafin gas @ 23:
Fourth.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 4:
I support a measure [no pun intented] to forever keep that information under wraps.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 26:
Fifth
miss_kitty Hussein @ 20:
We support the ACLU and the EFF. It's a little late to complain after the Michaels (Hayden, McConnell, Mukasey) have taken your liberties away.
Verdillac @ 27:
Me too. Thank you for your support [no pun intented].
Now can we shut the USA down...?
slippy hussein toad @ 17:
C'mon slip-Tell em how You Really feel,don't hold back. Me,too BTW
Verdillac @ 31:
Let's start with the NSA and the Defense Intelligence Agency and see where it leads us.
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”
– George W. Bush (August 5, 2004)
you know....the more I think about it... Remember Tommy Thompson sec of ?? saying "I don't understand why they don't poision our food system, it'd be so easy to do." I will NEVER forget that... they don't want to put labels on food to protect us, they slaughter sick animals and put it in the food chain...
also when Bush started his first term he gave us a little rebate, then 911 happened. now the end (thankfuckinggod) of his final term is up he's giving us little rebate checks again and valla...I just wonder if our October surprise this year will be a 'terrorist' attack here at home or some fake Gulf of Tonkin crap over there w/Iran oy my head hurts...
*heads to frig for cold one*
Are we going to wait until Bush/Cheney declare absolute power...?
It won't be long now till ISP's restrict our use of the internet. Restrictions will be placed on any government disapproved information. Freedom of information will turn into restricted information and we will all be subject to paranoia, spying by our friends and neighbors and searches of our homes in the name of anti-terrorism. It's coming, people.
more at my blog...
Wasn't the TIA supposed to be run by Poindexter -he of Iran-Contra fame? Should have known then that this abomination wasn't gonna die. Like everything else, the Bush regime just moved it "off the books" as the saying goes.
Verdillac @ 35:
There is some need for them to do that?
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”
– George W. Bush (August 5, 2004)
Those were probably the only true words ever uttered by George Duhbya Bush.
Just popped a cold one also. I need it when I finish here. hey Verdi! That was fun over there!
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 38:
they don't need to, but they could and might just"because they can"...do you honestly think they're going to want to walk away from their positions of power?
Impeach now.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 38:
Declarations are for the Democrats. Those guys don't declare shit, they just go ahead and DO.
SDB @ 24:
I went to a lecture given by Poindexter in 2004 and he admitted this unequivocally.
David Hawes @ 40:
It's a fun I could do without...I like the was G.A.F insinuated that I beat my wife, because i eat meat...very cute...I eat *ahem* nevermind what I beat either!
Odds on the next election happening? I won't take that bet.
ok , is some goverment agency hacking c & l , been having the same problem for the last 5 days , c & l freezes up , anyone else ? . What did I read about the gov doing a cyber-war excrise this week ah that explains alot .
Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security,will not have,nor do they deserve,either one. Benjamin Franklin
David Hawes @ 46:
They are not really that stupid. They have made and will make plenty of money. Their financial losses in a civil war would be astronomical.
Ooops! I'm being 'defeatist',agin.
Verdillac @ 45:
Well, when you insuate someone wants to blow up a recruiting station because they aren'tfor animal cruelty you kinda ask for it don't ya think? As they say, if you can't stand the heat..
David N @ 47:
No, it happens to me too. Server problems and badwith problems and software problems are my sense of it.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 49:
they are that stupid...this website exists solely to document that they are that stupid...no one wants more to be proven wrong but me, however, the wait and see approach is flirting with suicide.
All right! Mud wrasselin at C & L ! Yaaahoooo!
as if a Civil War would start....
Verdillac @ 53:
And the other option?
Verdillac @ 31:
V.A.A. the anarchist!
David Hawes @ 54:
olive oil is more sensuous....
Verdillac @ 58:
The sex thread is...
Damn! I can't find it.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 56:
for those who really love the country, will not think twice about jail time, inconvenience or death...only about the obligation of every citizen of the USA
Verdillac @ 58:
Hell use real butter and piss Ruthie off.
Some time in the early 90's at UCLA, James Bamford said that only two things limited the scope of the NSA's data collection on US citizens: their budget & the available technology. Somebody responded along the lines of "well yea, that and our elected government", to which JB smiled and rolled his eyes.
I'm glad he decided to join the ACLU lawsuit: it was obviously a difficult thing for him to do.
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/23478res20060116.html
The things i've seen done with data-mining (not just *trends*, but incredibly smart/accurate _prediction_) are scary, and that was just with some companies pitching to large advertising agencies... almost a decade ago! Can't imagine what the NSA has going on with those bottomless pockets and Dick Cheney hovering over their shoulders.
The scope of the databases the Army keeps on its enlisted are extensive, perpetual, and always growing. They'd have everybody believe it's all just routine personnel management ala:
http://www.defenselink.mil/privacy/notices/army/A0680-31a_AHRC.html
But that's not the way it really works (is anybody surprised?).
David Hawes @ 61:
done!
There simply aren't enough people in America who care about this.
Verdillac @ 60:
Meaning what? What are we supposed to do? Go out and kill a police officer?
You suggestions of some kind of mass uprising is not constructive.
Verdillac @ 63:
Serenity now!!
If The Thugs are leaving,why are they spying on Us? Hmmmm?
David Hawes @ 67:
They are also spying on Congress. The dirt they have on them is keeping them in line.
Yup.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 52:
A tech-nerd friend of mine thinks that it's one of the ads on the site causing the problem. 'Cause I'm having those problems, too. Time to switch to Firefox....
If anyone here can honestly say there is nothing in your history that if publically disclosed would be embarrassing to the point that your political career (if you had one) would be over then i bet you are also a virgin.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 65:
okay, then let's all be led away to die, Peacefully. while everyone else did nothing but boo hoo.
I never said kill a police officer...that's your baggage!
Verdillac @ 72:
I am trying to pin down what your idea is, you have brought this up before but you never say what your idea is.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 73:
I've said it pretty clearly. You don't like it...it is inconvenient.
I've long ago assumed my fate to being led to some Gulag out west somewhere.
Verdillac @ 55:
Ssssh! It's time for American Idol! Survivor: Another Godforsaken Spot With Rats! Glenn Beck! Anything where someone can tell me what to think ... thinking is so hard. Must not think. Must comply. Consume. Wear a flag lapel pin. Put a Jesus fish on my car.
Warispeaceignoranceisstrengthslaveryisfreedom.
One night someone suggested destroying Selective Service records, which is a fine idea and has been done before. The problem is doing anything without understanding the consequences and really thinking about them. Destroying Selective Service records, as an example is a Federal Felony which could get you ten years in jail followed by never getting a good job for the rest of your life.
Actions have consequences. To just willy nilly suggest people go "do something" is irresponsible.
David Hawes @ 75:
with some pacifist next to you trying to convince you that we must "reason with them".
All with an air of Moral Superiority.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 73:
Way to go, call him on his shit! Watch out though Verdillac is a "bomb thrower". If he doesn't agree with you he will accuse you of wanting to blow up a recruiting station or in your case of of wanting to kill a police officer. Starting to see a disturbing pattern here, Verdi's a loose cannon and flame thrower.
Verdillac @ 78:
Fuck you! I am a Pacifist!
I am not a FUCKING LAMB!
If you are so fucking brave and tough, lead by example.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 77:
Doing the right thing means being scared of the consequences some other time.
Go ahead and be afraid...
Bush Fears Nothing...Some of Us Fear Bush...Not All.
Ruthless People @ 79:
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Take your meds before You blow an artery.
David Hawes @ 82:
go to you gulag already.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 80:
Methinks the Pacifist Doth Protest too much...
I'll lead, you cheer from a safe cozy distance then.
Agent provocateur.
Ruthless People @ 83:
Don't worry My dear-They'll come for You,too.
Verdillac @ 84:
At least he's not calling for the overthrow of the US like you are in post #31. Why do you hate America Verdi?
David Hawes @ 86:
Those of us who eat meat will have the energy to run farther, and fight harder....
and pelosi took impeachment off the table exactly why?...
Verdillac @ 84:
How many times have you been arrested for Civil Disobedience?
I have been arrested about 30 times from March 1974 to April 1992 (six times at the White House).
Each and every time sucked. You don't know what you are talking about. You don't know what you are asking people to do and worse you have never done it.
David Hawes @ 86:
So long as we aren't roomies I think I can handle it.
David Hawes @ 75:
Hope mine is in Florida. No wait those are just gated communities.
'Civil disobedience' never saved one life. And ,apparently,did stop The Thugs.
Peter G @ 92:
Gatored communities.
I meant Didn't.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 90:
Methinks it wasn't civil disobedience rather attempted anarchy.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 4:
I think this should be on a strictly need to know basis. But I already have a pretty good idea of the size of your balls. Rock on.
David Hawes @ 93:
*shrugs*
Ruthless People @ 96:
Maybe so, but if he can't take an arrest he sure as hell has no right asking people to take up arms.
Ruthless People @ 96:
...not you Hussein, Verdillac.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 94:
I live in Floriduh. Those are Gatored ghettos.
Nice country you guys used to have.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 99:
Sorry Hussein, I misread that as Verdillac's post. It was directed at him not you.
David Hawes @ 93:
Norway confounded the Germans with it during World War II. Ghandi drove Britain out of India with it and the Civil Rights movement brought us out of the "White Ages."
Hey guys. Let's remember we're all on the same side. Bickering gets US no where.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 99:
I remember raising my right hand (at a recruiting center) and swearing I would catch a bullet....to uphold and defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic...I haven't forgotten that promise.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 104:
apparently not...Ferraro anyone?
Verdillac @ 106:
*wipes tear*
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 104:
OK. I'll concede that. But my point is,sometimes waving signs and singing Kum By Ya makes people feel good and doesn't stop Thugs from ruining OUR nation.
David Hawes @ 109:
Thank You!
Verdillac @ 110:
Praise Jesus!
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 104:
Against a foe with a conscience or at least under the view of an independent press it is awesomely effective. Against a Stalin or a Pol Pot not so much. So what do we have here.Georgie and friends just don't have the balls.
Verdillac @ 110:
Just trying to get US all together to solve the threat to our progeny.
Peter G @ 112:
Thatwas a typo. I meant to say'didn't'.
It's 3:00am and the phone rings. Where's Verdillac!?
David Hawes @ 113:
I agree, but that is neither Civil Disobedience nor all that creative. What really needs to be done is figuring out a way to place public pressure to create real change. One way to do that is getting the truth out and figuring out a way to make that truth have actual political consequences. Figuring that out is our biggest challenge.
(Pardon my delayed response i had to reboot.)
Andy K Jong Il @ 70:
It's actually worse with Firefox, at least on my MacBook. Safari is somewhat better but it still freezes up. It's only happening to me with C&L comment threads.
[deleted---don't do that on this site.]
Ruthless People @ 91:
Arrrghhh! That would be....torture!
The Truth is there for all to see for those who wish to see it. People don't want The Truth.
How will the ACLU do a FOIA.
Didn't bushco move the FOIA Director to Montana in the woods somewhere, without a phone?
BTW I donate to the ACLU. Time to ramp up again.
David Hawes @ 119:
I already went down that thought process path. Can't you be a little more original?
Everytime I hear a click on my phone (and I do !) I just say:
hey fattie NSA traitor ... can you see your toes, then I start talking every other language imaginable. Anything to "short circuit" them.
They will get their KARMA, that I know for sure.
Including the enablers (are you listening Pelosi, Reid, Feinstein, Emmanuel, sHillary, etc.)
David Hawes @ 120:
Truth, it turns out, is quite subjective. You've posted some interesting stuff and acquitted yourself well enough. There is one thing that is apt to get you labeled a nutter around here and that is identifying something as "The Truth" and claiming to have a monopoly on ownership thereof. Careful..
Ruthless People @ 122:
Original? Naw,Not Me. I'm a animal hating meat eater. Slows down....brain .....cells .
Peter G @ 124:
'A nutter' would be some of the kinder labels applied to Me. Like I give a s--t.
I claim no 'monopoly' on anything.' Subjective truth' is what NeoCons have a monopoly on.
Drew @ 118:
Sorry, didn't mean to scare anyone. Don't want anyone to be black-bagged. Do you really think the NSA is watching this site? Don't worry, I have a PC tracker tracker, so I know who is doing it.
I wonder how our kids are going to live. Since we all have lost our electronic privacy, maybe they will lose their identities. God damn! Why are they using China as the example?
O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
:-(
David Hawes @ 125:
Recognizing the problem is the first step towards recovery. Good for you. Next step is giving up the cruelty based diet. You're halfway there, don't give up!
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 4:
You have the sympathy of the entire NSA.
The secret is OVERKILL.... write blogs to everyone... use other peoples' email addresses... throw that occasional evil word into your everyday phonecall...
IN THE INFORMATION AGE, THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN TOO LITTLE INFORMATION
-----IS TOO MUCH INFORMATION
Big Dick Cheney @ 130:
hehe.
geneHUSSEIN214 @ 39:
Except for the line about a dictatorship is okay...so long as he's the dictator.
I never could believe the TIA could have "stopped," anyway. Everyone knows government jobs are like matter- they cannot be destroyed.
janehusseinfromhell @ 133:
The only time Bush tells the truth is during his Fruedian slip fuck ups, like this jewel after 911:
"We never stop thinking of ways to get Saddam Hussein....I mean Osama Bin Laden"
Big Dick Cheney @ 131:
That's an awesome idea. Crash their system! Free the Net!
Verdillac @ 28:
Motion sustained. Everybody is now fucked.
xoites Hussein defends Constitution @ 4:
Not even the NSA has enough technology or power to detect something so transitory, insignificant, and fleeting.
Card carrying member here, and no apologies.
...
I'm not worried, we have 300 million fire arms in this country.
Once they decide to fuck with us, it's over..........for them.
How many public officials, governors, members of Congress, and civil servants are being blackmailed by information gleaned by the NSA and its "Total Information" sieve?
MicronOmeter @ 137:
Surely you jest. :)
MicronOmeter @ 137:
Sorry.
I meant to say "Shirley."
I think it's time for Elliot Spitzer to sue the NSA/HS/FBI for spying on him without a warrant. He definitely has standing and those jackasses on the SCOTUS don't stand a chance arguing against him.
.
The NSA knows the PRON we surf.
.
slippy hussein toad @ 17:
What kind of Americans argue to be less American?
I was born into a Nation whose Forefathers fought to throw off TYRANNY.
One of the defining characteristics to being an American is the FREEDOM from a form of Government that needs to spy on it's citizenry; The FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY!
Thus the Fourth Amendment.
R E M E M B E R:
THEY(sic) HATE US FOR OUR FREEDOMS...
And now THEY(sic) lobby and debate the merits to undermining those very characteristics, those FREEDOMS!
WHAT DOES CONGRESS SUPPORT AND DEFEND
IF NOT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE U.S.A.?
.
bkeeper @ 143:
They had a warrant to tap.
He needs to sue his bank for turning over his/their record to the FBI without his consent OR a warrant!
.
Burr Oak @ 140:
What accountability?
What Impeachment?
What patriotism to one's nation?
What Oath of Office?
.
Big Dick Cheney @ 131:
I work in a phone bank calling you during dinner time.
I dial hundreds of phone numbers a day.
Occasionally I have to dial 411(information) for lost phone numbers.
411 is outsourced to Indonesia, India, etc.
Today, one of the people I called answered, "Hello, Guantanamo Bay Transport. How may I direct your call."
I burst out laughing...
We had a good talk.
He bought my product.
I'm sure the NSA has the transcripts.
.
Big Dick Cheney @ 131:
Ahh, so many "evil words", so little time...
Looks like a Jack Bauer graphic.
I prefer Peter Max.
http://www.treadwaygallery.com/ONLINECATALOGS/March2004/modWEB/0824.jpg
Just kidding here's my fave:
http://www.justkiss.com/psp/erte_top_hats.jpg
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