Last weekend the New York Times published an opinion piece titled "Government Surveillance Keeps Us Safe". It's filled with ridiculous platitudes about how new "safeguards" in the reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, in particular Section 702, will protect Americans from intrusive overreach while simultaneously protecting us from evil and all that sort of thing. Those platitudes are nonsensical, as the article itself points out even while spouting them.
Civil libertarians argued that the surveillance bill erodes Americans’ privacy rights and pointed to examples when American citizens got entangled in investigations. Importantly, the latest version of the bill adds dozens of legal safeguards around the surveillance in question — the most expansive privacy reform to the legislation in its history. The result preserves critical intelligence powers while protecting Americans’ privacy rights in our complex digital age.
. . .
It is also true that the F.B.I. has broken the rules around these 702 database checks repeatedly in recent years. Agents ran improper queries related to elected officials and political protests. The wiretaps of Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser, also involved numerous violations of FISA rules. The Page wiretaps involved traditional FISA orders, not Section 702, but the bureau’s many errors there raised understandable doubts about whether it can be trusted to comply with other FISA rules.
. . .
The bill passed by Congress contains numerous reforms that will dramatically improve compliance. It sharply limits the number and ranks of F.B.I. agents who can run 702 queries, imposes strict penalties for misconduct and expands oversight by Congress and the courts.
There's more at the link.
It's so stupid it would almost be comical, if it weren't so serious. Yes, we admit that the FBI and other authorities have for years ignored all the safeguards and legal restrictions built into the FISA process: but the renewal legislation adds more safeguards and legal restrictions, which we're sure the FBI will not abuse this time! Really! We promise! Pinky swear!
We've seen the uncovering of the festering morass of corruption that has come to dominate our intelligence services over the years, turning them into instruments of political oppression rather than public safety. We've covered some of that information in these pages. If you've somehow missed it, Sundance has a long and very informative article covering the subject, which you should read carefully from start to finish. It's all true.
I hate to have to say that, because I too served in the Department of Justice. I was medically retired almost twenty years ago, at a time when the DOJ still emphasized justice rather than political correctness. I still associate with others who were "old-school" DOJ, who regarded the constitution and laws of this country as paramount rather than the partisan perspectives of any political party. However, the DOJ today appears to have almost completely lost that focus. The persecution of President Trump, and the victimization of the January 6 protesters, are just the best-known examples of how the Department has been politicized and weaponized. There are many more.
I've said before that "The FBI can no longer be trusted in any way, shape or form". Tucker Carlson has pointed out that "There's a reason the public's confidence in the FBI has plummeted". Dozens, if not scores and hundreds, of observers, commenters and experts have come to the same conclusion . . . yet the Gray Lady still has no problem playing the propaganda shill for that organization.
Peter
11 comments:
Commies gonna commie....
Somewhere in hell, Joseph Goebbels smiles.
And yet when George W. did it, they (rightfully) condemned it to Hell where it belongs.
Libocrites.
Who reads / pays attention to the NY Times is a useful political / social litmus test
One thing I have invested in are a couple of good faraday bags. When we have serious conversations regarding government, church, medical stuff, and a variety of other topics we either leave our electronic devices in a different room or put them in a faraday bag for the duration of the conversation. Cost me less than $100 and adds some security for private conversations in our own home.
The only reason to read the NYT or the WaPo is to know what the insane side of our society is thinking.
In the world of government, they use "legal safeguards" the same way regular people use a "trouble shooting guide".
Let's see, Gwbush. I knew he would take us to war against saddam one way or another. When campaigning against gore he was asked if he hated Saddam Hussain. His reply:"well he is the guy that tried to have my dad killed". The rest is history.
I will trust the FBI when the entire top echelons going back at least 20 years are all convicted and sentenced in federal court to multi-decade sentences, all their former employees are fired for cause, and barred for life from any federal, state, or local government employment, and the Hoover building is knocked to the ground whole, with all contents left inside and the rubble burned with napalm until nothing larger than grains of sand remain.
Not one second before that.
They break the law and do not suffer the consequences. This they continue to do. They dishonor and otherwise ignore the Constitution. They run full steam, unfettered, towards the feudalism of a tiered justice system operating under socialism.
We know what they are about, we see every day what they do. All one can do now is to prepare themselves for the continued onslaught. And expect the crescendo thought it probably will not come. Instead, a continuation until with a final whimper it is complete. While it is entirely disgusting, the worse of it is the idleness when faced by wickedness.
But what is new? What are they doing differently? I see only a continuation of what is. The only new thing is they are further along than yesterday.
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