FISA Court Ruled NSA Program Unconstitutional, Said NSA Misled Them

Link to article

So "our" government even lies in secret!

White House on Amash NSA Amendment

Link to statement

"This blunt approach is not the product of an informed, open, or deliberative process."

How ironic.

Oliver Stone on the NSA: 'The Government's Gigantic Surveillance Machine is Eating Our Freedom'

Link to article

"We did not pass the Fourth Amendment in order to protect those with something to hide.  We passed that amendment, which prohibits general warrants or limitless surveillance, because we know all too well the costs of an unaccountable government.  The question is not "do you have something to hide?"  The question is whether We control government or the government controls us."

US Postal Service Logging All Mail for Law Enforcement

Link to article

Not surprised, but still newsworthy.

Ecuador Says It Found a Hidden Microphone at Its London Embassy

Link to article

Not only is the US spying on 300+ million Americans, but it is also spying in foreign embassies! (surprised? - you shouldn't be)

James Clapper, EU Play-Acting, and Political Priorities

Link to article

"How is this not a huge scandal? Intentionally deceiving Congress is a felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison for each offense...

Beyond its criminality, lying to Congress destroys the pretense of oversight. Obviously, members of Congress cannot exercise any actual oversight over programs which are being concealed by deceitful national security officials."

Top Experts Have Warned for 50 Years That Mass Surveillance Would Lead to Tyranny in America

Link to article

"You know, for us, this would have been a dream come true.  So much information, on so many people.

The dark side to gathering such a broad, seemingly untargeted, amount of information is obvious.

It is the height of naivete to think that once collected this information won’t be used. This is the nature of secret government organizations." - Wolfgang Schmidt, former Stasi lieutenant colonel

Unfit To Be the Ruler of a Free People

“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...a descent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

So begins the Declaration of Independence, one of the most recognizable documents in American history.  Most Americans can recite the “unalienable rights” of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” but, unfortunately, many have a hard time putting the document in context or applying it to today’s government.

After the preamble, the Declaration explains the authors’ beliefs in what “all men” are entitled to, what is necessary for these entitlements, and how much typical “men” will put up with.  The forgotten section (and arguably the most important section in relation to the present) of the Declaration comes next – the list of grievances.

1776 was a transitional year in the colonists’ fight for their rights.  In January, Common Sense, a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine, was published and circulated widely around the colonies.  Paine argued that their fight was not with Parliament, as it had been for the previous decade, but with the King.  Parliament was elected by the People while a king’s claim to the throne was hereditary.  Paine, again in Enlightenment fashion, argued that mankind was not supposed to be ruled by a king.  A king was merely a tyrant and violated the unwritten Social Contract between ruler and ruled.  Common Sense circulated widely throughout the colonies with 100,000 copies sold in just the first three months after it was published.  Without Common Sense, it is hard to imagine how Jefferson et. al. could have convinced the other colonists to get behind their document on July 4, 1776.

The grievances, then, solely target the king.  It is here that we get a sense of why the colonists felt the need to separate from their motherland.  These grievances are quite extensive because, as Jefferson explains in the previous section, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light or transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms of which they are accustomed.”  In other words, we’ll put up with a lot of crap when we get comfortable with our way of life.  Sadly, when put in context, many of these grievances can be applied to the United States government today.  Here are a few examples.

“He has refused to Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.”

In 21^st century America, laws are so numerous that it is difficult to keep track of them all.  However, there have been sensible bills that have been suggested or introduced which will never see the light of day.  The are two that come to mind immediately.  Representative Tom Marino (PA) introduced the One Subject at a Time Act which, as the title suggests, would require future bills to be limited to one subject - no more farm subsidies amendments in a defense spending bill, for instance.  The other bill which will never pass because of lobbying money is a bill which would require all genetically modified foods to be labeled.  Both these suggests seem “wholesome...for the public good” yet Congress refuses to recognize them as important topics. 

“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.”

When George Washington was elected president, he selected a cabinet that consisted of four members: the Secretary of State was to handle international relations, the Secretary of War was nominated to manage the military, the Secretary of the Treasury watched the money, and the Attorney General was the president’s legal consultant.  Today the cabinet consists of 15 departments all of which manage various agencies.  These new offices (TSA, IRS, FBI, NSA, CIA, etc.) have “swarms” of officers all over the nation who have been accused of spying on Americans, subverting political causes through agentprovocateurs, framing suspects, molesting travelers, and even druggingunsuspecting suspects.

“For protecting them [soldiers], by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States.”

If you take an honest look at today’s justice system you will realize how many innocent people are in jail and how many complete crooks have bought their way out of jail or have been punished by being sent to one of those nice white collar, resort prisons.

“In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

We the People have tried over and over again to push for reform.  Some reforms have been achieved, however, there are many reforms that Americans are demanding today and the avenues for said reform have been closing.  Petitions and emails/phone calls to “our” representatives are summarily ignored or rejected.  Voting in the two party system is ludicrous as there is very little difference between the Republicans and Democrats.  Protests are thwarted by sound cannons, pepper spray, or sometimes more extreme measures.  Political groups that shake the status quo are subverted by agents provacateurs.  Our repeated petitions have been met with repeated injury.

So what do we do?  Is it time to re-declare our independence?  Are these evils sufferable or is it a case of pop culture distractions?  If so, when will the evil become insufferable?

Biometric Database of All Adult Americans Hidden in Immigration Reform

Link to article

"For now, the legislation allows the database to be used solely for employment purposes. But historically such limitations don’t last. The Social Security card, for example, was created to track your government retirement benefits. Now you need it to purchase health insurance."

NSA Collected Americans' Email Records in Bulk For Two Years Under Obama

Link to article

"The collection of these records began under the Bush administration's wide-ranging warrantless surveillance program, collectively known by the NSA codename Stellar Wind."

NSA Whistleblower: NSA Spying On - And Blackmailing - Top Government Officials And Military Officers

Link to article

If not for blackmail, why else would they be spying on everyone?

More Than Half the Senate Skips Town Rather Than Attend Briefing About NSA Surveillance

Link to article

Your tax dollars at work!

More Americans See Man Who Leaked NSA Secrets as 'Patriot' Than Traitor

Link to article

Please post this poll wherever you see the talking points that a slight majority of Americans feel it is better to be safe than private.

Loretta Sanchez, Dem Rep, Says NSA Revelations Only 'The Tip of the Iceberg'

Link to article

They have plenty of storage space here!

US Preparing to Charge Snowden in NSA Leak - Report

Link to article

No surprise there.

Ron Paul on Piers Morgan

Secret Court Ruling Put Tech Companies in Data Bind

Link to article

"In a secret court in Washington, Yahoo’s top lawyers made their case. The government had sought help in spying on certain foreign users, without a warrant, and Yahoo had refused, saying the broad requests were unconstitutional.

"The judges disagreed. That left Yahoo two choices: Hand over the data or break the law.

"So Yahoo became part of the National Security Agency’s secret Internet surveillance program, Prism, according to leaked N.S.A. documents, as did seven other Internet companies."

Edward Snowden: The Whistleblower Behind the NSA Surveillance Revelations

Link to article

Obama Defends NSA, Says America Has to Make Choices Between Privacy and Security

Link to article

"He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security." - Benjamin Franklin

Intelligence Chief Clapper: I Gave 'Least Untruthful' Answer on US Spying

Link to article

What?!?