Personally I don’t have a problem with all this NSA spying be it directed at US citizens, foreign “allies” or whomever. If you’re not doing anything wrong…then what’s the ISSUE! Everyone SCREAMS bloody murder when a terrorist event happens like in Boston this Spring. Well why didn’t we know about it in advance and blah…blah…blah…and all the other bleating that goes on. Hey…boys and girls…how do you think we’re going to catch these folks?!? Wait for them to run a recruitment ad in the Jihadi Times looking for additional participants?!? Really people?…come on! No one seemed to mind those Boston guys were primarily quickly apprehended by surveillance camera’s. However most folks still think this is some form of “privacy invasion”. Can anyone say “forensic” usage?!? They’re not used to see if you’re smoking a doobie on the street so Big Brother can send the authorities. It’s used AFTER a crime. By the way, I consider myself to be a “liberal” as opposed to being “conservative” so I’m not some right wing nut. Let’s try some uncommon “common sens” for a change.
The real terror in the “war on terror” has proven to be the “Patriot Act”, and creation of 32 new agencies in “Homeland Security”, under Bush, not just NSA.
Agreed that Mr. Obama owns this now. I do not believe your statement that any president would have done the same thing as Mr. Bush. The PATRIOT act had been developed and refined for years, just waiting for the opportunity to present it to a confused, stunned public incapable of thinking clearly. Be fair: this legislation was very far-reaching, and very lengthy. There is no way it could have been written and ready soon enough to be ready to vote on just days after 9/11. SOMEONE wanted this power grab, and was just waiting for the opportunity to make it happen. Some of us believe that the opportunity was manufactured just for this purpose.
Regardless, the fact that Mr. Obama in fact expanded the programs does not prove that the programs are valuable, necessary, or desired. Another in a series of disappointments from the Obama administration.
Osama bin Ladin had two goals: one was to fundamentally change life in America: to reduce freedom and increase paranoia. The other was to bankrupt the US by having us spend money we don’t have so that we can chase our tails. His goals have been mostly accomplished, thanks to the do-before-you-think responses from the Bush administration. The fact that the Obama administration has not reversed these travesties does not mean they are not travesties, nor does it mean they should not be reversed.
It either means Mr. Obama is equally incorrect, or, equally likely, it is further proof that when government spends lots of money and resources on a questionable approach, it cannot be stopped, regardless of any evidence that may prove it to be worthless (see “War on Drugs”, “Star Wars missile defense shield”, and plenty of others).
Contrary to the above, it seems that every time a new, intrusive technology is found to snoop on citizens, the first thing the government does is give it to the narcs to play with. We now have these SWAT teams busting into homes at midnight on flimsy tips about drugs, and they have more armor than a squad of troops in Iraq, and less judgement than a trio of singing sailors on leave in an MGM musical.
eugene57 over 10 years ago
Yes, there are those on all sides, some are for this to protect America, others against it to protect Americans.
lbasflorida over 10 years ago
yep, Govmint gone to the dogs!!!
rawsea over 10 years ago
Personally I don’t have a problem with all this NSA spying be it directed at US citizens, foreign “allies” or whomever. If you’re not doing anything wrong…then what’s the ISSUE! Everyone SCREAMS bloody murder when a terrorist event happens like in Boston this Spring. Well why didn’t we know about it in advance and blah…blah…blah…and all the other bleating that goes on. Hey…boys and girls…how do you think we’re going to catch these folks?!? Wait for them to run a recruitment ad in the Jihadi Times looking for additional participants?!? Really people?…come on! No one seemed to mind those Boston guys were primarily quickly apprehended by surveillance camera’s. However most folks still think this is some form of “privacy invasion”. Can anyone say “forensic” usage?!? They’re not used to see if you’re smoking a doobie on the street so Big Brother can send the authorities. It’s used AFTER a crime. By the way, I consider myself to be a “liberal” as opposed to being “conservative” so I’m not some right wing nut. Let’s try some uncommon “common sens” for a change.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
The real terror in the “war on terror” has proven to be the “Patriot Act”, and creation of 32 new agencies in “Homeland Security”, under Bush, not just NSA.
I Play One On TV over 10 years ago
Agreed that Mr. Obama owns this now. I do not believe your statement that any president would have done the same thing as Mr. Bush. The PATRIOT act had been developed and refined for years, just waiting for the opportunity to present it to a confused, stunned public incapable of thinking clearly. Be fair: this legislation was very far-reaching, and very lengthy. There is no way it could have been written and ready soon enough to be ready to vote on just days after 9/11. SOMEONE wanted this power grab, and was just waiting for the opportunity to make it happen. Some of us believe that the opportunity was manufactured just for this purpose.
Regardless, the fact that Mr. Obama in fact expanded the programs does not prove that the programs are valuable, necessary, or desired. Another in a series of disappointments from the Obama administration.
Osama bin Ladin had two goals: one was to fundamentally change life in America: to reduce freedom and increase paranoia. The other was to bankrupt the US by having us spend money we don’t have so that we can chase our tails. His goals have been mostly accomplished, thanks to the do-before-you-think responses from the Bush administration. The fact that the Obama administration has not reversed these travesties does not mean they are not travesties, nor does it mean they should not be reversed.
It either means Mr. Obama is equally incorrect, or, equally likely, it is further proof that when government spends lots of money and resources on a questionable approach, it cannot be stopped, regardless of any evidence that may prove it to be worthless (see “War on Drugs”, “Star Wars missile defense shield”, and plenty of others).
thezar over 10 years ago
Just remember that anyone who claims to know what someone else thought is at least wrong and probably trying to accomplish something!!
Kip W over 10 years ago
Contrary to the above, it seems that every time a new, intrusive technology is found to snoop on citizens, the first thing the government does is give it to the narcs to play with. We now have these SWAT teams busting into homes at midnight on flimsy tips about drugs, and they have more armor than a squad of troops in Iraq, and less judgement than a trio of singing sailors on leave in an MGM musical.