If it wasn’t time already, it may now be advantageous to fit yourself for one of those tin foil hats. In fact our founding editor has already called up lid-maker New Era and asked its employees to get busy on a custom-fitted, tin foil-lined hat in his 7-3/8″ size.
Why? Because the federal government’s massive domestic spying program is much more expansive and invasive than anyone initially suspected – just as Edward Snowden promised. Meanwhile the administration of Barack Obama continues to deliberately lie to the public about its scope and capabilities
According to Snowden – the heroic former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who first exposed our government’s Orwellian spy network – he could “wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant, to a federal judge or even the president, if I had a personal email.” Oh, and do so without permission from our rubber stamp, secretive spy court.
The federal government denied this claim – and called Snowden a liar. Who was correct? Once again, Snowden was.
According to documents obtained by The (U.K.) Guardian, the NSA uses a program called “XKeyscore” to track internet searches, emails, online chats and “nearly everything a typical user does on the internet.”
Wow …
The exposure of “XKeyscore” comes as the Obama administration pushes back against its critics regarding the nation’s domestic spying program – selectively releasing a handful of documents in advance of a congressional hearing into the issue.
“We need straightforward answers and I’m concerned we’re not getting them,” U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) said. “I think the patience of the American people is beginning to wear thin, but what has to be of more concern in a democracy is the trust of the American people is wearing thin.”
We concur wholeheartedly …
Astoundingly, the White House is standing by its original denials – attacking the credibility of The Guardian, which has been dead-on in its reporting.
“Some of the claims made in that article are false,” Obama spokesman Jay Carney told reporters. “As we’ve explained, and the intelligence community has explained, allegations of widespread, unchecked analyst access to NSA collection data are false.”
Really? Then what’s this? Snowden has provided meticulous documentation in support of his claims to the contrary. All the Obama administration has provided is lies. And that leaves just one unnerving, unmistakable conclusion to draw from all this: They are tracking everything.
(Banner via)
46 comments
And that includes this site. Horrors! Have they gotten GrandTango? If so, who is next?
Tango is busy over at “The State”.
And that includes this site. Horrors! Have they gotten GrandTango? If so, who is next?
Tango is busy over at “The State”.
Government has some pretty dangerous tools now, it is only a matter of time before they are used to oppress the masses. History will attest to that.
“Only a matter of time”, that is pretty funny.
The powers that be have little interest in oppressing the masses, too much work. No, you shut up those who have the potential to cause change or at least make things mildly difficult for you. This is why bongo banging hippes are eco-terrorists; they don’t want anyone effecting the commodity prices.
Don’t believe me? Start some environmental group and see how many in law enforcement show up to your meeting, the meeting you only told 5 people about. Where was it, Eugene Oregon? The public didn’t care and they won’t care tomorrow.
Yeah, not really. The tree huggers own the EPA and the hippies own congress. They pretty much live together now.
Now start a group with the some of these words in it…?
TP
Tea
Conservative
Libertarian
Gun
2nd
Amendment
Tread
Limited
It goes far beyond the IRS thing into smaller matters that trickle from the top down to local law enforcement agencies. I brought the hippies in Eugene Oregon (that is still being hammered out in the courts) because these guys are largely not even thought of by the American public (if you need a good barometer, don’t look at yourself, look at the people you could care less about), yet we still get follow-up legislation attempting to brand them eco-terrorists because it worries monied interests (if that isn’t an admission of guilt I don’t know what is).
It goes on with the left and the right. Anyone who gains (or attempts to gain) traction in a narrative that goes beyond the two party rhetoric will increasingly find themselves monitored and shut up. Whether it be small tea party groups or free speech zoned anti-war protesters or even kids with bongos, the crack down on small time dissent will become more and more pervasive.
Granted we’ve always done this. It has always been safe to assume that a fed was in the crowd playing the agent provocateur, but never before has it so easy to shut up groups who haven’t really organized. The freedom of assembly isn’t what it use to be.
Yes. I generally agree. Particularly relating to the ‘small time’ groups. Too much money involved for Green Peace or the EPA or the Teamsters to allow any other players on the field.
Dupes don’t require repressing, sad to say.
Good point, most put the cuffs on themselves while waving flags and smiling.
Government has some pretty dangerous tools now, it is only a matter of time before they are used to oppress the masses. History will attest to that.
“Only a matter of time”, that is pretty funny.
The powers that be have little interest in oppressing the masses, too much work. No, you shut up those who have the potential to cause change or at least make things mildly difficult for you. This is why bongo banging hippes are eco-terrorists; they don’t want anyone effecting the commodity prices.
Don’t believe me? Start some environmental group and see how many in law enforcement show up to your meeting, the meeting you only told 5 people about. Where was it, Eugene Oregon? The public didn’t care and they won’t care tomorrow.
Yeah, not really. The tree huggers own the EPA and the hippies own congress. They pretty much live together now.
Now start a group with the some of these words in it…?
TP
Tea
Conservative
Libertarian
Gun
2nd
Amendment
Tread
Limited
It goes far beyond the IRS thing into smaller matters that trickle from the top down to local law enforcement agencies. I brought the hippies in Eugene Oregon (that is still being hammered out in the courts) because these guys are largely not even thought of by the American public (if you need a good barometer, don’t look at yourself, look at the people you could care less about), yet we still get follow-up legislation attempting to brand them eco-terrorists because it worries monied interests (if that isn’t an admission of guilt I don’t know what is).
It goes on with the left and the right. Anyone who gains (or attempts to gain) traction in a narrative that goes beyond the two party rhetoric will increasingly find themselves monitored and shut up. Whether it be small tea party groups or free speech zoned anti-war protesters or even kids with bongos, the crack down on small time dissent will become more and more pervasive.
Granted we’ve always done this. It has always been safe to assume that a fed was in the crowd playing the agent provocateur, but never before has it so easy to shut up groups who haven’t really organized. The freedom of assembly isn’t what it use to be.
Yes. I generally agree. Particularly relating to the ‘small time’ groups. Too much money involved for Green Peace or the EPA or the Teamsters to allow any other players on the field.
Dupes don’t require repressing, sad to say.
Good point, most put the cuffs on themselves while waving flags and smiling.
The dystopian fantasies of yesteryear are now a reality. We’ve allowed the coming of an age where the civil liberties our forefathers fought so hard for are being eroded by the day. Freedom of Press, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly are mere ghostly images of their original intent. We’ve woken up to an Orwellian Society of Fear where anyone is at the mercy of being labeled a terrorist for standing up for rights we took for granted just over a decade ago. Read about how we’re waging war against ourselves at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-in-society-of-fear-ten-years.html
It’s stacked against us in favor of the rich and famous no matter what party brandt http://zautos.com/bobby-brown-serves-nine-hours-in-jail-for-third-dui/
Bobby Brown Serves Nine Hours in Jail for Third DUI
by ZAUTOS.COM on MARCH 21, 2013
While California is known for having some of the toughest DUI laws in the nation, it seems Bobby Brown has been let off easy. He was released Wednesday after serving nine hours of his 55-day jail sentence for driving under the influence.
L.A. County sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore told the media that Brown was released early due to jail overcrowding and good behavior.
Bobby Brown Serves Nine Hours in Jail for Third DUI
The sad thing is, nine hours is a rough sentence compared to what many SC politicos end up getting for driving drunk.
LOL The real power would pick a non jury trial and be found not guilty
The dystopian fantasies of yesteryear are now a reality. We’ve allowed the coming of an age where the civil liberties our forefathers fought so hard for are being eroded by the day. Freedom of Press, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly are mere ghostly images of their original intent. We’ve woken up to an Orwellian Society of Fear where anyone is at the mercy of being labeled a terrorist for standing up for rights we took for granted just over a decade ago. Read about how we’re waging war against ourselves at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-in-society-of-fear-ten-years.html
It’s stacked against us in favor of the rich and famous no matter what party brandt http://zautos.com/bobby-brown-serves-nine-hours-in-jail-for-third-dui/
Bobby Brown Serves Nine Hours in Jail for Third DUI
by ZAUTOS.COM on MARCH 21, 2013
While California is known for having some of the toughest DUI laws in the nation, it seems Bobby Brown has been let off easy. He was released Wednesday after serving nine hours of his 55-day jail sentence for driving under the influence.
L.A. County sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore told the media that Brown was released early due to jail overcrowding and good behavior.
Bobby Brown Serves Nine Hours in Jail for Third DUI
The sad thing is, nine hours is a rough sentence compared to what many SC politicos end up getting for driving drunk.
LOL The real power would pick a non jury trial and be found not guilty
I’m curious. What position did you take on the passage of the Patriot Act? What position did you take on all this spying when its existence was made public back in 2006? Did you support the ACLU and other progressive groups when they complained about the changes to the FISA designed to facilitate these programs? Did you complain when laws were passed giving the wireless companies immunity for providing confidential information to the government without a warrant? Did you post pictures of Bush when the ACLU proved in court they were spying on Americans without a warrant, in clear violation of Federal Law?
From the Guardian article. “The NSA documents contend that by the year 2008, 300 terrorists had been captured using information gathered with XKeyscore.”
The heyday of this program was 2004 to 2008. Why are you suddenly concerned?
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Better late than never, right?
Did you support the ACLU and other progressive groups when they
complained about the changes to the FISA designed to facilitate these
programs?
There were several conservative groups (and tons of libertarian groups too) that spoke out against these things. Also, several progressive groups have either quieted down or completely shut up about it since Obama started expanding these powers. This is an issue that I would hope all sides of the political spectrum could agree on, that this is not acceptable behavior for government regardless of who is in power.
I’m curious. What position did you take on the passage of the Patriot Act? What position did you take on all this spying when its existence was made public back in 2006? Did you support the ACLU and other progressive groups when they complained about the changes to the FISA designed to facilitate these programs? Did you complain when laws were passed giving the wireless companies immunity for providing confidential information to the government without a warrant? Did you post pictures of Bush when the ACLU proved in court they were spying on Americans without a warrant, in clear violation of Federal Law?
From the Guardian article. “The NSA documents contend that by the year 2008, 300 terrorists had been captured using information gathered with XKeyscore.”
The heyday of this program was 2004 to 2008. Why are you suddenly concerned?
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Better late than never, right?
Did you support the ACLU and other progressive groups when they
complained about the changes to the FISA designed to facilitate these
programs?
There were several conservative groups (and tons of libertarian groups too) that spoke out against these things. Also, several progressive groups have either quieted down or completely shut up about it since Obama started expanding these powers. This is an issue that I would hope all sides of the political spectrum could agree on, that this is not acceptable behavior for government regardless of who is in power.
USSA! USSA! USSA!
USSA! USSA! USSA!
Rational people often buy into conspiratorial ‘thinking’.It gives them a sense of control,but leads nowhere,although it does influence other easily impressionable minds.This is so reminiscent of Cold War propaganda,but this time,we’re turning it against ourselves.
Snowden is a criminal.Obama needs to be a man,and go get the little fucking bastard.
It’s disheartening to seem some of the people who believe this bullshit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5M_Ttstbgs
Rational people often buy into conspiratorial ‘thinking’.It gives them a sense of control,but leads nowhere,although it does influence other easily impressionable minds.This is so reminiscent of Cold War propaganda,but this time,we’re turning it against ourselves.
Snowden is a criminal.Obama needs to be a man,and go get the little fucking bastard.
It’s disheartening to seem some of the people who believe this bullshit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5M_Ttstbgs
Many bad guys and some good have gone down over the years with covert operations. With technology increasing exponentially any goverment of means will use it.
Many bad guys and some good have gone down over the years with covert operations. With technology increasing exponentially any goverment of means will use it.
Anyone want proof?
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/08/government-knocking-doors-because-google-searches/67864/
Anyone want proof?
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/08/government-knocking-doors-because-google-searches/67864/
Lighten up Francis…….
Lighten up Francis…….
Russia is not looking so bad these days.
Russia is not looking so bad these days.
As we contemplate the liberty-for-security bargain we’re being offered by our governments, our human brains are wired to make a terrible miscalculation:
–>”This is Your Brain on Terrorism” http://bit.ly/162DtWE
As we contemplate the liberty-for-security bargain we’re being offered by our governments, our human brains are wired to make a terrible miscalculation:
–>”This is Your Brain on Terrorism” http://bit.ly/162DtWE