Federal Surveillance: The Threat to Americans' Security »
Posted By populist 10 months, 2 weeks ago in News
The more information government gathers on people, the more power it will have over them. The more power it has to monitor their peaceful activities, the more intimidated Americans will become. Regardless of the Bush administration’s intentions in its war on terrorism, the new federal powers threaten the rights and personal security of American citizens.
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populist
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CHAM10 months, 2 weeks ago
An excellent post. One filled with information, examples, and warnings. Memories are short especially when the people become complacent in their Constitutional rights. They are so easy to give away and almost impossible to regain.
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There are people who will argue that we need to empower our government to protect us but they refuse to take the time to find out what is being given up. These people support what has so trashed our nation for the last eight years. And they think it is good! Because they have been scared into believing that if it wasn't for those who are stealing our rights, we would have been nuked or been the recipient of terrorist action. -
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Gransater10 months, 2 weeks ago
As much as I dislike the goverment keeping tabs on me, in various forms, it allways surprises me that hardly anyone raises questions about the information that is freely traded to anyone willing to pay, by private enterprise down to unsavory details about your shopping habits, driving habits, phone habits, living, schools and other personal information.
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I do realise that the goverment can have a great deal of influence over my well being, if I'am perceived in some manner to step outside of norm, or get brought to their attention by someone possibly out for revenge of some perceived slight.
As bad as that is, in general terms, its nothing compared to how private enterprise controls your life, and how difficult it can be to correct an error. Like everything else, their knowledge of you do in many aspects facilitate you life, but the dark side can have unimaginable impact. All this knowledge about you is routinely dealt with by people with litle or no concern about your privacy, and are it seems accountable to their employer and no one else.
Why isn't there the same kind of upset about this private information out there.?
I avoid, unfortunately, Great Britain as if it was the pest impersonated, because of their intrusion in private life. I worry that we aren't to far away from it here. George Orwell had the right insight about the future, he just missed it by a few years.-
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Natureboy10 months, 2 weeks ago
"As bad as that is, in general terms, its nothing compared to how private enterprise controls your life"
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And it is largely private enterprise which controls the government.
Around and around we go.
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engineer10 months, 2 weeks ago
We now have Big Brother and the ending of Democracy through the hypocrites in the White House
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ProudBlueTexan10 months, 2 weeks ago
And no one can hide. Not in a cabin in the woods; not in another country. You are bought and paid for.
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lloydm6510 months, 2 weeks ago
My my Are you poor babies hiding from the big bad boogie man.I don't think so ,if your trying keep your information safe don't e-mail or text it around the world.The government doesn;t care about your pesonal info,but theres people that do.Tens of thousand of illegals sneak in to america every week or so.Their no longer coming broke,or just to hide out.Their bringing big bucks,and they know exactly where to check in.They will,in short order be just as legal as you or me.The part the U S government,is they don't take sides.John McCain tried to cram amnesty down our throats, Obama say's their as legal as you and me
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cleare10 months, 2 weeks ago
i'm shocked at the number of people who don't yet know that even their public library usage is being monitored.
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i went to a former soviet republic last year and noted elderly women speaking to each other and their faces were only 3 inches apart. i figured they had developed the habit so no one could hear what they were saying. a local resident added "...and no one can read their lips". it made the hair stand up on my arms. are we coming to this???
none of our distance communications are secure...you can be targeted on hear-say, you can be targeted for no reason at all.
anyone who thinks this supposed "national security" authority won't be abused doesn't remember nixon's "enemies list" or j edgar hoover.-
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allasam10 months, 2 weeks ago
Most people have this misguided faith that their own government just wouldn't DO that kind of thing. These are the ones who need to wake up. Now McCain is considering Tom Ridge as VP and this is the guy who implemented all this spying on citizens! And we wonder why people from Russia, Poland, Czeck Republic etc are suspicious of police and authority!
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4thchance10 months, 2 weeks ago
If you have nothing to hide, then what's the problem?
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On the other hand, if you're hiding something that is illegal, then I can understand why you have concerns. I suggest that you stop breaking the law, so you won't get caught at what ever you're doing that could get you into trouble!-
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cleare10 months, 2 weeks ago
boy...where do i start...
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innocent people were subjected to investigation and harrassment by minions of the nixon administration...i guess you don't remember his "enemies" list. and that was not the only administration to abuse surveillance powers for political purposes.
you have a very simple minded idea about cause and effect. what did the jews do before and during WWII to warrant the holocaust...or are you a holocaust denier?
what about cambodians during pol pot, or soviet citizens sent to gulags during stalin? what did they do wrong? in many cases nothing.
innocence is not sufficient protection against governments determined to hold power regardless of cost.
further, i don't think you'd be as sanguine about this intrusive policy if democrats had put it in place. tell me, how will you feel when barack obama has this power? -
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Natureboy10 months, 2 weeks ago
Right. Talk to an older German. They started out thinking that way -"why should I protest, I am doing nothing wrong." Then "doing nothing wrong" came to mean doing, saying, thinking exactly what they were told. Protesting the brutality, harboring a Jew could get you and your family killed. At that point, you could protest that you were doing nothing wrong, all the way to the death camps.
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Wise folk know the road down which they are going, before they get to the end of it.
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thoughtforsale10 months, 2 weeks ago
Is security really available without the loss of freedom? This is a question that even separates political parties in Germany. I think, we will have to accept that security is always relative and never absolute. Nobody would like to live in a "brave new world", even if the reward were total security! There obviously is a risk of abuse. The government can achieve data and control everday life, just because we all have a certain amount of fear!
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cleare10 months, 2 weeks ago
as benjamin franklin said:
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"those who would sacrifice liberty for the illusion of security, deserve neither."
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