Tuesday, we learned that the N.S.A. has been able to monitor 75% of all email traffic in the country, whether there were terrorist ties or not. Yesterday, we learned they had been chastised by the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, (FISA), for collecting thousands of emails and other online details from Americans with no ties to terrorism, according to court opinions released yesterday. Some of those incidents were minor, but the documents released yesterday detail major compliance problems.
Contrary to what the N.S.A. has been saying, (first it was a few thousand, then it was several thousand per year), the N.S.A. has been collecting and saving up to 56,000 emails and other communications not connected to terrorism per year. The court ruled that when it gathered up such large packets of
information, they included actual contents of emails between American citizens, and
it violated the Constitution's ban against unauthorized search and
seizure.
Given the Administration's spying on journalists, the Associated Press and FOX NEWS; given the admitted I.R.S. targeting of conservative organizations and individuals; and given these revelations, it becomes readily apparent that there has been a systemic and deliberate effort to gather information on Americans outside the parameters of any laws. I can only presume that the reason was to obtain information that could be used to shut down dissent of members of Congress, of members of the press, and of everyday Americans who are vocalizing their disgust with this outlaw government.
Those are things they do in Russia, Iran, Syria, Venezuela, China.......
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