“It is transparent,” Obama told PBS’s Charlie Rose in an interview to be broadcast Monday. “That’s why we set up the FISA court,” he added, referring to the secret court set up by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that authorizes two recently disclosed programs: one that gathers U.S. phone records and another that is designed to track the use of U.S.-based Internet servers by foreigners with possible links to terrorism.
A secret court which no one knew about until last week – thanks to a whistleblower – is “transparent”
The location of FISA courts is secret. The sessions are closed. The orders that result from hearings in which only government lawyers are present are classified.
“We’re going to have to find ways where the public has an assurance that there are checks and balances in place … that their phone calls aren’t being listened into; their text messages aren’t being monitored, their emails are not being read by some big brother somewhere,” Obama said.
A good way to start would be to deport the entire federal government to North Korea, where they would feel more at home.
Obama calls NSA secret data gathering ‘transparent’ in PBS interview | Fox News
Gotta wonder if the whistleblower is really an informant, or someone conveniently publicizing this info at the administration’s behest. Because: Q: What is the effect of this information?
A: Intimidation. There will be no consequence, nor change in policy. And it serves to acclimate the public to the next level(s) of shock still to come.
It also put the IRS and Benghazi scandals in the rear view mirror.
“A good way to start would be to deport the entire federal government to North Korea, where they would feel more at home.”
Kim Jong-un was asked about that. He replied that the American government was “too repressive” for the North Korean people.
Hey Barry! Have you managed to sell the Brooklyn Bridge yet? If so, how many times?
Inside The United States. A satirical news story from a different perspective. Some say it’s not satirical but rings true. What do you think?
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/130607/what-if-journalists-covered-us-like-they-cover-world
I now believe Obama’s “transparent government” means invisible from public knowledge, not in the open for all to see.
I’m a Brit who lives in Canada. I started out thinking BO was stupid and incompetent; is he really malevolent?
Reblogged this on Climate Ponderings.
There is a claim that all of this spying on American citizens illegally has prevented dozens of terrorist acts. I would expect that such huge access would accomplish SOMETHING. It would not be at all defensible if it had prevented NOTHING. However, spying should ALWYAS be limited and under tight control. Widespread indiscriminate spying is simply unacceptable. The defense that “if they save one life, it is worth it” is spurious because of the “if.” They are telling us that such programs might in fact do nothing. That’s the same meaningless defense of stupid gun control laws that do nothing but restrict law-abiding citizens and make it more difficult to defend themselves.
The original program actually made some sense. Only calls to known Islamists were flagged, a request to go further was requested from a judge, and then greater survalliance and detailed actions were taken. (The current admin has given no evidence that anything additional was needed, or why such obvious terrorist as the Ft Hood and Boston perps were not apprehended despite clear Islamist indoctrination)