PeacefulSwannie wrote:
icepick wrote:
With all of this attention, it would be a deterrent. Which is far better than we have now. While it's not perfect by any means, I am upset that they didn't even debate it.
Tim, here is an excerpt from an article I just read....

The National Security Agency is embroiled in a battle with tech companies over access to encrypted data that would allow it to spy (more easily) on millions of Americans and international citizens. Last month, companies like Google, Microsoft, and AppleĀ urged the Obama administration to put an end to the NSA's bulk collection of metadata. The NSA, on the other hand, continues to parade the idea that the government needs access to encrypted data on smartphones and other devices to track and prevent criminal activity. Now, NSA director Michael S. Rogers says he might have a solution.





Everybody has been running on the assumption that it will be renewed Pen. In the articles I read, this is not as new as that article suggests. It was actually brought out before the end of last year. I don't see this making things easier though. Not with ten thousand major watchdog groups all over them. Remember how MS and Google are linked to this administration? They've realized how much opposition there is, and are trying to set this up to make themselves look like heroes for the people. Screw that, and I will tell you why.

HidingĀ  behind the scenes now resides a very real danger. Actually it's not so hidden, but a lot of the background story is. I'm referring to ISIS ............... and the large numbers of prayer mats they keep finding on the Mexican side of our southern border, as well as the fact that Obama has ordered the Border Patrol to not be detaining people. Just give them a ticket with a court date, and let them go. Does that make much sense? Of course these people are diligently reporting for their court appearances.65f361022e1ab7ecb52df60eaa7110baebff124a_s Yeah, right! He has allowed an unknown number of Arabs/Muslims in through a border which is now more open than any international border in history, and nobody has a clue where they are now.

This is all a set up. I'm sure you can see that? Facing a threat like this, and the Democrats blocking any possibility of a veto over ride, the provision stands a strong chance of being renewed. Tasked with protecting the people, while being blocked by the administration like this, lawmakers are liable to grant enforcement every possible advantage in tracking these people down. And it would be the only piece of legislation Obama hasn't vetoed. Meanwhile, he will have blazed the trail for pinning the blame on the Republicans. The way the media coddles him, the public will have only barely heard about any of these details. If a provision like this is not included, it will be business as usual. It should not be ignored.

How do I feel about this? I think it's a travesty that the Democrats will block removal from office after impeachment. That makes the entire thing a set up. We have to be cautious about the news stories, because the media has been highly complicit in all of this. I'm not buying Google and MS advocating very hard to stop this. Google did fight it once, but only after being exposed. The remainder of the time, both of them were happily turning everything over. If you follow the money trail, you would probably discover that they were being paid for their trouble. This has become a huge mess, which I hope will be allowed to expire. But I'm not happy that the ringleaders are about to get away with presenting themselves as heroes. I would like it very much more if something were passed to prevent its happening again. Or at the very least, making it procedural like this would. Expiration is a solution, but it's an imperfect solution.