POTUS knows who you're calling.... — Page 2

The Times toned down that editorial from originally saying "The Obama Administration has lost all credibility" to The Obama Administration has lost all credibility on this issue."

The sad thing about this is that Obama has given conservatives all the ammo they need to say that liberals/Democrats trample on the right to privacy.

It was only a few years ago that liberals were able to accuse conservatives of that.

When did privacy cease to be a liberal issue?

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I really don't get people's outrage on this. Where exactly do you think the government is getting the intelligence to circumvent possible future terrorist attacks? You know... things like 9/11, that happen once every 50 years or so. No administration, Democrat or Republican, is going to do a damn thing about this for fear of being labeled soft on defense. If, God forbid, another 9/11 was to happen under Obama's watch, and we weren't closely monitoring all forms of electronic communications, both Dems and Repubs would be all over O and his entire administration.

At this point, anyone who is under the illusion that they have the slightest modicum of privacy is truly living in a naïve fantasy world. Land of the free, my ass. Never has been. Never will be. Get used to it. And stop talking, texting and posting stupid, embarrassing s#it, while you're at it.

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Ben Franklin

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Updated On: 6/7/13 at 10:43 AM

What I'm saying is, you can be as outraged as you like, but it's not going to change a damn thing. We're living in a post 9/11 world, and it's never going to be like it was before. I don't like it, but there are a lot of things I don't like that I've learned to live with. I guess the question that you have to ask yourself is, do I want to live in a safer or freer country? Personally, I agree with Ben. But so what?

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Updated On: 6/7/13 at 11:00 AM

I was wondering why Barack called me up yesterday and asked me "Rich, How was The National concert at Barclay's last night?"
"Good Mr. President" I replied. "But how did you know I was there?"
"You used your Verizon pbone to call your friend Amanda to tell her where to meet you and I'd heard it was a good show."

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Erik, please don't speak for me or make assumptions about me. I haven't "bought" anything. In fact, I "buy" very little the government has to dish out. I do, however, believe that monitoring electronic communications allows the government to identify possible terrorists, thereby circumventing possible future attacks. Do I like giving up a big chunk of my privacy and personal liberties to accomplish this? No, I don't. But if another 9/11 were to happen under this, or any other, administration, most people would be "outraged" and crying that we should have been more vigilant. Perhaps one of the reasons why I'm not as surprised or outraged as many seem to be on this issue is that I never "bought" into the notion that I was living in a "free" country. Freer than some, maybe. But definitely not truly free. Thems the facts, like it or not.

Carlos... I don't know where or why you're getting anger and hostility from my posts. I couldn't be less angry or hostile. In fact, I'm having a pretty amazing day, thank you very much. You do the same.

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Updated On: 6/7/13 at 11:20 AM

That's what you consider to be angry and hostile??? Then you wouldn't want to be anywhere near me on a bad day. I was just stating a fact. And my last sentence was directed at the general population, not, necessarily, BWW posters - although, it certainly applies to some here; even myself, from time to time. My point is, this the world we're living in. This is the reality. Your privacy didn't disappear within the last week, or month, or year, or 10 years. You never really had any to begin with. Maybe, just maybe, it's time to come to that realization and start operating from that perspective.

And no offense taken. I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers. Just stating my opinion.

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Updated On: 6/7/13 at 11:44 AM

My parents live in a community of mostly NSA employees. Bits and pieces get out. You've been monitored in one way or another for decades.

That was a great article.

"Cue some screaming here: Obama promised the most transparent administration; he has run the most secretive, prosecuting more whistle-blowers for national security leaks – six – than all prior presidents put together. And yes, many, maybe all, Congress members knew about these NSA programs, but some who knew have been blowing the whistle – in code, anyway, as old-fashioned whistle-blowing might get them arrested – that the administration’s interpretation of what the law allowed, if widely known, would be beyond what most people believe the law allowed."

Glenn Greenwald is on a roll.

Obama orders US to draw up overseas target list for cyber-attacks

Updated On: 6/7/13 at 04:19 PM

Slightly OT -- but maybe not, considering "freedom" in our country -- Glenn Greenwald now lives in Brazil because DOMA prevents his husband from entering the US.

I've been screaming against this from day one. The backpack searching - here in the US - after the London incident. The TSA theater. People having to take their shoes off to get on a plane because one brain-deficient lunatic tried to light a bomb that wouldn't have worked anyway? Just how many terrorist incidents have been foiled by that particular procedure?

Exactly zero - and yet we all line up like sheep for it, years later, because if you have to fly, you have no choice. It's all BS, always has been.

This isn't for our protection. It's for our subjugation. Ben had it right.

Whitehouse.gov petition for Obama to pardon Edward Snowden

Everything is wonderful when Black Jesus does it!

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