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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWyden Statement on President Obama’s Proposed Reforms to the FISC and PATRIOT ACT
Friday, August 9, 2013
Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) issued the following statement regarding President Obamas announcement of potential reforms to Section 215 of the PATRIOT ACT and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
Many of the reforms proposed by the President stem from suggestions made by myself and my colleagues to deal with the severe threat to civil liberties posed by current surveillance authorities and programs. While more details are clearly necessary, the Presidents proposals are certainly encouraging steps toward bringing about the kind of civil liberty protections that I and others have been working to achieve for several years.
The president outlined proposed reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court -- the most one-sided court in the nation -- that include making the FISC a truly adversarial court by creating an advocate who could challenge the assertions made by the government during court proceedings. This is an essential reform that I completely support, as is the releasing of the legal rationale for the bulk collection of Americans phone records and other important legal documents that explain what authorities the government believes it has when it comes to the collection of Americans communications.
The President also stated that he would support reforms to section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, which is the provision of the law that has been secretly interpreted to allow the government to engage in the bulk collection of Americans' records. I have seen absolutely zero evidence that the bulk collection of Americans' phone records under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act has provided any unique value to intelligence gathering or actually made Americans any safer, so I believe that these reforms should ensure that bulk collection is ended.
I will work closely with my colleagues and the President to seek that repeal and ensure that whatever reforms are made to this problematic law strengthen civil liberty protections as much as possible.
Notably absent from President Obamas speech was any mention of closing the backdoor searches loophole that potentially allows for the warrantless searches of Americans' phone calls and emails under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. I believe that this provision requires significant reforms as well and I will continue to fight to close that loophole. I am also concerned that the executive branch has not fully acknowledged the extent to which violations of FISC orders and the spirit of the law have already had a significant impact on Americans' privacy.
Overall, I welcome the proposals made today by the President and intend to work closely with my colleagues, including Senators Udall, Leahy, Blumenthal, Merkley and Feinstein and Reps. Sensenbrenner and Lofgren, to ensure that the presidents proposals are strengthened and become law.
http://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-statement-on-president-obamas-proposed-reforms-to-the-fisc-and-patriot-act
Blumenthal Applauds President Obamas Support For Special Advocate In FISA Courts
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023435963
leftstreet
(36,078 posts)!!
ProSense
(116,464 posts)hlthe2b
(101,714 posts)and trust he is trying to maintain appropriate pressure on the administration to prevent (cure?) excesses.
I still support Obama but I do not believe he is being totally forthcoming and perhaps he can not. But it is uncomfortable not to be able to fully trust in a President I worked so damned hard (twice) to get elected.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)I hate that on DU you have to think Snowden is a great man and Obama a tyrant or you must support the PATRIOT ACT
Cha
(295,902 posts)it's so refreshing when reality is presented. Like a diamond in a coal mine.
AverageJoe90
(10,745 posts)To be perfectly honest, there are indeed very real and valid concerns about the NSA, and I believe that Wyden & Udall truly do have the best interests of the people in mind; Snowden I'm not so sure of.....given his prior sentiments about hackers & how they should be treated, and his support for Ron Paul.....and so many other things I've discovered.....something just doesn't add up about him.
Andy823
(11,495 posts)I still think that other people are behind this whole "scandal" and I hope we find out just who has been pulling the strings of Mr. Snowden, and Greenwald. Like you, I have to wonder about his support of Ron Paul plus all those rants of his from the past, which sure sounded like libertarian BS to me.
Cha
(295,902 posts)that they're are many many of us out here who do trust the President.
hlthe2b
(101,714 posts)I have not withdrawn my support, but I'm damn well going to hold Obama's feet to the fire on this.
Cha
(295,902 posts)Personal attacks against supporters of PBO just because we trust him and have a different opinion than you do?
hlthe2b
(101,714 posts)And, it would NOT have required me to be "touchy"....
Re-read it now and ask yourself honestly how it reads.
Cha
(295,902 posts)You're "uncomfortable" because you don't "fully trust the President".. and I do.
hlthe2b
(101,714 posts)no matter who the individual is.
Thus absolute, unquestioned "TRUST" on the part of supporters is foolish, IMO and that of most others-- including Obama, who also admonished us to "keep his feet to the fire".
Cha
(295,902 posts)Edit: As far as I'm concerned.. he's earned it.
hlthe2b
(101,714 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)did you use the word? I'm not being snarky, I'm curious. Why use the word if you thought no one in the conversation and no one being discussed resembles it?
hlthe2b
(101,714 posts)I said nothing about that poster in that regard, except that they were condescending in throwing my being "uncomfortable" with some of Obama's actions, as though that equates to being a "non-supporter"..
Cha
(295,902 posts)usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)millennialmax
(331 posts)All that will be left are the outliers that don't mean anything anyway.
TheKentuckian
(24,943 posts)while firmly stating that much more needs to be done is quite a bit different than you make out.
"The right people" aren't lining moving, rather the President is making sounds that he is moving. We shall have to see if he actually does, I'm not overly encouraged as it sounds like mostly PR to me but some movement and acknowledgment of the concerns in some material way is something.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Cha
(295,902 posts)Coyotl
(15,262 posts)WOW, that is a huge admission coming from a Senator.
Rex
(65,616 posts)See what happens when they admit to getting off script?
MNBrewer
(8,462 posts)I second his emotions.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)This is Diplomatic of Wyden ..in that he's given a WARNING to HIM.... and just as I and many DU'ers want to see Obama do the right thing...now that he's "partially admitted" that the "Spying (he said didn't exist...does exist) it's WYDEN who will watch him and see how fast the moves with this.
From Wyden:
Notably absent from President Obamas speech was any mention of closing the backdoor searches loophole that potentially allows for the warrantless searches of Americans' phone calls and emails under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. I believe that this provision requires significant reforms as well and I will continue to fight to close that loophole. I am also concerned that the executive branch has not fully acknowledged the extent to which violations of FISC orders and the spirit of the law have already had a significant impact on Americans' privacy.
raindaddy
(1,370 posts)Without the help of Edward Snowden this wouldn't be happening in spite of Obama claiming he wanted a review and this would've transpired anyway. Who believes this guy anymore?
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"Without the help of Edward Snowden this wouldn't be happening in spite of Obama claiming he wanted a review and this would've transpired anyway. Who believes this guy anymore?"
...don't believe him, what exactly do you think is "happening"?
raindaddy
(1,370 posts)Because the Obama administration spent so much time defending the program, it would've been handed over to the next administration as is.
Like most politicians, I think Barack Obama is simply covering his ass!
MotherPetrie
(3,145 posts)so as to be essentially meaningless, which Wyden seems to know. Obama's proposals don't make a dent in the real problem. They are cosmetic changes only that will let NSA continue to do whatever the fuck it wants to do, while letting Obama go into his well-rehearsed act and pretend to the best of his practiced ability to be folksy that the FISA court isn't still rubber-stamping everything NSA wants, when NSA bothers to go to FISA at all.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023435963
It's an excellent proposal: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023388210
MotherPetrie
(3,145 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)MotherPetrie
(3,145 posts)the totally one-sided "justice" he could fully expect to receive from Obama's DOJ. Unlike, say, the criminal Bush administration.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)MotherPetrie
(3,145 posts)And Obama's proposals just highlighted that.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)I mean, anyone dismissing the reforms proposed by the President can't be taken seriously.
Those who acknowledge that they're a start or step in the right direction know that this was an important move toward reform.
mick063
(2,424 posts)is because he defies people, like you, that swear fealty to a man above principal.
Two fronts on this.
1) The President and Snowden as individuals.
2) The lack of transparency and the violation of the "spirit" for which the original surveillance legislation was intended.
Many folks were indifferent about point 1. Not any more. Much of it to do with the great effort at demonizing Snowden to folks that initially were not concerned with Snowden, but more concerned about the surveillance state instead.
You elevated Snowden to this status. You created this martyr.
He is a hero now because of you.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)They want to create the impression that most people view him as a hero, which is far from the case.
mick063
(2,424 posts)It is you that has created the noise. A means of deflection.
You claim it is others who are "loud" about Snowden, after screaming Snowden at the top of your lungs, all in an effort to divert attention from the real problem.