Wyden: Obama's NSA Proposals Are Nice, But They Don't Go Far Enough

[Catherina]

Wyden: Obama's NSA Proposals Are Nice, But They Don't Go Far Enough

—By AJ Vicens | Fri Aug. 9, 2013 5:10 PM PDT

On Friday afternoon, President Obama held a press conference where he promised to bring increased transparency to the NSA's digital surveillance programs. He announced a series of proposed reforms to the way the NSA collects data and to how the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) operates, along with plans to convene a group of "outside experts to review our entire intelligence and communications technologies."

US Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has been one of the biggest thorns in the administration's side when it comes to raising questions about how mass surveillance programs threaten civil liberties. After the president's remarks, he said that he was encouraged by Obama's suggestions, several of which the Senator and others have been pushing to get for years.

...

While Wyden said he appreciated Obama announcing his support for reforming the section of the Patriot Act that the government has secretly interpreted to justify gobbling up millions of Americans' records, and praised his plan to make proceedings at the foreign intelligence court more adversarial, the senator pointed out areas where he thought the president didn't go far enough.

"Notably absent from President Obama's 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," Wyden said, referring to the program most recently disclosed by the Guardian. "I am also concerned that the executive branch has not fully acknowledged the extent to which violations of the FISC orders and the spirit of the law have already had a significant impact on Americans' privacy."

...

"I feel very strongly, very strongly, that this debate should have begun long, long ago by government officials, by members of Congress and the White House rather than by a contractor," Wyden said.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/08/obamas-nsa-press-conference-wyden

[ProSense]

1. Here is Wyden's official statement:

Wyden Statement on President Obama’s Proposed Reforms to the FISC and PATRIOT ACT
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023436039

[MNBrewer]

2. I concur with the Senator.

[mick063]

3. What I like about Wyden.

He makes a nice summary argument.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Wyden tried to start this debate the proper way and was rebuffed.

"I feel very strongly, very strongly, that this debate should have begun long, long ago by government officials, by members of Congress and the White House rather than by a contractor," Wyden said.
So do I Ron, so do I.

[BlueStreak]

5. We need to declare a cease fire with the Tea Party

Fundamentally any Tea Party person who isn't completely brain dead should be very concerned about the consequences of the Patriot Act -- although you can bet that 100% of them were out there waving the flag when that horrible law was originally rammed through.

This is one time when we really should see eye to eye on most of these issues. If we could agree to work together just this once, we really would have the ability to turn this around.

Then if they have to return to their birther stuff after that, so be it.

[Catherina]

6. Chomsky advised that years ago n/t

[geek tragedy]

8. Only if they agree to stop trying to starve poor

people to death.

Otherwise, they remain the enemy.

[BlueStreak]

10. The point is that we should be willing to set aside differences when we have a common interest

If we cannot do that, then WE are the problem.

We would not accept linkage (e.g. the Tea Party will only join us on the NSA thing if we agree to chained CPI) and we should not demand linkage of our issues either.

And you know, if we worked together on the NSA thing, we might find there are a few other things we could agree on, such as infrastructure investments, or a tax simplification that rewards business that create good jobs in America while penalizing companies that park profits offshore. These are not radical ideas.

[geek tragedy]

15. Just advocate for what you believe in.

We should recognize that the Tea Party opposes everything we stand for, and they're a bunch of racists to boot. No one can reason with them. Ergo crazies like Mourdock and O'Donnell.

[MNBrewer]

19. Wait... we can't cooperate with them on ending the PATRIOT Act until they stop trying to starve

the poor? Why's that?

[geek tragedy]

22. Cooperate on NSA yes. Cease fire on other issues? No way. nt

[BlueStreak]

24. That's all I am saying

But there might be a couple of other issues we could work together on without either side having to abandon their core values.

My guess is this is all a moot point because the most basic core value of the tea party seems to be to reflexively oppose everybody on everything. I am just thinking that there may be 20 tea party types in the House that could work with us just on this one issue. Nothing is going to happen on this issue unless the pressure comes from the House.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

16. Interesting. But if they are Koch Brothers'-financed sock puppets, they won't care.

[BlueStreak]

17. They are not monolithic

There are certainly some who are sock puppets. There are others who feel they are acting on principles. While I disagree with those principles most of the time, this is one case where reasonable people should agree, and we ought not let the other differences prevent us from addressing this crucial moment in American history together.

It is as simple as this. We don't have the numbers to do anything, nor do they. If we don't work together, the authoritarian state wins, and we will continue irreversibly down the path of the Soviet States of America.

[sabrina 1]

21. It wouldn't be the first time for political adversaries to come together on a major issue that

ever citizen of a democracy should be in agreement on. The Founding Fathers had to do it eg, then as soon as they won, some of them, John Adams and Jefferson eg, became political enemies and didn't speak to each other for decades.

And members of Congress are working together from both sides of the aisle on this. So, it's clear this is a matter of grave enough importance that people have gone beyond the partisanship phase, finding that some things are more important than politics.

[truebluegreen]

7. Bravo, Senator

and thank you for keeping up the fight.

[neverforget]

9. I'm happy my senator is on this!

[Demeter]

11. Obama Doesn't Get It

And for a man who supposedly taught impressionable young people about Constitutional Law, that Presidential denseness is Unforgivable!

The principles of law upon which our nation was founded cannot and do not support anything like that system which Obama supports. Obama's scheme violates 1) the presumption of innocence, 2) the Rule of Law, 3) most of the Bill of Rights, Due Process, and so much more.

His temper tantrums at being caught out in these gross violations of the public really don't impress, either. And I notice that the TERRA, TERRA, TERRA alerts have been called off, while the drone murders have been stepped up again....

[chimpymustgo]

25. I concur. Obama is a paradox. Or just a tool.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. And Wyden would know

[arely staircase]

13. agreed, recommended nt

[AppleBottom]

14. Truth

[delrem]

18. I don't believe any of it.

Secret laws, secret interpretations of laws, the whole works of what W. and O. have invented and developed in this field. If someone says that the secret keepers will convene a secret committee to address public concerns raised about matters leaked by those who the secret keepers deem to be traitors - I don't believe it. I didn't believe it the first time, the second time, the third time, and I've lost count - since I tune out liars.

[Liberal_in_LA]

20. kick

[liberal_at_heart]

23. Keep the pressure on them Sen Wyden. You are doing a fantastic job.