Here's an idea re: NSA - CHANGE THE LAWS
Let's stop all the rhetoric regarding the NSA, and take a long hard look at the laws behind it. If you think that the Government has been spying on Americans, then let's change the laws to make that impossible. If the laws have been "misinterpreted" by our intelligence community, then let's make them clearer to avoid this.
Things have changed. We need to update the laws to follow the new technology. Terrorist organizations still exist and we need some way to track them. But are they the same as they were 10 years ago? No. Do they present a threat to us? Yes, but not the same threat as 10 years ago.
Senator Wyden has proposed many bills that I like, some I'm not sure of. Other's have presented some pretty good bills.
We need to discuss these, on their own merits and fully realizing the current state of affairs.
IMHO, we need to completely repeal the PATRIOT ACT, although most of it has expired and the remaining portions I can mostly agree with; such as the Lone Wolf portion. But if the provisions that are valid can be incorporated into a new bill. The PATRIOT ACT has become more or less synonymous with GITMO, in that the name itself has become associated with Repression.
There is a lot of outrage on this board, whether justified or not. I haven't seen a lot of calls for resolution. Outrage can be good, but ONLY if it leads to something better.
So here's my challenge to anyone who is outraged by the NSA scandal -
What are you proposing we do about it?