Congress' response to the NSA revelations: CRACK DOWN ON WHISTLEBLOWERS !!!

[marmar]

PR Watch, via Truthout:



President Obama was elected on a platform that included promises for increased transparency and openness in government. Despite this rhetoric, Obama has prosecuted more whistleblowers than any administration in history and overseen the massive growth of the NSA's surveillance apparatus. In November, the Senate (S. 1681) and House (H.R. 3381) Intelligence Committees each released their own version of the "Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014."

This was an opportunity for Congressional leadership to address one of the defining issues of our time and either take a stand for increased transparency or continue down an Orwellian path of pervasive secrecy. A review of each chamber's proposed legislation demonstrates that "1984" is the future.

Stopping "Insider Threats"

The bills contain provisions which will intensify efforts to stop whistleblowers or "insider threats," no doubt inspired by Edward Snowden and his release of sensitive NSA documents. The House version of the funding bill provides $75 million of increased funding specifically for classified information protection. According to Tom Devine, Legal Director of the Government Accountability Project, "the 'insider threat' program is a cover for a witch hunt of whistleblowers."

In a purported effort to demonstrate support for the principles of openness and transparency, the House and Senate Intelligence Committee bills will provide protections for "legitimate" whistleblowers. But the committees believe legitimacy in whistleblowing is not due to the accuracy of the information disclosed, how much harm it spares the American people, or how much it benefits the democratic process, but rather whether or not the information is reported to proper authorities, such as "lawmakers, inspectors general and intelligence community leaders." .......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/20777-bills-in-congress-crackdown-on-whistleblowers

[indepat]

1. So much for transparency

[cantbeserious]

2. Hope - Change - Transparency - Not So Much - Duped Yet Again

eom

[Harmony Blue]

3. But...Snowden should have gone to official channels

...it would have worked....

[Marr]

13. +1

[hootinholler]

17. But he did go therough official channels

When the DHS checked out his carry on luggage.

[OnyxCollie]

4. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Zorra]

5. I recommend the film "The Whistleblower" for a glimpse of what happens when you report information

to the "proper authorities".

"Legitimate Whistleblowers" my ass. Their concept of "legitimate whistleblowers" refers to anyone who rats out a real whistleblower in order to prevent the real whistleblower from exposing corporate state, and corporate, crimes and other generally heinous, unethical actions.

[WillyT]

6. K & R !!!

[riderinthestorm]

7. Obvious to anyone paying attention. K&R nt

[NuclearDem]

8. When organizations make proper channels useless for reporting overreach and abuse

Then I don't want to hear a goddamn peep from them about intelligence dumps and leaks "putting lives in danger." When that's the only option available to make these organizations accountable, then it'll be their own damned fault.

[Uncle Joe]

9. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, marmar.

[woo me with science]

10. CORRUPT TO THE CORE.

But the committees believe legitimacy in whistleblowing is not due to the accuracy of the information disclosed, how much harm it spares the American people, or how much it benefits the democratic process, but rather whether or not the information is reported to proper authorities, such as "lawmakers, inspectors general and intelligence community leaders."

In other words, whistleblowers must report to those they are incriminating. This is nothing less than the deliberate elimination of protection for whistleblowers.

They are corporate fascists, building a police state. I never thought I would see my country come to this.

[blkmusclmachine]

11. It's what any wanna-be POLICE STATE would do.

[rhett o rick]

12. There is really nothing more to say. nm

[rhett o rick]

16. It really doesnt matter it the "black voting box" is fair or not if

your choices are Thing 1 or Thing 2.

[Savannahmann]

15. Oh for fucks sake.

[Rex]

19. Yes leaks threaten national security.

What else would one expect from Kabuki Congress?

[woo me with science]

20. kick