Sen. Dianne Feinstein's New NSA Bill Will Codify and Extend Mass Surveillance of Americans

[unhappycamper]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Sen-Dianne-Feinstein-s-Ne-by-Trevor-Timm-Federal-Agency-NSA_Feinstein-Dianne-131101-566.html



Sen. Dianne Feinstein's New NSA Bill Will Codify and Extend Mass Surveillance of Americans
OpEdNews Op Eds 11/1/2013 at 10:19:08
By Trevor Timm

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and one of the NSA's biggest defenders, released what she calls an NSA "reform" bill today.

Don't be fooled: the bill codifies some of the NSA's worst practices, would be a huge setback for everyone's privacy, and it would permanently entrench the NSA's collection of every phone record held by U.S. telecoms. We urge members of Congress to oppose it.

We learned for the first time in June that the NSA secretly twisted and re-interpreted Section 215 of the Patriot Act six years ago to allow them to vacuum up every phone record in America--continuing an unconstitutional program that began in 2001. The new leaks about this mass surveillance program four months ago have led to a sea change in how Americans view privacy, and poll after poll has shown the public wants it to stop.

But instead of listening to her constituents, Sen. Feinstein put forth a bill designed to allow the NSA to monitor their calls. Sen. Feinstein wants the NSA to continue to collect the metadata of every phone call in the United States--that's who you call, who calls you, the time and length of the conversation, and under the government's interpretation, potentially your location--and store it for five years. This is not an NSA reform bill, it's an NSA entrenchment bill.

[bemildred]

1. That's her "legacy" to us. nt

[GoneFishin]

2. Of course. She's never going to change. The OP's about her being annoyed by NSA

overreach were bullshit. She serves the fascists.

[bemildred]

3. Yep, that was a head fake. nt

[AnotherMcIntosh]

4. The lawful method for amending the Constitution is spelled out in Article V:

"The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; ..."

The Fourth Amendment still provides:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

The Fifth Amendment still provides:

"No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; ..."

The First Amendment still provides:

"Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, ..."