Comcast: charging the government to spy on us

[NightWatcher]

One thousand bucks a pop, that's what our freedom goes for these days?

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/For_one_company_FISA_wiretaps_carry_1016.html

For one company, FISA wiretaps carry a $1K pricetag

Although the scope of surveillance conducted under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act remains shrouded in secrecy, newly disclosed documents show the costs one company charges the government to eavesdrop on customers.

Comcast, which is among the nation's largest telecommunication companies, charges $1,000 to install a FISA wiretap and $750 for each additional month authorities want to keep an eye on suspects, according to the company's Handbook for Law Enforcement. Secrecy News obtained the document and published it Monday.

"I was actually surprised that this was such a routine transaction that it would have a set fee," said Steven Aftergood, director of the Federation of American Scientists' Project on Government Secrecy.

.....


Now if that aint corpo-fascism, I'll kiss your ass

[Kurovski]

1. And where does the government get its money from?

That's right. The people they are spying on.

[AndyA]

2. So, basically we're bearing the cost of being spied on. Illegally.

Nice.

And I'd like to know how Comcast can justify the charges for this "service" they provide. Seems excessive, but everything does when it comes to government contracts. :(

[Kurovski]

3. Comcast claims it's from "legal requests"

but we know that BushCo has a broad definition of "legal". I don't thing "Constitutional" is even considered in the equation.

[PaTs2848]

4. Spied On

}( Just another by-product of the Bush White House and once again shrouded in secrecy.

Further down the road to fascism...how many of these are already apparent in this country?

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights

Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause

Supremacy of the Military

Rampant Sexism

Controlled Mass Media

Religion and Government are Intertwined

Corporate Power is Protected

Labor Power is Suppressed

Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts

Obsession with Crime and Punishment

Rampant Cronyism and Corruption

Fraudulent Elections

And we are surprised that we are being spied on!!!

[Trillo]

5. That's money that should go to the subject(s) of the investigation(s),

unless they're found guilty in court of the charge on the warrant (oh, right, no warrants, hmm). That's IF it was truly capitalism that was being practiced. It's such hypocrisy that little people get the only the worst dregs of capitalism, the well-swept table crumbs from giants' banquets so to say, but wealthy, well-connected corporations get all sorts of corporate welfare, paid for, ultimately, by the little people who set the giants tables, prepare their food, and supply all the rich delicacies to satiate the few.

[Trillo]

6. Oh, K & R. n/t

[_testify_]

7. now THAT is the American way.

:patriot: