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Purveyor

(29,876 posts) Sun Mar 30, 2014, 06:02 PM Mar 2014

Senate NSA Critic Urges Barack Obama To End Bulk Data Collection Now

Source: Guardian UK

• Ron Wyden: 'president ought to make the transition right away'
• Feinstein suggests data safer with NSA than phone companies

Rory Carroll in Los Angeles
theguardian.com, Sunday 30 March 2014 14.43 EDT

Ron Wyden, the senator who is a leading voice in attempts to rein in the National Security Agency, has urged President Barack Obama to order an immediate halt to the bulk collection of domestic telephone metadata records.

The Oregon Democrat, who is a member of the Senate intelligence committee, said on Sunday the president should end the practice “right away”, rather than wait for Congress to pass legislation. The president's proposals were outlined this week; two reform bills are currently with Congress.

Wyden, a longtime critic of bulk surveillance, cautiously endorsed Obama's proposal to have such records remain with telephone companies rather than intelligence agencies, but said reform should not wait for a new law.

“I believe the president ought to make the transition right away,” he told NBC's Meet the Press. “I believe strongly we ought to ban all dragnet surveillance on law-abiding Americans, not just phone records but also medical records, purchases and others.”

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/30/senator-ron-wyden-nsa-barack-obama

9 replies

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Senate NSA Critic Urges Barack Obama To End Bulk Data Collection Now (Original Post) Purveyor Mar 2014 OP

I've had my disagreements with Wyden in the past, Maedhros Mar 2014 #1

But hasn't Wyden heard? Obama's a "constitutional scholar." PSPS Mar 2014 #2

This is absolutely necessary. JDPriestly Mar 2014 #3

It is an aspiration. Pholus Mar 2014 #7

Bullshit!!!!!! riderinthestorm Mar 2014 #4

Ron Wyden makes Oregon proud with every word he speaks Nanjing to Seoul Mar 2014 #5

I wouldn't put Franken in that group Reter Mar 2014 #6

No Sherrod Brown? eom tarheelsunc Mar 2014 #8

Take out Franken. . .put in Brown. Nanjing to Seoul Mar 2014 #9

Maedhros

(10,007 posts)

1. I've had my disagreements with Wyden in the past,

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Mar 30, 2014, 06:27 PM

Mar 2014

but on this issue he is spot-on.

PSPS

(13,599 posts)

2. But hasn't Wyden heard? Obama's a "constitutional scholar."

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Mar 30, 2014, 07:40 PM

Mar 2014

Yes, some "constitutional scholar."

1. Obama claims he wants this illegal practice to stop; and,

2. Obama proclaims his intention to "ask Congress" to stop the practice when, in reality, he could do it all by himself today with a stroke of his pen.

We've all seen this silly play before. Many times. #1 is a lie and #2 is just theatrics to mollify the swooners safe in the knowledge that #1 will never really happen.

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)

3. This is absolutely necessary.

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Mar 30, 2014, 08:06 PM

Mar 2014

To invade the privacy of individuals without probable cause or even reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing is a violation of human rights -- or should be. Horrors!

Has anyone seen the film, "Enemy of the State"?

I thought it was just fantasy. Apparently it is not.

Pholus

(4,062 posts)

7. It is an aspiration.

Reply to JDPriestly (Reply #3)

Mon Mar 31, 2014, 12:00 AM

Mar 2014

Sold by contractors to our intelligence services and bought by a gullible few.

They just wanted the fancy blue lit control room with the captain's chair, floor to ceiling monitors, and whooshy doors.

Really, isn't that what we ALL want?

riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)

4. Bullshit!!!!!!

Reply to Purveyor (Original post)

Sun Mar 30, 2014, 08:37 PM

Mar 2014

What does Wyden know versus anonymous internet dudes who tell us there's nothing to see here???!!!???

Its only metadata!!1111!!!ones!!111

Legal????!!!!1111 ones!!111!!