Most Americans Think Courts Are Failing To Limit Government Surveillance 281
Nerval's Lobster writes "More than half of Americans believe that the federal courts have failed to limit the U.S. government's collection of personal information via phone records and the Internet, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. But that's nothing compared to the 70 percent who believe that the government 'uses this data for purposes other than investigating terrorism,' according to the organization's summary of its survey. Another 63 percent of respondents indicated they thought the government is collecting information about the content of their communications. The Pew Research Center surveyed 1,480 adults over the course of five days in July. 'The public's views of the government's anti-terrorism efforts are complex, and many who believe the reach of the government's data collection program is expansive still approve of the effort overall,' the organization's summary added. 'In every case, however, those who view the government's data collection as far-reaching are less likely to approve of the program than those who do not.' Some 47 percent of those surveyed approved of the government's collection of phone and Internet data, while 50 percent disapproved. Among those who thought the government is reading their personal email or listening to their phone calls, some 40 percent approved of the data collection, even as 58 percent disapproved. There's much more, including how opinions of government surveillance break across political party lines on the Pew Research Center's Website."
Context (Score:2, Interesting)
We are talking about the largest, most expensive, most powerful government AND world empire (with military bases in some 150 countries) that has ever existed. Of course there is no meaningful "oversight" -- they wouldn't have succeeded (in creating the most lucrative business in world history) if there was.
Courts==Govts (Score:4, Interesting)
In the worst case, courts are directly managed by governments.
So, you really think that a government would give its powers up in favor of the people?
I don't think so.
Headdesk (Score:4, Interesting)
Most americans are also unaware of the responsibilities of each branch of government. Having no apparent power over the officials in the two branches of government where people are elected, they've resorted to asking the one branch of government that isn't for help. Ironic, don't you think, that in a "free and democratic" society, the voting process is held in such low esteem that people have abandoned all hope in it being able to stop the government? Except it isn't ironic. It's depressing. So, where are the Europeans and the UN when you need them? One of the largest countries on Earth is going off the rails in a big way and sooner or later, this train wreck will visit you as well. All our economies are interconnected, as are our societies now thanks to the internet.
Or, perhaps, your silence just confirms what we already knew but didn't want to believe: The United States is becoming just like every other country out there... a paper democracy, but the real power is held by the royalty. And maybe you're glad that this irritating individualist society with a large middle class and plenty of opportunity for everyone to advance is coming to an end... because it was so very embarassing. But who knows, or cares, really, what they're thinking...
People have lost hope in democracy. So what do we place our hope for the future in now?
The founders would agree with the American people. (Score:5, Interesting)
The nation's founders were always skeptical of giving this much power and authority to a central government. Unfortunately, for a very long time, the people trusted the government more than any government should be trusted. To maintain a free society, it's imperative that the people always be wary of increases in the scope, size, and permanence of any and all government programs. And when there is too much government to keep track of, it's far too big for that to be possible.
public pressure ended mccarthysm (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Hai Amerikanz, I can haz pazwords... (Score:5, Interesting)
Complete and utter bullshit.
I don't think so. I think back to my Grandmother, in every way a decent, and somewhat naive, middle American woman. If she were alive today and we were walking around and noticed something legally amiss outside in the world, or just needed "something" that authority could provide, she'd have said "Go ask a policeman" without hesitation, whereas running to a cop is not something I'd do nessessarily, depending on the circumstances. Her attitude is clearly a product of being brought up in a time (especially around WWII) when authority wasn't nessessarily and in all cases a malevelent thing.
Re:Hai Amerikanz, I can haz pazwords... (Score:4, Interesting)
Essentially, the only reason most American's do not realize they are living in a police state is
The implication of your statement here is that if they did know, they'd do something about it. What, exactly, makes you think that Americans are somehow different types of human than anywhere else or at any other time in history? Hitler was seen kissing babies. He was hugely popular amongst the people. They may have had some idea of what he was doing, but they didn't care because he gave them exactly what they wanted: A powerful country, a powerful military, and a productive economy.
You think Americans care so much about liberty they're willing to act against those things? Fascism became popular with the people precisely because it had something to offer. And in the case of WWII it was only defeated because most of the rest of the world rose up and said "This far, no farther."
I have not seen any other countries standing up to America. I haven't seen its allies abandon them. And the public overwhelmingly still supports nationalism. The mind intent on false appearances refuses to admit better things. Don't assume that a better understanding of the world will necessarily lead to change... it's one of mankind's oldest illusions. If we've truly reached the epoch many think we have, then this only ends one of two ways now: Civil uprising, a world war, or a coup de etat. History hasn't given any indication there's a fourth option... such as the population suddenly reaching simultanious enlightenment of their predicament and backing away from violence.
Re:How is hitting the ballots effective? (Score:4, Interesting)
Yes, it's not pretty, but parties and politicians are moving in response to popular will. The GOP has shifted significantly on gay marriage over the last few years, and the fact that Chris Christie is worried about the "libertarian wing" of the Republican party suggests that there is movement there as well.
In Europe, you have new parties popping up all the time whenever something seems to call for it; in the US, you have a slow drift of the two existing parties in response to popular will. In the US, political problems often take a decade or more to address at the federal level. And that used to be perfectly fine when much more was decided at the state and local level.
I still think the best way of dealing with many of these issues is to return much more power from the federal government to the states. That won't solve NSA spying, of course, but maybe with less on their hands to do, federal legislators can actually start worrying again about those things they have been elected to worry about.
Re:Spot On (Score:5, Interesting)
Do you have the right to privacy?
Do you have the right to a fair trial?
There were 50,000 police raids for the last year we have data. In the 1970s, there were 3,000. In the 1960s they didn't exist.
About 10 minutes ago I was flagged SSSS for a "random" bag check, supposedly by the airline. Could I find out if in fact I was flagged by the US government, who then requested the Airline search me? No, that information is classified. For national security. In any case, my personal belongings were searched. They not only invaded the privacy of my things, but the privacy of my person by offering me the choice of a full body scan, or to be touched all over my body by a government agent. This is dignity only in a fascist system.
I know the reason why I was flagged. Two years ago coming back from another international trip, after being away from home for four months, I took a picture of a sign that said, "Welcome to America" with two flags on it.
By the time I had made it down to the escalator, I was asked by two armed men to follow them. Apparently I wasn't quite out of customs, and I had been "observed using an unauthorized device in a restricted area." They asked me why I took a picture of the American flag. I told them that I take pictures of a lot of things.
Then a TSA agent interrogated me for 30 minutes. What were you doing in Costa Rica? Who were you with? Why were you there? I made the mistake of mentioning I had spent time time with people from Berlin. They wanted their names, but I refused. They scanned everything, and even asked if had hidden illicit substances or explosive devices in the jars organic chocolate spread -- it looked like Nutella. Two jars were taken for samples. The rest were X-Rayed and returned to me.
They went through my phone. Thankfully they didn't get all the way to the end, where a prankster friend of mine had taken a picture of his junk at my birthday party. They then asked why I had lied about taking one picture -- the HDR feature was turned on. After five minutes of explanation and a demonstration, they finally accepted that answer, and then required me to delete "both" pictures of the sign with the American flag. The only other thing in the picture was the sheetrock behind it.
"Are you serious?" I asked.
"Absolutely," she replied.
When you travel internationally, there are two customs areas if they do a lot of travel to the United States. One is for the invasive security theater that other citizens do not accept as legitimate. But, you and I, we have a special line. We have special, secret courts. Our government has secret laws, and secret information gathering, and not-so-secret meetings called "Terror Tuesdays" where our president is presented with biographical information of "suspected terrorists," and then he decides who to assassinate. Two of those individuals have been US Citizens. To protect Freedom, and Justice, and whatever nice words the Homeland Security office needs to convince us is more important than the basic human rights democratic citizens have had for hundreds of years.
No trial. No attorney. Just 1,300 dead humans, who have all been classified as terrorists either by one man, or just after the moment they are dead for guilt by association.
So, I'm about to hop a flight back to the United States. And I have already booked my flight to leave it again, for as long as possible. It is a prison to me. I lovingly call it San Quentin, since the guards and the wardens who run my life, tell me what I can and can't do with my own body, and ruin the lives of regular citizens for minor offenses that harm no one make me hate every inch and every second of my life when I am in America.
I bought a steak and a margarita. When I get back, I will try to soothe my anxiety with technological trinkets, cat videos, coffee drinks, endless television, hard liquor, and anything else that can help me forget that any moment some officer of the government could break in to my private residence, without even knocking, and