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> But while the changes may subject more Americans to warrantless surveillance, the last-minute timing of the announcement actually might have been designed to
by forgotpwtomain 10y ago
> But while the changes may subject more Americans to warrantless surveillance, the last-minute timing of the announcement actually might have been designed to cut future privacy losses.
Obama has been immensely pro-mass-surveillance through-out his tenure, what could possibly inspire confidence in this drivel?
In upcoming news: Trump cuts back on emission caps for automakers so the next president cannot cut them back further!
- wu-ikkyu 10y agoIf that's not doublespeak I don't know what is?
- cryptoz 10y agoObama was pushing and voting for mass surveillance long before his presidency, as far back as 2006 when he voted to increase the powers and extend the timeline of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing the Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT).
- api 10y agoTo be fair nearly everyone voted for that. Few had the spine to be "soft on terror" in the 2000s.
- cryptoz 10y ago"Everyone was evil, it was the style at the time." No thanks, that attitude sounds poisonous and dismissive of reality, dismissive of our ability to live and govern and grow and learn. I voted for Dennis Kucinich that election, a person who did not vote for USA PATRIOT. Many people stood up for human rights and values and real freedom. It wasn't something that took a spine, it's something that takes common sense and compassion and logic.
- cmrdporcupine 10y agohttps://votesmart.org/bill/votes/8289 https://votesmart.org/bill/votes/8289 "VT At-Large Rep. Bernard 'Bernie' Sanders Independent Nay"
- api 10y agoI said few, not none. I give Sanders and Paul credit.
- js2 10y agoAlong with almost 60 democrats, 2 republicans, and a few other independents.
- natmaster 10y agoRep. Ronald Ernest 'Ron' Paul Republican Nay Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich Democratic Nay Nay: 66 Like Sanders is any kind of special snowflake. You don't have to get socialism to get someone against mass surveillance.
- cnnsucks 10y agoYet we're told Obama doesn't do that sort of groupthink, and given as example his opposition to the Iraq war; talking point #1 when campaigning against Hillary.
- api 10y agoI realized we lived in what almost is a one party state after Obama took power and not much changed. Surveillance expansion continued or even accelerated, as did our endless wars. Obamacare is a Republican proposal even... it's based on Mitt Romney's Massachusetts insurance mandate. The only shift was in the culture war issues. The Culture War Show is really just a distraction. Trump won largely by styling himself as an actual alternative. Many people who didn't even like him personally voted for him on the idea that he might be a path out of the conventional corporate statist duopoly. Personally I doubt it. Look at his picks. I predict that there will be a lot of noise but little actual change. His trolling will be a great distraction. We've also seen a new season of the Culture War Show begin, featuring a plot involving the epic battle of Red Pill alt-righers vs the social justice warrior league. There will be much arguing on the Internet. Meanwhile the consolidation of global corporate-state power will continue. Combatants on both sides of the culture war will see an expansion in surveillance and the student loan and mortgage debt indenture system.
- gozur88 10y ago>Personally I doubt it. Look at his picks. I predict that there will be a lot of noise but little actual change. His trolling will be a great distraction. This is true. Trump is almost entirely bereft of political philosophy - he was a Democrat until it made sense to be a Republican. He changes policy positions depending on who's asking the question. Sometimes in the same press conference. A guy like that is not going to make huge changes.
- 10y ago