4 ms·

In the post-9/11 United States, power is much more concentrated in the Executive than you think. Remember that in the classified 2012 Inspector General's repor

In the post-9/11 United States, power is much more concentrated in the Executive than you think. Remember that in the classified 2012 Inspector General's report that Snowden leaked it states clearly that President Obama asked the Director of the NSA that if the warrantless wiretapping program were deemed to be illegal, would he continue it on the President's orders and that the Director's answer was "Yes, Sir."

pydry 5y ago
I wouldnt be surprised if they'd also refuse to stop it on the president's orders. Post-9/11 the security establishment has become a law unto itself.
- busterarm 5y ago
  Absolutely true. It is a huge problem to have so much power among unelected career officiates. At the bare minimum we need to walk back the Patriot Act, the FISA amendments, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think any elected officials will commit to that. These agencies have quite effectively infiltrated our media[1] as well to the point that it can't really be considered anything other than State Propaganda anymore. The sad thing is that we pretty much all know it. Some turn a blind eye because they think "same team". But the term "National Security" has transformed from the benign "Public Safety" to "State Integrity/Consistency" right under our noses. The current systems are built to entrench those who already control the reigns of power. And will continue to do so. --- 1: Not that they even need to anymore with both groups pulling from the same class of people for membership. Media used to be a very blue collar job that is now the passion-playground of those seeking wealth, connections and favor.
  - southerntofu 5y ago
    > Absolutely true. It is a huge problem to have so much power among unelected career officiates. The problem is election in the first place. Power is delegated to power-hungry sociopaths instead of being exerted by the people directly. Whether an executioner or secret service agent is elected or not doesn't matter: these roles are profoundly inhumane and anti-democratic per se. We need actual democracies in which no State, no Federal Government, and no secret agency can decide what's best for us and assassinate or imprison anyone who disagrees.
  - hoseja 5y ago
    Has the goal ever been anything else but "State Integrity/Consistency"? I don't think so, states are evolved beings and self-preservation is their basest, strongest instinct. Public safety, order and prosperity are just some of the strategies to get human cooperation, very often totally illusory. Or maybe I've just been reading too much ACOUP.
    - busterarm 5y ago
      The point is that "Public Safety" is the lie they tell you.

pydry 5y ago

I wouldnt be surprised if they'd also refuse to stop it on the president's orders. Post-9/11 the security establishment has become a law unto itself.

busterarm 5y ago
Absolutely true. It is a huge problem to have so much power among unelected career officiates. At the bare minimum we need to walk back the Patriot Act, the FISA amendments, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think any elected officials will commit to that. These agencies have quite effectively infiltrated our media[1] as well to the point that it can't really be considered anything other than State Propaganda anymore. The sad thing is that we pretty much all know it. Some turn a blind eye because they think "same team". But the term "National Security" has transformed from the benign "Public Safety" to "State Integrity/Consistency" right under our noses. The current systems are built to entrench those who already control the reigns of power. And will continue to do so. --- 1: Not that they even need to anymore with both groups pulling from the same class of people for membership. Media used to be a very blue collar job that is now the passion-playground of those seeking wealth, connections and favor.
- southerntofu 5y ago
  > Absolutely true. It is a huge problem to have so much power among unelected career officiates. The problem is election in the first place. Power is delegated to power-hungry sociopaths instead of being exerted by the people directly. Whether an executioner or secret service agent is elected or not doesn't matter: these roles are profoundly inhumane and anti-democratic per se. We need actual democracies in which no State, no Federal Government, and no secret agency can decide what's best for us and assassinate or imprison anyone who disagrees.
- hoseja 5y ago
  Has the goal ever been anything else but "State Integrity/Consistency"? I don't think so, states are evolved beings and self-preservation is their basest, strongest instinct. Public safety, order and prosperity are just some of the strategies to get human cooperation, very often totally illusory. Or maybe I've just been reading too much ACOUP.
  - busterarm 5y ago
    The point is that "Public Safety" is the lie they tell you.