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I'm about as paranoid and distrustful of the USG as most people here but as the news unfolds it seems some senators and congressional representatives genuinely
by ihsw 13y ago
I'm about as paranoid and distrustful of the USG as most people here but as the news unfolds it seems some senators and congressional representatives genuinely care about who they represent.
The CSPAN meeting on Wednesday started out unpleasantly devoted to public-private cooperation and other back-patting but it very quickly took a sharp turn into a grilling and -- dare I say -- public flogging of General Alexander.
Here is a short excerpt of the first shot across the bow of the NSA surveillance programs: http://pastebin.com/pqMxP0s6 http://pastebin.com/pqMxP0s6
I recommend reading the transcript along with the video: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/event/220078 http://www.c-spanvideo.org/event/220078
It starts at 49 minutes.
After reading it now it looks very dry and uninteresting but the tonality and the volume of their verbal exchange was certainly reassuring.
- ics 13y agoI can't the video at the moment, who is the senator speaking?
- ihsw 13y agoThe Senator speaking at 49 minutes is Senator Leahy. Senator Leahy (D, Vermont): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Leahy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Leahy Other senators also ask some pointed questions, notably: Senator Johanns (R, Nebraska): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Johanns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Johanns Senator Merkley (D, Oregon): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Merkley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Merkley Senator Tom Udall (D, New Mexico): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Udall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Udall Also, Senator Feinstein -- despite being a bit of a wind-bag and despite her enthusiastic support for gun-control -- directed Wednesday's NSA/cyber-security hearing pretty well. The video offers some very interesting contrast between assumptions that all of congress is bought and paid for, and that voter apathy has translated directly to congressional apathy, but it's simply not true. Senators that look beyond the next election cycle (or their retirement) may be few and far between, but they're out there.
- aedocw 13y ago"Also, Senator Feinstein -- despite being a bit of a wind-bag and despite her enthusiastic support for gun-control -- directed Wednesday's NSA/cyber-security hearing pretty well." NOW I understand why the allegations of misconduct around contracts awarded to husband are getting a lot of hype again today. Makes sense - if she's successfully speaking out against the NSA, what better time to highlight anything potentially negative about her!