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> How do you get probable cause without any information? How do you even get alerted to the idea that you should be opening an investigation into something, wit
by DerpDerpDerp 13y ago
> How do you get probable cause without any information? How do you even get alerted to the idea that you should be opening an investigation into something, without any information?
You're missing the fundamental point that we don't think the government should have this power.
The police should have to have an explainable reason, backed by some kind of evidence besides "I just feel that way" to use state power to infringe on the privacy or rights of a citizen even if that means some criminals get away with their crimes.
The potential abuses of unchecked investigative ability (and other law enforcement powers) is far, far more dangerous than a few mobsters.
- mpyne 13y ago> You're missing the fundamental point that we don't think the government should have this power. I'm not missing that at all, but I am saying it's hypocritical to say "just go get a warrant, geez". If it had been that easy FBI would already being doing it. It's easy to just mandate some social construct you'd like to achieve, but that does mean you also have to accept the consequences. The consequences of "no foreign network intelligence" isn't to merely make it a bit more difficult for NSA to do their job, it's to completely eliminate the ability of NSA to do their job, with all of the counter-terror consequences that will entail from that. While you may be perfectly willing to have the rest of America take on that risk, 3000 people at a time, don't act like you can have your cake and eat it too by simply offering up an alternative course of action which can never be implemented in practice.