patrick.net

I commented on this report in a thread that Dan started. It is definitely worth watching. I remember reading about John Ashcroft's powerful statement, from his hospital bed. I can even remember then-Senator Obama saying the telcos should have insisted on the proper FISA process. Frontline has reported on this issue before. "Total Information Awareness" doesn't promote security, but it creates risks of abuse. The "security" pretext is rather like saying, if you're looking for a needle in a haystack, you need to buy a bigger haystack. That is the opposite of reality. If you're looking for a needle in a haystack, you need faster ways of sorting needles from hay. Edward Snowden claims the real motives include economic spying for "customers" including the Chamber of Commerce. I wonder about spying for the advantage of for-profit contractors, and worry about the possible consequences of enabling future administrations to target scapegoats more efficiently.