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NSA Still Funded To Spy On US Phone Records

Posted by timothy on from the good-day-to-donate-to-the-eff dept.

Reader turp182 notes that the Amash Amendment (#100) to HR 2397 (DOD appropriations bill) failed to pass the House of Representatives, meaning it will not be added to the appropriations bill. turp182 writes "The amendment would have specifically defunded the bulk collection of American phone records." Americans can see how their representatives voted here.

4 of 362 comments (clear)

  1. Americans no better than foreigners by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Spy on everyone. Karma is a bitch, folks.

  2. I did my part by Yevoc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now that we all know we're being surveilled, I can understand why others may not make similar posts, but I'm going to risk it and say it anyway. I read the previous slashdot article on the amendment. I immediately called my representative. He voted YES! Even if the ship sinks, I still feel very good about this moment. The system may be dysfunctional, but at least some of us are still doing the right thing. The worst thing we can do is succumb to despair. It may take some really tough times to happen, but we WILL eventually emerge on the other side with a better system. It's what life always manages to do, no matter how dark the times become.

    --
    AccountKiller
  3. Re:My congressman will be getting a call today. by intermodal · · Score: 5, Insightful

    *shrug* Doesn't matter, really. Unless I let my voice be heard, I may as well be a serf.

    --
    In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
  4. Re:It's A Start by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't think, at least in their mind, there's any moral issue at all.

    People in all law enforcement branches have the following two facts constantly being reinforced in their minds:

    1. They're trying to catch bad guys.

    2. No matter what they do, sometimes the bad guys get away.

    Imagine working in such an environment. You're only human, so naturally you begin to think, "If only I had a little more power, I could do so much good with it."

    So you make a grab for a little more power, and guess what? It does help to nab a few more bad guys. But it's still not enough. So you start to grab for a little more, then a little more, then a little more. There's nothing wrong with it, because you have the best intentions, right?

    That's what's happened. The NSA has simply grabbed for more power, a little at a time, all in the name of trying to catch the bad guys. No one is telling them, "This steps over the line." The only results of their power grab, at least that they can see, is that they're more effective at doing a good thing.

    So yes, it is possible that a decent, honest person could have no moral qualms about working at the NSA and recording all the communications of all Americans.

    It doesn't mean they're right, of course. There are some lines they shouldn't cross. The problem is that all they can see are the reasons to cross those lines, never the reasons not to.