Patriot, My Ass

Wired got me started on this again.  With all the other stuff going on, I was temporarily distracted.  I've been waiting for this to build since the first articles surfaced, hoping there would be some breakthrough that filled some mighty serious gaps in information.  It's still not completely filled in, but there is enough now to see some mighty big problems. 

For months, two Senators have screamed bloody murder that the government holds a secret legal interpretation of the Patriot Act so broad that it amounts to a whole different law giving the feds massive domestic surveillance powers. Now, a measure by Sens. Ron Wyden and Mark Udall would force the U.S. intelligence chief, and by extension the entire intelligence community, to admit that they went too far in their Patriot Act interpretations — if they don’t find a way to wiggle out of it.


The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence meets Thursday to prepare the annual bill authorizing the U.S. intelligence agency’s operations. During that “mark-up” process, Wyden and Udall will ask their colleagues to include a measure compelling the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to produce a “detailed assessment of the problems posed by the reliance of government agencies” (.pdf) on “interpretations of domestic surveillance authorities that are inconsistent with the understanding of such authorities by the public.” Wyden’s staff provided Danger Room with a copy of the proposed amendment.

Sounds to me like someone is calling bullshit.   For a few reasons I am inclined to give these two the benefit of the doubt.  They aren't asking for change, they are demanding the public know the rules and details of what has been decided for them.  They argue for disclosure about process, not specific details.    No way should our government decide what citizens should know about its policies.  Transparency is required for citizens to hold government accountable.  If we are subject to it, we are (logically) entitled to know what we are subject to.  What is bothersome is how convinced they are that the people are going to freak out when they know the truth.  There is nothing to gain by being wrong.  If there is nothing of interest, it would be political suicide to make a hollow accusation of this magnitude.  If they turn out to be right, they could look like heroes at a time when people are increasingly becoming upset and feeling helpless about how they are treated by their own government.


Take it however you want, but it's clear government is testing its limits.  There could be a whole different kind of civil war if the government continues to push and then cross the line.  I really enjoyed this article.  His worst case scenario isn't hyperbole, it's actually possible.  That scares the hell out of me.  


I hope this gains attention and we get some more facts to work with.  And kudos to Wired. I offer a humble apology for being surprised at their chops.