from Hacker News

Momentum Builds Against N.S.A. Surveillance

by tippytop on 7/29/13, 3:12 AM with 30 comments

  • by antoko on 7/29/13, 3:45 AM

    ...who is rallying an increasingly unified Democratic caucus to his side, as well as 61 House Democrats who voted no on Wednesday but are now publicly signaling their discontent.

    That's HUGE. Does anyone have any more details on this?

    The tone of the whole article seems to indicate that change is inevitable. We need to stay vigilant and make sure the changes aren't just window-dressing.

  • by sologoub on 7/29/13, 5:48 AM

    And while this "momentum" builds, Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) engages in further character assassination of Snowden: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/07...

  • by a3n on 7/29/13, 4:45 AM

    There's really no danger for the NSA. If a law is passed prohibiting mass surveillance, they'll just secretly reinterpret the law to say that it allows mass surveillance.

  • by mtgx on 7/29/13, 4:12 AM

    "The sudden reconsideration of post-Sept. 11 counterterrorism policy has taken much of Washington by surprise"

    It shouldn't have. But this is how these things happen. People don't act immediately on them, even if they think differently. They just build and build up frustration inside of them, while the politicians keep stepping on them more and more, growing ever more brave in doing that because they see no one protests against their actions - until one the people day blow up and the move seems "sudden".

    Politicians should consider themselves lucky this is not a violent revolution meant to overthrow the government, and they should fix the problem as soon as they can.

  • by sixothree on 7/29/13, 4:05 AM

    If there is one thing I would most like to see changed it is this secrecy required of companies compliant in this surveillance.

  • by codex on 7/29/13, 5:20 AM

    It's the case, historically, that civil liberties restrict during time of war and expand again in peacetime. Lincoln suspending habeas corpus during the Civil War, Espionage Act of 1917, Japanese American internment camps during WWII, Smith Act, Subversive 
Activities 
Control 
Act, McCarthyism, etc.

    Recent re-expansion has included the New York Times' successful defense of the publication of The Pentagon Papers. I think we're seeing another example of this here. 9/11-like attacks have not reoccured, and the public pendulum is shifting back.

    If no more significant terrorist attacks occur, eventually I predict that significant portions of the Patriot Act will not be renewed. This is somewhat like firing your gardner as unnecessary because you don't see any weeds in your garden, but, even so, I suspect the Patriot Act is overkill.

  • by joering2 on 7/29/13, 6:46 AM

    Here is what I want and perhaps someone can code it, since I don't have enough time on my hands right now.

    I want a website where I can read about all politicians against PRISM/ deep surveillance systems, and all those scumbags who voted this thing in, and continue to go with it.

    Then when it comes around next election, I want to go to this website, connect my mailbox with it just like Facebook or LinkedIn ask me to, and send email to EVERY CONTACT from my mailbox as of WHY they should not vote on those people with link to a nice page with description on each and every one of those scumbags.

    Go!

  • by nsh on 7/29/13, 5:15 AM

    Indian has its own set of cyber security is it somewhat the problem similar to NSA and should Indians protest against it http://www.techcrump.com/indian-national-cyber-security-poli...

  • by D9u on 7/29/13, 5:06 AM

    We absolutely must be relentless with our complaints to our elected representatives, as is our right, lest we lose them all.

  • by coldcode on 7/29/13, 1:07 PM

    The real issue isn't just the NSA but having a secret court than makes secret laws we can't even be told about: this is what is fundamentally inconsistent with a democracy (or republic).

  • by PhasmaFelis on 7/29/13, 5:38 AM

    Okay, does anyone have a Chrome plugin to bypass the NYT paywall? It's annoying to have to open a Incognito window every damn time.