American Ruling Class

Bush says ‘civil liberties were guaranteed’ under his NSA Internet surveillance

"Former President George W. Bush is insisting that a NSA Internet surveillance program started during his administration 'guaranteed' civil liberties, and that Edward Snowden 'damaged the country' by leaking details about it. In an interview with CNN, Bush was confident that 'the Obama administration will deal' with Snowden and the fallout from his leaks. 'I think he damaged the security of the country,' he explained. 'I put the program in place to protect the country, and one of the certainties is civil liberties were guaranteed.' The former president added that his program had found 'the proper balance' between privacy and security." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBush says ‘civil liberties were guaranteed’ under his NSA Internet surveillance

The United States v. Aaron Burr

"Defenders of unconstitutional and intrusive mass surveillance of American citizens by the National Security State have deemed him a traitor, while opponents of such malignant and reprehensible police state practices have proclaimed him a hero. The crucial issues surrounding Snowden call to mind one of the most profound legal cases ever tried, that of The United States v. Aaron Burr. Burr was one of the most intriguing and mysterious persons in the early years of the Republic. Vilified and portrayed as a traitor, there are other dimensions to his character not always presented or portrayed in accounts by court historians." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe United States v. Aaron Burr

The United States v. Aaron Burr

"Defenders of unconstitutional and intrusive mass surveillance of American citizens by the National Security State have deemed him a traitor, while opponents of such malignant and reprehensible police state practices have proclaimed him a hero. The crucial issues surrounding Snowden call to mind one of the most profound legal cases ever tried, that of The United States v. Aaron Burr. Burr was one of the most intriguing and mysterious persons in the early years of the Republic. Vilified and portrayed as a traitor, there are other dimensions to his character not always presented or portrayed in accounts by court historians." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe United States v. Aaron Burr

How a 30-year-old lawyer exposed NSA mass surveillance of Americans—in 1975

"The program was codenamed SHAMROCK and known to only a few people within the government. Every day, a courier went up to New York on the train and returned to Fort Meade with large reels of magnetic tape, which were copies of the international telegrams sent from New York the preceding day using the facilities of three telegraph companies. The tapes would then be electronically processed for items of foreign intelligence interest, typically telegrams sent by foreign establishments in the United States or telegrams that appeared to be encrypted. Telegrams sent by US citizens to foreign destinations were also present in the tapes NSA received." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow a 30-year-old lawyer exposed NSA mass surveillance of Americans—in 1975

How a 30-year-old lawyer exposed NSA mass surveillance of Americans—in 1975

"The program was codenamed SHAMROCK and known to only a few people within the government. Every day, a courier went up to New York on the train and returned to Fort Meade with large reels of magnetic tape, which were copies of the international telegrams sent from New York the preceding day using the facilities of three telegraph companies. The tapes would then be electronically processed for items of foreign intelligence interest, typically telegrams sent by foreign establishments in the United States or telegrams that appeared to be encrypted. Telegrams sent by US citizens to foreign destinations were also present in the tapes NSA received." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow a 30-year-old lawyer exposed NSA mass surveillance of Americans—in 1975

Kerry renews $1.3 billion aid package for Egypt

"Secretary of State John Kerry last month approved $1.3 billion in annual US military aid to Egypt, despite concerns over democratic progress by the country’s new government. On May 10, Kerry quietly approved the transfer of the annual aid, notifying the US Congress of his decision. Morsi’s opponents accuse him of governing in the interests of the Muslim Brotherhood, the party on whose ticket he ran in the presidential election. Psaki defended Kerry’s approval of aid for the fiscal year 2013 saying it was in US national security interests and helped such things as 'maintaining access to the Suez Canal and the interdiction of weapons smuggling.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKerry renews $1.3 billion aid package for Egypt

Kerry: Snowden’s actions ‘despicable’

“Traveling in India, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke with NBC’s Catherine Chomiak.   Kerry said Edward Snowden’s actions are ‘beyond description’ and said he hopes Snowden is apprehended and faces the full weight of the U.S. legal system.” http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/52300721

Continue ReadingKerry: Snowden’s actions ‘despicable’

NSA scandal separates liberty lovers from poseurs

"I’ve reported on government at the local and state level and have seen firsthand that agencies always grab as much power as they can. The most secretive agencies are the ones rife with abuse, and those agencies often cover up the misdeeds of their own agents. People often are drawn to power for less-than-noble reasons. That’s the nature of humanity and of government, although such lessons – at the core of the nation’s founding – are lost on the likes of McConnell and Obama. That coalition of left and right better expand rapidly or else this program will just be the stepping stool to another bigger and more effective governmental intrusion." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA scandal separates liberty lovers from poseurs

PRISM Takeaway: Are We Citizens or Serfs? Should Obama Resign?

"The leaked news about the FBI and NSA PRISM surveillance project may well be the most important news event of your life. I would say it is the most important news story. They so far are downplaying revelations that the National Security Agency (NSA) intercepts every email and text and other data and stores them on a giant supercomputer in Utah, placing the NSA coverage below such pressing concerns as immigration reform and Supreme Court decisions concerning gay marriage. Alternatively, I would call it the PRISM scandal, but I can’t do that either. It’s not a scandal unless people are up in arms, and there is no evidence of that." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPRISM Takeaway: Are We Citizens or Serfs? Should Obama Resign?

Michael Hastings was researching Jill Kelley FBI lawsuit before death

"During the weeks before he was killed in a car crash in Los Angeles, reporter Michael Hastings was researching a story about a privacy lawsuit brought by Florida socialite Jill Kelley against the Department of Defense and the FBI. Hastings, 33, was scheduled to meet with a representative of Kelley next week in Los Angeles to discuss the case, according to a person close to Kelley. Kelley alleges that military officials and the FBI leaked her name to the media to discredit her after she reported receiving a stream of emails that were traced to Paula Broadwell, a biographer of former CIA director David H. Petraeus, according to a lawsuit filed on June 3." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMichael Hastings was researching Jill Kelley FBI lawsuit before death