"In a poll taken Thursday, almost two thirds of Americans said it was acceptable for the NSA to collect phone records. When asked if they would be bothered if the NSA had their phone records, Democrats and independents were more likely to be bothered than Republicans. The ABC-Washington Post poll surveyed 502 people by telephone."
We can thank our founders that we are a republic, governed by the Constitution and laws enacted in accordance with the Constitution. In that respect, I am a conservative.
"To a conservative, the goal of change is less important than the insistence that change be effected with a respect for the rule of law and traditions of society."
(See "Am I a progressive conservative?")
Simply google: Echelon Europe NSA and you get:
Please read:
"In time, two vast systems--one designed for national security and one for law enforcement--would merge and, in the process, would cripple national control over surveillance activities.
"The scandal has found its way to Washington. The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has ordered the NSA to hand over documents relating to Echelon. The NSA has for the first time in the committee's history refused, claiming attorney-client privilege.
"The standoff may well end the NSA's privileged position. Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.), worried by the potential breach of constitutional privacy rights, has introduced an amendment to the fiscal 2000 Intelligence Authorization Act requiring the directors of the CIA and the NSA and Atty. Gen. Janet Reno to submit a report outlining the legal standards being employed within project Echelon in order to safeguard the privacy of American citizens.
"The NSA's silence has fueled the present inquiry by the Rome judiciary. The head of the inquiry, Deputy Dist. Atty. Vittorio De Cesare, intends to determine the extent to which the activities of the NSA may breach Italian law.
"Italy's privacy watchdog, Stefano Rodota, has also expressed his concern, and recently told local media, "The U.S. government [has] not replied to the requests for clarifications made explicitly by the European Parliament." Rodota has motivated his fellow privacy commissioners throughout Europe to formally investigate the Echelon system.
"These recent events have left observers contemplating two distressing facts. First, national borders have disintegrated. The NSA and its partner agencies now can intercept any communication worldwide. Second, the distinction between traditional police and security agencies has blurred. The future is without doubt a seamless, borderless, surveillance web that touches all facets of our communication."
"Simon Davies Is a Visiting Fellow in the Computer Security Research Centre in the London School of Economics and Director of the Human Rights Group, Privacy International"
"Copyright 1999 Los Angeles Times. All Rights Reserved"
The following comes from:
FYI
Rigo
Richard Hornbeck wrote:
>
> Although awareness of the existence of Echelon (NSA interception of all
> electronic communications throughout Europe since WWII) is increasing in the
> States, its significance may not yet be widely understood in Europe. If
> anyone wants cites, or URLs explaining this "amazing feat of technology" and
> the vast privacy implications it triggers, please send your request either
> directly to myself, or to this list (whichever fits this list's e-mail
> etiquette).
>
> Richard Hornbeck
> Electronic Frontiers - Texas
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-politech@vorlon.mit.edu
> [mailto:owner-politech@vorlon.mit.edu] On Behalf Of Declan McCullagh
> Sent: Monday, September 28, 1998 7:23 AM
> To: politech@vorlon.mit.edu
> Subject: FC: European Parliament report accuses NSA of spying
>
> [Imagine that -- a spy agency actually *spying*!]
>
> The Baltimore Sun
>
> September 19, 1998, Saturday
>
> Pg. 9A
>
> NSA listening practices called European 'threat'; European Parliament
> report accuses agency of widespread spying
>
> Neal Thompson, SUN STAFF
>
> The National Security Agency has incurred the wrath of some U.S. allies
> and triggered debate about increased global eavesdropping, thanks to a new
> report that accuses the agency of spying on European citizens and
> companies.
>
> With the help of a listening post in the moors of northern England, NSA
> for nearly a decade has been snatching Europe's electronic communications
> signals, according to a report for the European Parliament.
>
> "Within Europe, all e-mail, telephone and fax communications are
> routinely intercepted by the United States National Security Agency,
> transferring all target information to Fort Meade," said the report.
>
> 'Powerful threat'
>
> It warned that the NSA's tactics represent a "powerful threat to civil
> liberties in Europe" at a time when more communication -- and commerce --
> is conducted electronically.
>
> A preliminary version of the report circulated overseas in recent
> months, touching off heated debate, with front-page stories in Italy,
> France, Scotland, England, Belgium and even Russia.
>
> The NSA won't discuss the report or even admit that the listening post
> exists.
>
> But this week, two days of debate in the European Parliament continued
> the extraordinary public disclosure of comprehensive post-Cold War spying
> by the agency. On Wednesday, the Parliament passed a resolution seeking
> more accountability from such eavesdropping arrangements and more
> assurances that they won't be misused.
>
> "We want to make sure that somebody's watching them," said Glyn Ford, a
> British member of the European Parliament, the legislative body for the
> 15-member European Union.
>
> Observers say this was the first time a governmental body has described
> in detail -- and then criticized -- the NSA's tactics.
>
> [...]
>
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