Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional NSA Spying

Re:Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional... by mtgx on Monday July 15, 2013 @07:22AM (#6044875)

Even the repealing of Citizens United as a Constitutional Amendment is having hard enough traction. With such low trust level in Congress (which means Congress is the most anti-citizens as ever), this is not a proper environment for introducing a Constitutional Amendment, anyway. Can you imagine what this "rogue" Congress would try to introduce in it (that's if they even accept to pass it).

Also, it's not needed. Why the hell can't we get the same type of strict restrictions for e-mail and online chat as for snail mail? Why?!

Those privacy laws for mail were not made based on the medium - paper - they were based on the principle of private communications. So why doesn't that apply to e-mail, too? The government is quick to say that copyright infringement online is just like stealing a car. So why isn't infringing on e-mail privacy just like infringing on snail mail privacy? And why doesn't e-mail get the same laws protecting it? That's what people need to ask their own representatives in Congress.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional... by dantheman on Monday July 15, 2013 @07:48AM (#6044950)

That's because citizens united was actually a good ruling. People don't lose rights just by forming groups.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional... by fnordfnordfnord on Monday July 15, 2013 @12:24PM (#6046546)

Citizens united may have been a good ruling, but absent further reform in political campaigning, we'll continue to see bad results.

  >People don't lose rights just by forming groups.

In principle maybe, but, if only it were true. Try telling that to the many people arrested for political protesting, especially those arrested merely for being in proximity of a protest.

Then there is always the group of people who "choose" to travel by air.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional... by dantheman on Tuesday July 16, 2013 @01:59AM (#6050235)

I'm slightly confused by your response. It seem you agree with me that people shouldn't lose rights by being in a group. You cite 2 examples:

   In principle maybe, but, if only it were true. Try telling that to the many people arrested for political protesting, especially those arrested merely for being in proximity of a protest.
   Then there is always the group of people who "choose" to travel by air.

So we're in agreement about people and their rights. I guess the only part I don't get is the "In principle maybe, but, if only it were true. Try telling that to the many people arrested for political protesting, especially those arrested merely for being in proximity of a protest. Then there is always the group of people who "choose" to travel by air." Are you advocating for limiting the rights of groups to speak/assemble/spend & raise money? Or are you pointing out that the current system isn't great? I'll agree the latter - in my opinion the problem is that there is a concentration of power and massive budget - when there's that few people controlling that much money then the incentives will be to try and direct as much of the money towards your special interest as possible. Restricting groups is treating the symptom, not the cause.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional... by rayiner on Monday July 15, 2013 @10:01AM (#6045547)

It's silly to call this Congress a "rogue" Congress because of its low approval ratings. Nationwide, people still strongly approve of their elected representatives. They just hate the ones all the other people chose.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional... by mpyne on Monday July 15, 2013 @11:15AM (#6046066)

I wonder when the last Congress was that didn't have low approval ratings, in fact.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Bills Introduced by Congress Fail to Fix Unconstitutional... by rayiner on Monday July 15, 2013 @11:33AM (#6046200)

The 9/11 Congress: http://sas-origin.onstreammedia.com/origin/gallupinc/GallupS.... The one that passed the PATRIOT ACT and the AUMF.

[ Parent | on HN ]