On December 12, 2012, The Wall Street Journal published an article by Julia Angwin entitled U.S. Terrorism Agency to Tap a Vast Database of Citizens. A short video interview with the author is accessible. (Linking directly to the text brings up a blocking WSJ subscription ad but a Google search for the article may bypass it.)
In short, the National Counterterrorism Center has been given sweeping surveillance powers.
“…Now, NCTC can copy entire government databases—flight records, casino-employee lists, the names of Americans hosting foreign-exchange students and many others. The agency has new authority to keep data about innocent U.S. citizens for up to five years, and to analyze it for suspicious patterns of behavior. Previously, both were prohibited. Data about Americans “reasonably believed to constitute terrorism information” may be permanently retained…”
The federal government can even share our data with foreign governments.
There were howls of protest against the Bush Administration about privacy issues in the Patriot Act. What happened to that healthy ire? The four principles below still mean a great deal to veterans and most Americans but our elected representatives don’t seem to care.
asknod
Bethanie Spangenberg
kcraveiro
robinhoodesqvetsatty
Wesley McCauley
Veterans Claims Help 
Ummm… the NCC was born from executive order by G. Bush as part of the Patriot Act.
http://www.nctc.gov/about_us/about_nctc.html
A good act in principal but.. Our elected officials let our laws be abused specifically the liberal socialist democrats. A good site to watch is ACT! For America where the truth is exposed about “who” is letting the ball drop. Our enemy is here and will try and destroy from within. Watch those who want to take away our gun rights and allow a mosque to be built in their town with taxpayer money. It’s the veteran who will die with their guns in their hands not an elected official…
“Our enemy is here and will try and destroy from within.”
And just who exactly, pray tell would that be?
Look to your elected officials and see how they vote on domestic/foreign policy and attacks on our laws. Political correctness is a disease within itself. We are taught a house divided against itself cannot stand. The abomination that sits in the white house today is not what this country stands for. The attacks on those who have christian beliefs is rampant. We are a country not even 300 years old. Yet the world looks to us for just about everything/attacks us for our prosperity and freedoms. No other nation/country has a constitution or bill of rights that protect life from birth. No other nation/country gives their people inalienable rights that cannot be taken away. Once these rights become compromised then we will fall just like other nations and govts have. History teaches a cruel lesson if we don’t learn from it. Consider these facts the next time you vote…
So you are saying the POTUS attacks Christian beliefs, or Christians in general just for the sake of attacking Christians? Your replies read like watching an episode of the Glenn Beck comedy hour. Exactly what “inalienable rights” have been become compromised?
Glen Beck? This sounds like democratic liberal crap not a bit of truth or understanding of our history. Like the preference given to muslim sharia law and their agenda in this country. obama admits he is muslim. Type ” I am one of them” into your search engine. His attorney general does not prosecute muslims who kill members of their own family. Our troops are fighting muslim terrorists and their govts and laws. This country was founded on christian principals(english common law) a reverence to God and His laws laid down in the Bible. We are a christian nation. Inalienable rights? The ability to speak about God publicly-Our govt making us buy health insurance-subverting our laws for political gain. The list is endless. Why are we here? We have a corrupt govt system called the vA. I am a veteran who served honorably. My rights have been taken away by men who write laws to rob me of a benefit I earned. I must fight those who want me dead-hire corrupt greedy lawyers-wait many years for justice-teach myself to have faith and trust in a system who hates me and my claims. My service means nothing and I am considered a liar. Where did my rights go? Who robbed me while I wasn’t looking? Our elected officials that’s who. Your remarks smack of liberal political correctness. Yet you are entitled to them and free to say so. YES we are under attack from many fronts. I know who my enemy is sir. Glen Beck has nothing to do with it…
Because he spouts the same with a scare tactic, paranoia agenda . Why do you insist that President Obama “admits he is muslim”? I dont particularly care for the man as President, but he has clearly demonstrated, even publucly that he is Chrisitian. As far as the affordable care act, (which is based on Gov. Romney’s model that Mass. has adopted), I would rather have those that can not afford health ins. be covered, then the tax payers footing the bill for unwarranted emergency room clogging visits, and greed from insurance companies that in the past could refuse to cover those with ‘pre-existing’ conditions. Are you, specifically, being forced to buy any insurance? Do you know anyone that is? If so, how much is it? (Maybe I can get in on it for the family, and save some $ from what Blue Cross charges) My wife owns a business and employs 10 people… she isn’t even affected. Why? Because she already offers them health insurance. We can agree to disagree on policies, but ultimately we are both fighting the same vA system for the benefits we earned, so before you label someone based on a few posts, you may want to open your mind to other’s ideas, and let some of that anger go. It will eat you up inside.
btw… I am neither a “Democratic liberal” or a “Christian”. I am an American, a disabled Veteran that gave everything short of my life, including my 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s and now my 50’s due to my service incurred disabilities. I also have HCV courtesy of the blood that the Navy and the Army transfused me with… so if you want to label me, label me “American, United States citizen, and fellow Veteran”
I am in my 60’s and gave the Army 3 years of my life. EVERYTHING in this world has to do with religion. You mention this man Glen Beck? Your tirade against him says you are a liberal socialist. You wear this label by pointing to a man who believes the opposite of you. obama a muslim? YES Why is this important. This is a christian nation. Built on those principals. The muslim has hate and murder as their agenda. We are a country of freedoms and love of our God. ANGER? I have much but not against any man or woman. Unfortunately liberals always argue and seldom listen. They are quick to cite hatred as a reason that others disagree with them. Blinded by political correctness and apathy of what evil there in in this world. Worse of all a liberal cannot learn or be taught by those who walked before us. YES I am a christian but I do not impose my beliefs on anyone. I listen to the world rant and rave and make war and kill my brother and sisters. God tells us in Jeremiah 4:22 “for my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish(stupid) children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge”. Bible belief is not a religion but a way of life. As is your right to be whatever you want to be or disagree with. I believe in what God tells me not some man or political party agenda. Belief in God will always divide those who have the freedom to do so. What this man Glen Beck does or says matters not to me. I don’t know of him but if liberals hate him then he must be a christian.
I don’t think you keep up with the news and the numerous states fight against obama care. Or his attack on religious institutions forced to conform or be punished. Or the money he robbed from medicare to fund his pipe dream of socialized medicine. The nation is raging against him and the lawsuits will tie up our courts for many years. However we disagree sir I hope your new year is prosperous and your claims/appeals are settled successfully…
This has been a good debate and it’s good to see common ground has been found.
I prefer a good heated discussion to apathy any day.
Well Mr. G. perhaps you should check these out..
http://www.factcheck.org/2009/12/truth-on-the-cutting-room-floor/
http://mediamatters.org/research/2010/04/06/post-hutaree-how-glenn-beck-and-fox-news-spread/162760
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_obama.html
If you actually read these you will see why I referenced him. Same style. Same lies. Like I said… I dont claim any party, but facts are facts.
We will be looking at viral infections via blood-products and transfusion-related information in 2013. The infection risks have not been solved globally.
Understandable given 9/11. But we’re in serious trouble with regard to privacy now. In the digital age, how do you put the genie back in the bottle?
Makes me think of the movie: “spies like us” starring Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd. The real threat ot privacy for Veterans are the “Fiduciary Agents”. They are “wanna be” men in black who can pry into any and all private records of Veterans. They can watch and cajole without a search warrant. They truly are the SS of the vA and act like bagmen for the mob. The DHS spent 650 billion most of it watching US citizens. Yet the Veterans who fought for freedoms are left scrounging at the bottom of the barrel.
You voted for it people. 4 more years of liberal democratic socialist muslim loving white house attacks on our freedoms. Who really cares? According to the Mayan calendar the world will end tomorrow anyway 12/21/2012. Let’s see who gets it first…
I’m thinking about Sen. Leahy, now 3rd in line for the presidency. He was very vocal about privacy in the past. Now, no problem.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/pat-leahy-sworn-in-as-pre_n_2323386.html