Spying on Individuals

WASHINGTON — – President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged the Senate to renew National Security Agency surveillance powers before they expire at midnight Sunday, as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul vowed to keep working to block the Patriot Act and the bulk collection of Americans’ phone records.

“This needs to get done,” Obama told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
Obama said reauthorizing the surveillance efforts is “necessary to keep the American people safe and secure.”

“I strongly urge the Senate to work through this recess and make sure that they identify a way to get this done,” Obama said.

Paul said the House bill supported by Obama, under which the records would be kept by the phone companies instead of the government, doesn’t go far enough to stop the NSA from getting the data. He argued that Obama should be shutting down the bulk collection of phone records.

“Our founding fathers thought it was very important that warrants have an individual's name on it, that you couldn't have a warrant that said Verizon on it and collect all the records of all the people in America through one single warrant,” Paul said in a Tuesday appearance on “CBS This Morning.” “So I think I'm right in line with what the founders would have fought for.”


“Five days,” the email said. “That's how long you and I have until the U.S. Senate meets in a rare Sunday session on May 31st where surveillance state apologists will do everything they can to RAM through an extension of the so-called "PATRIOT Act's" ILLEGAL and unconstitutional domestic spying programs.”

Paul said on “CBS This Morning,” that he wants Senate Republican leaders to allow him a majority vote on his Patriot Act amendments, including one to end the bulk collection program.


Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/05/26/267822/obama-and-rand-paul-face-off-over.html#storylink=cpy

In Australia the LDP is the only party opposing similar laws...

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The Age - theage.com.au
March 17 ·
Bill Shorten has been sent a warning shot to fix the way he operates and consult his colleagues more during an extended debate on metadata in the Labor caucus on Tuesday.

The Pulse live: Stephanie Peatling blogs live from Parliament


Bill Shorten has been sent a warning shot to fix the way he operates and consult his colleagues more during an extended debate on metadata in the Labor caucus on Tuesday.

Caucus agreed to pass the government's metadata retention bill subject to an amendment to better protect journalists and their sources, which is still to be negotiated between Attorney-General George Brandis and media chiefs.
Rising Labor talent Ed Husic took Mr Shorten to task in the regular meeting of Labor MPs saying he wished the consultation process for controversial new data retention laws had been done differently.


Mr Husic argued against the laws, citing the cost of forcing telcos to store data for two years, privacy concerns and the effectiveness in using metadata to solve crime.

Mr Husic also questioned how crucial metadata would be in investigations given the terror threat is evolving into an increasing number of "lone wolves" who aren't necessarily communicating with each other. An unnamed MP pointed out that the new laws would not have stopped Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis or other "lone-wolf terrorists".

Labor senator Doug Cameron is also understood to have raised concerns in the meeting. He belongs to Labor's Left faction in NSW while Mr Husic belongs to the powerful NSW Labor Right.

The same MP also reminded colleagues that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull called mandatory data retention "Orwellian" when in opposition. Another argued it was not just journalists that needed protection but every citizen.

Mr Shorten has promised 2015 would be his year of ideas but has so far unveiled just two policies - a plan to tax multinational companies dodging their obligations and $70 million funding to tackle domestic violence.

Mr Husic declined to comment when contacted by Fairfax Media about his intervention in caucus.

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We live in a Nanny Country ... it must be expected as more and more people give up their independence to collect their entitlements.

I Totaly agree Abby when their are more voters than taxpayers what hope is there for change . 

The leaners have taken over...

There are more of us than them and the sooner we all stand up for our rights the better

 

Thanks Pete's dad for telling us ...

What rights are those Plan B??

100.000 pensioners marching on Canberra with baseball bats might wake them up.

You bringing your Pommie aggression to these shores Davey ??

I'm Scottish not English.........you really are stupid and don't see the funny side of anything........miserable OB

Thank heavens you're not English, but shouldn't you be wearing a kilt ?? And don't be rude, the Mod who is a friend of mine will remove your post and ban you.

You don't have any friends which is why you spend your life on here

Now you've broken my heart and my spirit. I'm a broken man, sob sob sob

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