Issue Position: The NSA and Privacy

Issue Position

"The leadership of NSA built an intelligence collection system that repeatedly deceived the American people."Senator Ron Wyden.
"The NSA is collecting enormous amounts of information. They know about the phone calls made by every person in this country, where they're calling, who they're calling and how long they're on the phone." Senator Bernie Sanders 14 Jan 14
The NSA is attempting to develop a computer that could ultimately break most encryption programs, whether they are used to protect other nations' spying programs or consumers' bank accounts.-Washington Post
The most powerful FBI surveillance software can covertly download files, photographs and stored e-mails, or even gather real-time images by activating cameras connected to computers.-Washington Post

The government has a secret court for surveillance purposes.

Annual statistics show that the court approves more than 99 percent of applications. It has been called a "Kangaroo Court with a rubber stamp."

On 3 Jan 14, the spy court ruled again that the NSA can keep collecting every American's telephone records every day.

2001 -- Patriot Act -- Vastly increased the government's power to read your emails, monitor your phone calls, and check your bank records.

16 May 11 -- Supreme Court ruling Kentucky V. King gives police the right to break into your house without a warrant.

31 Dec 11 -- President Obama signs new law which gives the government the right to arrest and detain Americans citizens indefinitely without a trial. No proof required.

The U.S. has more people in prison than any other country in the world, per capita, or absolute numbers, including Iran, Cuba, or Russia. Per capita, America has 6 times more people in prison than China.

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