From the Independent Institute
Nearly 20 years after its hurried passage, key components of the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001), are currently up for renewal. Yet despite no evidence that its sweeping surveillance powers have prevented any acts of terrorism, Section 215 of the Act looks certain to be renewed without amendment.
At its passage, Americans were assured the PATRIOT Act would be used only in surveilling dangerous foreigners. Yet Section 215 provides for the blanket collection of Americans’ communications. As NSA whistleblowers Thomas Drake, J. Kirk Wieber, and William Binney–and most famously, Edward Snowden–have revealed, all electronic communications of all Americans are under constant surveillance and are permanently stored so security agencies can look through them whenever an urge strikes.
In addition to Snowden’s revelations, William Binney, a 30-year veteran of the NSA, has detailed, in print, on TV, and to USA Today and the New York Times, that the NSA has spied on “everyone in this country” since 9/11, laying a lie to President Obama’s claim that NSA only stores “metadata.”
Continue reading “USA PATRIOT Act: Leviathan in Search of a Crisis”