The NSA Won A Defunding Battle, But It Could Lose The War

[damnedifIknow]

The National Security Agency has lost the political support it needs to maintain its controversial Internet and phone dragnet spying operation. Yesterday, July 24th, the House of Representatives nearly ratified the most brazen amendment to completely cut off funds for any broad NSA spying program (failing 205-217). With more time to build grassroots momentum and craft a less brute-force law curtailing NSA spy powers, the next bill will likely have enough support to win the day.

With only a few days to prepare, Representative Justin Amash managed to gain traction for an amendment to the defense appropriations bill that would deny the NSA the ability to use funds toward programs that broadly spied on Americans. The surprise was that a majority of Democrats bucked their own leader, President Obama, in support of the Amendment, 111-83."

* Now, we have definitive evidence that nearly half Democrats and Republicans support a radical reduction in NSA surveillance capabilities. A much greater percentage probably agree that there should be some change.

At the very least, it’s unlikely that the legal basis of the NSA dragnet will make it past the Patriot Act’s 2015 renewal date. In anticipation of this loss, the intelligence agencies will likely have to find some kind of compromise that will pass congress, rather than risk losing all of their powers.

Those who voted against Amash’s amendment today should be very (very) worried about the angry mobs they will face back home. The American populace has a particular talent for making life difficult for members when they hold town halls. "

http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/25/the-nsa-won-yesterdays-battle-but-it-could-lose-the-war/

[Lint Head]

1. No apology. Fuck the NSA!

[Laelth]

2. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Waiting For Everyman]

3. Very true.

These mass spying programs need to go away, not just be modified. Once the NSA is on the ropes we need to keep it there until we get it cut down to size, and not let up on them.

I'm thinking back to when the CIA was threatened with near-extinction because Congress was so livid at them for not having a clue that Russia was going to fall. (What do we need spies for if they don't know about something that big going down?) Bob Gates pleaded on and on, not to take a big axe to them, and got actual pity from the legislators, he put on such a pathetic act. It's what the spooks always do when they get caught red-handed.

[sabrina 1]

4. Isn't this what we were waiting for, for so long? Congress actually doing something about these

anti-Constitutional Bush policies?

I think Ellsberg was correct when he said 'Snowden is the man we have been waiting for, for 40 years'.

And this is an opportunity for Obama. We always hear that he can't get anything done because Republicans obstruct everything. Finally it looks like all he has to do is encourage his own party on the next vote to defund these programs, and enough Repubs are on board to get it passed.

This could be a historical moment for Democrats who for over ten years have been waiting for it.