Clapper confirms no evidence of contact between Russia and Trump campaign

[DarrinS]

I can only guess... but my take would be that's it's an unpopular position, considering the dirty laundry we already know about govt surveillance.

I think it's right to complain about such expansion, tbh, but now Trump gets to keep it. That's why it makes no sense to make it about this or that party. We're all getting screwed, whether you like red or blue.

Im guessing he will revoke it, after all the dirty laundry is aired out.

[ElNono]

Im guessing he will revoke it, after all the dirty laundry is aired out.

One thing Don doesn't want is a beef with the Intelligence Community at large... so there will be no dirty laundry aired out, because he's fully aware it can come back to haunt him.

What's most likely to happen is we're going to move to the next topic du-jour next week and pretend none of this ever happened.

[monosylab1k]

[DarrinS]

Maybe Oct 2016 FISA authorization about this

[pgardn]

Also, many people that pointed fingers at Snowden for being a 'traitor', now have to suck it up, and recognize he was talking about a real danger...

Sure he found a real danger.

But he also did something very illegal.
We can't have individuals from private contractors deciding what they think is important and leaking. This could also go very wrong. This must be emphasized.

[ElNono]

Maybe Oct 2016 FISA authorization about this

Very likely, read this:
https://theintercept.com/2017/03/04/...hat-right-now/

[ElNono]

Sure he was.

But he also did something very illegal.
We can't have individuals from private contractors deciding what they think is important and leaking. This could also go very wrong. This must be emphasized.

That's certainly debatable. Perhaps we should have a framework where whistleblowers can actually sound alarms on this stuff, but unfortunately, at least with the previous administration, whistleblowers have been treated like nothing but criminals.

[DarrinS]

One thing Don doesn't want is a beef with the Intelligence Community at large... so there will be no dirty laundry aired out, because he's fully aware it can come back to haunt him.

What's most likely to happen is we're going to move to the next topic du-jour next week and pretend none of this ever happened.

I think the beef is already there. If that EO was designed to take Trump down and it doesn't work? Now, you've left behind a very powerful tool for Trump to use against perceived enemies.

[pgardn]

That's certainly debatable. Perhaps we should have a framework where whistleblowers can actually sound alarms on this stuff, but unfortunately, at least with the previous administration, whistleblowers have been treated like nothing but criminals.

Snowden performed a great service to the country imo.

I have tried to read about proper ways to handle whistle blowers and my head exploded. The complexity dashed with political spin... too much for me.

[DarrinS]

Snowden performed a great service to the country imo.

I have tried to read about proper ways to handle whistle blowers and my head exploded. The complexity dashed with political spin... too much for me.

He definitely made people aware of the necessity of disabling USB storage devices.

[ElNono]

I think the beef is already there. If that EO was designed to take Trump down and it doesn't work? Now, you've left behind a very powerful tool for Trump to use against perceived enemies.

I don't think that 'tool' was conceived with Trump in mind, tbh, I think the IC just want any powers they can get their hands on. But all the same: you're correct that every one of those 'tools' have an enormous potential for abuse. Especially since there appears to be little oversight (and you'll hear otherwise, but under the 'trust me' moniker, which is not credible).

Unfortunately citizens or a representative of their interests never sits at that table.

[hater]

The su ion predates Snowden, since one of the programs was revealed by the NYT over 10 years ago and eventually Congress scrambled and authorized it then (IIRC, then senator Obama voted for it)... Snowden confirmed it and laid out the scope of it.

Theres a dicference between su ion and confirmation

Plus Snowden opend this up to the masses. So yeah it is recent