back to article US Congress: Spying law is flawed, open to abuse, and lacking in accountability – so let's reauthorize it

Despite recent revelations that the process by which the FBI and NSA gain approval for spying on US citizens is open to abuse, the US Congress is again planning to reauthorize the USA Freedom Act that gives those measures their legal foundation. This week, the House of Representatives unveiled HR 6172, which will reauthorize …

  1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    Spying law is flawed, open to abuse, and lacking in accountability

    Bug / Feature,

    ToMayTo / ToMahTo

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just goes to show that

    Progressives are just as quick to trash your civil liberties as conservatives. Love 'em or hate 'em, the libertarians are the only ones who are always against this crap.

    1. GnuTzu

      Re: Just goes to show that

      Duocracy is just another word for damned if you do, damned if you don't.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Just goes to show that

        If you don't vote for the lizard, the wrong lizard might get in

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Just goes to show that

      I assume you mean real libertarians, and not the extra-conservative House republicans who falsely call themselves libertarians?

  3. Version 1.0 Silver badge

    Legal versus Illegal?

    "...the illegal attempted “coup” of the duly elected President of the United States..." so it's OK if it's a legal attempted coup then?

    That defines Republicans.

    1. cornetman Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: Legal versus Illegal?

      > so it's OK if it's a legal attempted coup then?

      That would be what we call an "election", although I think I see what you mean. :)

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Driven by Fear (of election campaigns)

    Far too many politicians are afraid of being labeled as soft on terrorism to let the law lapse.

    Far too many Americans view surveillance by the intelligence community as a good thing because they believe that they aren't being surveiled.

    I really hate to have to rely on Trump to try to get the law changed.

  5. JCitizen

    Hate to admit it but...

    my stupid fellow Americans are okay with unconstitutional acts like this as long as they seem to be successful, but not one object of these investigations was successful - in fact there was only one failure FISA led investigation, that didn't turn up any terrorists in the end. The ONLY reason the US has had some success is because the various agencies were finally allowed to share information. And THAT is all that was necessary - Homeland security was that sharing instrument, and the only part of that success - but the media seems complacent not to point that out. At least the majority of the media doesn't.

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