Right and left unite on surveillance issue

[Jesus Malverde]

An improbable, bipartisan coalition has emerged on Capitol Hill to force the Justice Department and the National Security Agency to consider changes to the once-secret collection of ordinary Americans' telephone calling information as part of antiterrorism efforts.

The rare convergence is another sign that the post-Sept. 11 emphasis on domestic security at all costs is gradually giving way to nagging concerns among Republicans about a "Big Brother" federal government and Democrats worried about protecting individuals' civil liberties.

The shared concern follows explosive revelations about domestic surveillance by fugitive NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

The shared outlook reflects "a real change in both parties on the war on terror, the role of the military and intelligence agencies, and a new common ground on distrust of government," said Norman Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. "There is still a strong bipartisan coalition (favoring intelligence gathering), but the pressure will only grow on the White House and the security agencies to implement some changes."

A parallel right-left coalition emerged just last week when a number of libertarian Republican senators, including Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and David Vitter of Louisiana, supported legislation by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., that would overhaul the armed forces to deal more effectively with sexual assault.

http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Right-and-left-unite-on-surveillance-issue-4677354.php


Echoes Rep. John Conyers, the liberal Michigan Democrat: "This is unsustainable. It's outrageous, and must be stopped immediately."

[napoleon_in_rags]

1. We've had plenty of bipartisan support FOR the program..

So its good to see the same in opposition.