General Discussion

randome

(34,845 posts)

45. Our energy is better spent on something besides tilting at windmills.

Sat Apr 12, 2014, 08:59 AM

Apr 2014

Any large country needs a security apparatus in place. The NSA does a lot regarding national security, international pedophile rings, human trafficking, drug smuggling, money laundering and, yes, stopping terrorists.

Are they a perfect organization that is to be 100% trusted? Of course not.

But all Snowden has shown us so far is that they store (via legal warrants) the same telecom metadata records that the telecom companies themselves store and that they spy on other countries.

The reason we 'tolerate' the NSA is because the majority of people in this country understand that Snowden's 'revelations' amount to little beyond the outlook of a strange, disgruntled man who has more in sympathy with Libertarians than with Democracy.

I don't mean this to be a 'defense' of the NSA, simply a way to see things for how they really are.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
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Why do we tolerate the NSA? [View all] MannyGoldstein Apr 2014 OP

We have a choice? Boom Sound 416 Apr 2014 #1

Imagine if we all chose a day, and disconnected from everything, and turned in our cable boxes. TheNutcracker Apr 2014 #33

You just described pre-1992 Boom Sound 416 Apr 2014 #38

BLACKMAIL!!!! billhicks76 Apr 2014 #34

"It's like keeping measles as a pet." I LOVE that. Perfect. Ed Suspicious Apr 2014 #2

Because we're in control of them. ileus Apr 2014 #3

You say that as if Jackpine Radical Apr 2014 #4

Because they do NONE OF THE ABOVE. jazzimov Apr 2014 #5

How many terror plots have been foiled by their MannyGoldstein Apr 2014 #8

Manny, we've known about bulk metadata phone record collection since 2006 Cali_Democrat Apr 2014 #12

Was that my question? MannyGoldstein Apr 2014 #13

It's just interesting how you're only outraged about it now when there's a Democratic President. Cali_Democrat Apr 2014 #20

Still trying to hijack this subthread. MannyGoldstein Apr 2014 #26

The subject of your OP is the NSA and you brought up metadata phone record collection Cali_Democrat Apr 2014 #37

shame on you. nt grasswire Apr 2014 #41

Nailed it...nt SidDithers Apr 2014 #57

Yes. Some of us knew a little about the Meta-Data Collection in 2006, bvar22 Apr 2014 #68

How's the sand looking down below? Ed Suspicious Apr 2014 #9

lol fascisthunter Apr 2014 #72

Because somewhere, somehow, someday, the NSA just might stop a terrorist from killing someone. Vattel Apr 2014 #6

meanwhile, 100,000 a year are killed and injured by gun violence, but that's ok because it tastes pragmatic_dem Apr 2014 #30

Get with the program. No one really dies unless they are killed by a terrorist. Vattel Apr 2014 #44

Agent Mike says... 99Forever Apr 2014 #7

Because foreign intelligence is important? Egnever Apr 2014 #10

Especially to Wall St. So important in fact, that Wall St. ran the proto-CIA for 2 years... Junkdrawer Apr 2014 #15

To a lot of things Egnever Apr 2014 #17

To guard the secret of The Bomb. Junkdrawer Apr 2014 #11

I lived at Ft Meade throughout Vietnam. My dad worked there. w8liftinglady Apr 2014 #14

I think we learned especially during WW2 the need to apply goldent Apr 2014 #16

Well said Egnever Apr 2014 #18

Not just firm oversight Android3.14 Apr 2014 #22

I agree the public should know what is in the remit of the NSA and goldent Apr 2014 #39

Of course MannyGoldstein Apr 2014 #23

lol - China, N. Korea, Iran, India et al would agree. You might just say it is more important pragmatic_dem Apr 2014 #31

Agree! Also, yes, it needs firm oversight. For many there has been too much trust, that can RKP5637 Apr 2014 #55

, blkmusclmachine Apr 2014 #19

You know why Manny..... DeSwiss Apr 2014 #21

That's a pretty healthy attitude to have. adirondacker Apr 2014 #32

We like to think they're on our side..... Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2014 #24

we don't, but the conservative infection sweeping the Democratic Party does and it is a pragmatic_dem Apr 2014 #25

I don't tolerate it. I just have no power over it. Demeter Apr 2014 #27

Besides, if we didn't spend billions spying on each other, we'd just spend it sending more jobs and pragmatic_dem Apr 2014 #28

As if you hadnt heard, there has been a coup and apparently you werent invited. rhett o rick Apr 2014 #29

They have a legitimate mission. moondust Apr 2014 #35

They keep us safe...from ourselves. We can't be trusted to know what "our" government does. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2014 #36

Doesn't the NSA work covertly on international security? JohnnyRingo Apr 2014 #40

The Internet is the greatest tool in our arsenal. Maedhros Apr 2014 #42

I really don't propose anyone discard the tech of the 21st century. JohnnyRingo Apr 2014 #73

I can see your point. Maedhros Apr 2014 #75

And yet I get the word liberal spit in my face often enough. JohnnyRingo Apr 2014 #77

�One need not destroy one�s enemy. One only needs to destroy his willingness to engage�� Pholus Apr 2014 #43

A poorly reasoned NSA purity defense. Apology not accepted, but we'll sent you a "NSA Ranger" badge, pragmatic_dem Apr 2014 #46

I should apologize anyway. JohnnyRingo Apr 2014 #69

You always had to be worried about speaking openly on the phone about drug deals goldent Apr 2014 #48

NSA program stopped no terrorist attacks says White House review panel Oilwellian Apr 2014 #54

+1000000 treestar Apr 2014 #67

Our energy is better spent on something besides tilting at windmills. randome Apr 2014 #45

But you DO mean it as a defense of NSA, just as with all of your NSA posts. DisgustipatedinCA Apr 2014 #47

And yet you don't dispute the substance of my post. randome Apr 2014 #49

The OP asks why we should put up with NSA. You ranted about Snowden. DisgustipatedinCA Apr 2014 #50

There is nothing Snowden has 'revealed' that supports your assertion. randome Apr 2014 #53

defending the law of the land, the Constitution questionseverything Apr 2014 #52

Without evidence to the contrary, there is no reason to assume this is being done... randome Apr 2014 #56

we have plenty of evidence questionseverything Apr 2014 #58

I would think that where the IRS is concerned... randome Apr 2014 #59

it is hard for me to imagine a "real" person questionseverything Apr 2014 #61

Oh, I'm real enough. randome Apr 2014 #66

Stop that rational nonsense. JohnnyRingo Apr 2014 #74

The Answer - The Oligarchs, Corporations And Banks Need Federal Spies To Protect Global Interests cantbeserious Apr 2014 #51

I would rather have the paranoids ranting about the NSA... gulliver Apr 2014 #60

Stated with just the right amount of sarcasm that I think even Manny would approve! randome Apr 2014 #62

Perhaps the same reason we tolerate so many abuses, we are overwhelmed. The more info Jefferson23 Apr 2014 #63

Because they are of, by and for the people? L0oniX Apr 2014 #64

I'm ready for the next Benghazi. ucrdem Apr 2014 #65

The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants. Albert Camus Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2014 #70

Who cares about the NSA? That Edward Snowden guy is a traitor!!!111 Vashta Nerada Apr 2014 #71

I don't see the question as having much practical value. cheapdate Apr 2014 #76