We were reminded six years ago that the federal government impinges on our rights in the name of security even though its measures don’t improve security. In 2013, Edward Snowden informed us that the NSA had been gathering records of phone calls and texts of US citizens as part of Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act. How this overreach of Government, restricting the rights of US citizens ever became approved is a sad reminder of what politicians will do in the name of security.
The NSA reported collecting an amazing 534 million records in 2017, three times more than collected a year earlier. The results of these privacy intrusions have been predictable. The NSA’s record of safety is similar to the number of times the expensive and intrusive TSA has saved us from terrorist attacks. Never.
Luke Murray, national security advisor for House Minority leader Kevin McCarty recently revealed that the NSA hasn’t used the collection system for half a year as the data collected was unwieldy and impossible to use effectively. The government has again proven their time-honored ability to both infringe our rights and waste our money.
Bi-partisan bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to end the NSA’s practice of collecting these records. The bills are sponsored by U.S. senators Rand Paul and Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Justin Amash , and Zoe Lofgren. We contacted Chester County’s Rep Houlahan, and senators Casey and Toomey to see if they support the removal of this terrible law. While they have not yet responded, we will publish their statements here. Which of the two major parties fight to protect our rights? Neither. Not only did they pass this law secretly, but if a fugitive whistle-blower had not revealed this, we might have never known about this intrusion on our rights. It is time we voted people into office who respect our personal freedoms and pass laws with transparency. That’s why we vote Libertarian