I came across a news story today that I felt compelled to share here. Because it gets right at the heart of who we are as a country and what we stand for it is a must read for every American.
For the record, I consider myself a political independent in the Richard Jeni tradition. I have no axe to grind personally. Still, I must say that this program being implemented and made permanent by the current administration is an abomination in my eyes. I urge you to read it and make your own conclusions.
Here’s just a snippet:
What has been created here – permanently institutionalized – is a highly secretive executive branch agency that simultaneously engages in two functions: (1) it collects and analyzes massive amounts of surveillance data about all Americans without any judicial review let alone search warrants, and (2) creates and implements a “matrix” that determines the “disposition” of suspects, up to and including execution, without a whiff of due process or oversight. It is simultaneously a surveillance state and a secretive, unaccountable judicial body that analyzes who you are and then decrees what should be done with you, how you should be “disposed” of, beyond the reach of any minimal accountability or transparency.
Please read the whole article at The Guardian. Hat tip, BusinessInsider.