Norman Solomon: The NSA Deserves a Permanent Shutdown

[marmar]

Published on Monday, September 30, 2013 by Common Dreams
The NSA Deserves a Permanent Shutdown

by Norman Solomon


To the people in control of the Executive Branch, violating our civil liberties is an essential government service. So -- to ensure total fulfillment of Big Brother’s vast responsibilities -- the National Security Agency is insulated from any fiscal disruption.

The NSA’s surveillance programs are exempt from a government shutdown. With typical understatement, an unnamed official told The Hill that “a shutdown would be unlikely to affect core NSA operations.”

At the top of the federal government, even a brief shutdown of “core NSA operations” is unthinkable. But at the grassroots, a permanent shutdown of the NSA should be more than thinkable; we should strive to make it achievable.

NSA documents, revealed by intrepid whistleblower Edward Snowden, make clear what’s at stake. In a word: democracy. ............................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/09/30-0

[Downwinder]

1. And a reordering of their mission to security.

[gopiscrap]

2. I agree