NSA Spying On American's Phone Calls Continues!

America - What a country!

by Bill Smith: Last month, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) granted the federal government's request to allow the National Security Agency to continue gathering Americans' phone records in bulk and with little oversigh. National Review reported:The extension is the fifth of its kind since Obama said he would effectively end the Snowden-exposed program as it currently exists during a major policy speech in January 2014. Obama and senior administration officials have repeatedly insisted that they will not act alone to end the program without Congress.

"While the administration waits for the Congress to act, it has continued to operate the program with ... important modifications in place," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement released late Friday.

More than a year's worth of efforts to reform the NSA stalled last year, as the Senate came two votes short of advancing the USA Freedom Act in November. The measure failed to overcome a filibuster by Republicans, many of whom warned any limitation imposed on the NSA could bolster terrorist groups like the Islamic State.

It is widely expected that lawmakers will reintroduce versions of the Freedom Act in the new Congress, but no bill has emerged so far. Core parts of the post-9/11 Patriot Act will sunset on June 1, including Section 215, which grants the NSA legal authority to conduct its controversial dragnet surveillance program.

Amid the congressional inaction, the FISA Court has now renewed the NSA's most controversial spying program five times since Obama delivered his pledge to end it in its current form — in March, June, September, December and now February.President Obama won't stop this run-away FISA-NSA Train and Congress is having trouble getting its act together.

So - your phone and online activity are still open to government snoops who aren't sure what to do with all that data.

As Branson Comedian Yakov Smirnoff says, "America what a country!" Yakov thought America would be better than Russia. However, the joke is really on us, and it is no laughing matter.

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Tags: NASA, FISA, Spying, Americans, phones, Internet, President Obama, Congress, Yakov Smirnoff To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!