After Orlando, Senate bill seeks to allow FBI Web searches without court order | Hacker News Reader

After Orlando, Senate bill seeks to allow FBI Web searches without court order

washingtonpost.com

30 pointswaterphone18 comments

Of course it does. Every act of terrorism leads to more and more attacks on the rights of law abiding citizens. It's like the government doesn't view terrorism as a crisis, but an opportunity.

To the government, the number one enemy of security is freedom.

To the government and their handlers, the number one enemy of their security is your freedom.

yeah but, would you not?

I think everyone here agrees that this is a terrible correlation for people to make. Just because these tragedies occur does not mean that our liberty is no longer sacred. We need to figure out a way to translate that value to the average American - They need to understand what's really at stake and we have not done a good job explaining that.

Seems as though the GOP Senate are equally steadfast against any discussion on limiting access to guns as they are to eroding what little privacy US citizens retain. How can one amendment be so untouchable that it actually harms another?

That's strange to me too. People on the terrorist watch list can't fly but they can buy guns. That doesn't really make sense.

> People on the terrorist watch list can't fly but they can buy guns.

On the one hand, people who have been found to be a legitimate danger of terrorism by a reasonable process including due process of law arguably shouldn't be able to buy guns. Or fly on commercial airliners.

OTOH, I can also see a reasonable argument to be made that the various terrorist watch lists (including the no-fly list) do not meet the appropriate standard of due process for either or both of those consequences.

I am in total agreement that the watch lists do not meet standards of due process. I was only pointing out the inconsistency of not being able to fly but being able to buy guns.

People get on the no-fly list for "a reasonable suspicion". Basically you can get to the no-fly list for using the wrong search terms on the internet. I'm glad Ben Swann covers these topics, you should check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud9Kfuvdw4Q

Should we be adding more power to a list that anyone can be added to for any reason with no recourse to get removed from it? And should a constitutionally protected right be revoked merely on vague suspicion? Being on a terrorist watchlist is not proof that you're a terrorist or have terrorist sympathies. There's no trial or opportunity for defense.

You have an explicit right to own a gun. You don't have a right to fly. Throw into the fact that anyone can be put on a no-fly list for any reason with no recourse and you have just given the government the opportunity and means to deny ANYONE ownership of a gun.

... good?

Not really... If the federal government can take away the constitutional right for anyone to own a gun, they can and likely will take away every other constitutional right. Soon after an evisceration of the 2nd amendment, people will need to raise their hands, wait for approval, and only when approved step into free speech zones for saying what they believe. Then, if the speech is not in line with the consensus the person will have a lawsuit against them.

All of those things have been proposed this year or are already enacted.

It is quite clear: Becuase the State is in possession of WMDs, whereas The Pen is mightier than the sword.

If they need a panic inducing tragedy to pass legislation it's not legislation worth passing.

They don't really need anything. These are all wedge issues, not real issues they are interested in solving. As long as there is debate and people are unsatisfied, they will continue to get elected in order to fix the broken system.

Just looking at the recent past, the Democrats had both houses of Congress and the Presidency. They were fully capable of passing every single piece of legislation that they have historically wanted. However, all they passed were a couple of measures on which the electorate were hugely split. Then they chose to sit on the floor, because the Republicans didn't let them vote on a gun measure. The Republicans have also acted this way when in power.

These are politicians playing politics - 535 people who all believe they should be President. They are all willing to string the people along to further their political careers.

Thank god this crap was defeated... for now at least.

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