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Comment by duxup | Hacker News Reader

Legally it doesn't make much sense to gather a ton of data and say "well something might be in there" and now nobody ever sees it.

Pretty easy to just make big buckets of data nobody ever sees...

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When you use the Constitution as a base line as to what it's logical for the government to do, then it's absolutely ridiculous to allow it. The only one who can argue otherwise are lawyers who represent cops/FBI/NSA whose sole purpose is to do the best job they can do, which obviously means no limits on their power. It's up to citizens to vote in law makers who actually represent our interests, the CIA/FBI/cops will only ever stick up for what is in their best interests. That swearing to protect the Constitution is really just a formality and not really applied to their daily activities.

They all take the oath to to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States". It would be great if those agents of the government were held accountable to that oath, and if found guilty of otherwise face appropriate repercussions

Orwell wrote:

>when I see an actual flesh-and-blood worker in conflict with his natural enemy, the policeman, I do not have to ask myself which side I am on

Orwell was a communist, though. It sort of confuses me what he meant by all that. Did he not understand that the kind of mistreatment of humanity was what he supported? I have read his memoirs and articles, I know he was a smart guy who took big chances in Spain and places. I just don't understand why such intelligent people support big, top-down, collectivist structures.

>It's up to citizens to vote in law makers who actually represent our interests...

That just doesn't happen. And that is because the majority of voters do not know who they are voting for or what they really stand for. Voting in the US is more of a popularity contest between two teams, and the team with the most money and the most pleasing rhetoric (lies) will win.

You should read up on the 17th amendment. Our constitution has been hobbled a number of ways not originally intended.

Easier is to let a third party make and manage the buckets of data and just use a warrant to get whatever you want.

Even easier to just not worry about getting a warrant.

Yeah, no need for a warrant when you can use a National Security Letter. They even come with built-in gag orders!

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