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Your whole post reeks of whataboutism and classic fallacies. To address:
1) US agencies can track 'dormant terror cells' from adversaries without hovering up everyone's data.
2) And let's not forget about Chinese drones. If your assumption that they were indeed launched from onshore agents, US agencies can triangulate data and get a few POIs under surveillance - not every single person, everywhere, all the time.
3) The drug carters points is laughable.
In the version of things that I've heard, the GDR state collapsed ~instantly after the de facto occupying power (USSR) lost interest - because the "ultimate surveillance state" strategy had left the GDR with ~zero good will and ~zero legitimacy in the minds of its own citizens. But doubtless that is just more malicious anti-American propaganda, created and spread by America's countless enemies.
1. Iran. Check.
2. Russia. Check.
3. China. Check.
4. Mexican drug cartel. Check.
You hit all the propaganda talking points in one comment. Usually such comments stick to one talking point. "China, china, china" or "russia, russia, russia" or ...
> Let me say that what the US government is doing wouldn't even be controversial in 99% of the world, including probably 90% of democracies.
That's a problem for most of the world. Not the US.
> People in other countries are much more clear eyed and pragmatic about these things.
Most of the people around the world don't have any problems with iran, russia, china and mexico. Maybe we should look into why we have conflicts with people all over the world.
>Most of the people around the world don't have any problems with iran, russia, china and mexico. Maybe we should look into why we have conflicts with people all over the world.
In fact, most liberal democracies are at odds with Russia, Iran, China, and nearly everyone is concerned about Mexican Drug Cartels.
I'm not even sure what this crap about Mexico is.
Lincoln suspended habeas corpus during the civil war.
People were imprisoned for handing out isolationist pamphlets during WW1 (that’s where we got the “shouting fire in a crowded theater” gem).
Germans and Japanese were imprisoned without trial during WW2.
The FBI illegally spied on pretty much any domestic political organization (and even infiltrated many of them) from the 50s to the 70s.
Now we have pervasive NSA spying on Americans and third parties facilitating the circumvention of any privacy laws we thought we had.
What's a liberal democracy? Oh you mean our vassals are at odds with the countries we are at odds with? I find that odd.
What is the "liberal democracies" problem with russia, iran, china and the mexican cartels. Take ireland for example. What's their beef with russia, iran, china and the mexican cartels?
Oh they have no beef. It's just that they have to follow orders. We say jump and they say how high. Maybe one day, these liberal democracies will be liberated and regain their sovereignty. Hey maybe russia, iran, china and the mexican cartels can help liberate them.
The thing about propaganda is how silly it gets.
An influential and prominent bureaucrat once said america has no friends or enemies, just interests. Think about it.
Isn't it more insulting to call countries you firebombed and nuked "friends and allies". Imagine if china firebombed germany and currently occupies it. Would we not laugh if china called germany their friend and ally? Imagine if russia nuked japan and occupied it. Would we call them besties for life?
Edit: You still haven't answered what ireland's problem with iran is? What's ireland's problem with russia and china. And what issues do they have with the mexicans.
Who said that and where and when did they say it?
The popular notion of civil rights in America and the historical reality are at odds. Americans have always been spied on, it was just less publicized in the past.
Where did I hear this talking point before? Oh that's right. This is extremely dangerous to our democracy.
edit: YIKES https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36166300
You said there should be 6.9 billion less people on the planet and when asked if you'd be one of the 0.1 billion remaining people you said yes and basically acknowledged you'd already said too much. If that's what you left up, I shudder at whatever this [1] might have been
That's not what I said. Bye.
The US has several problems the rest of the world doesn't. Chronic school shootings, for instance.