For the record, I agree that governments should not be invading the privacy of common citizens willy-nilly. I agree that it is a gross abuse of power.
I do not agree with those heads of state who are squealing like little girls with skinned knees, pointing fingers and stamping their feet because the Big Bad U.S.A is gasp not trusting the purity of their intentions and spying on them. Those leaders are either totally naive, or utter hypocrites.
The game at that level changes to big kids rules, and those rules were old before the U.S was even a nation.
I find it fascinating that the European governments are gleefully kerb-stomping the U.K (and U.S.A) for these 'terrible' breaches of privacy. There is no developed government in the world that does not spy on foreign and domestic interests, blatantly disregarding laws for the sake of convenience. And most of the spying is done for trade rather than security reasons, too.
The only crime the U.K. and U.S really committed was to be careless enough to get caught.
So if I understand rightly, the Democrat's chief counsel on the House Judiciary Committee is claiming that the poor ignorant general public were misled and misinformed into contacting their Congressional representatives and speaking out against the proposed Bill that actually violates several aspects of the U.S. Constitution.
I've heard that story before over on this side of the Pond back when Britain voted against the Euro, the EU constitution *and* the Lisbon Treaty - a lot of spanked-bottom whimpering from politicians wondering how we could all be so misled and ignorant. Hardly behavior guaranteed to win hearts and minds, especially since the SOPA supporters on the Hill have been quoting and requoting long-debunked 'facts and figures' in order to 'inform' the American public into giving away their constitutional rights.
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Re: Re: Re: A touch of hypocrisy?
For the record, I agree that governments should not be invading the privacy of common citizens willy-nilly. I agree that it is a gross abuse of power.
I do not agree with those heads of state who are squealing like little girls with skinned knees, pointing fingers and stamping their feet because the Big Bad U.S.A is gasp not trusting the purity of their intentions and spying on them. Those leaders are either totally naive, or utter hypocrites.
The game at that level changes to big kids rules, and those rules were old before the U.S was even a nation.
Re: Re: A touch of hypocrisy?
Somewhat of an asinine question. Does Poland have a commercial or security-related reason to spy on Canada?
If yes, then they are doing so.
A touch of hypocrisy?
I find it fascinating that the European governments are gleefully kerb-stomping the U.K (and U.S.A) for these 'terrible' breaches of privacy. There is no developed government in the world that does not spy on foreign and domestic interests, blatantly disregarding laws for the sake of convenience. And most of the spying is done for trade rather than security reasons, too.
The only crime the U.K. and U.S really committed was to be careless enough to get caught.
So if I understand rightly, the Democrat's chief counsel on the House Judiciary Committee is claiming that the poor ignorant general public were misled and misinformed into contacting their Congressional representatives and speaking out against the proposed Bill that actually violates several aspects of the U.S. Constitution.
I've heard that story before over on this side of the Pond back when Britain voted against the Euro, the EU constitution *and* the Lisbon Treaty - a lot of spanked-bottom whimpering from politicians wondering how we could all be so misled and ignorant. Hardly behavior guaranteed to win hearts and minds, especially since the SOPA supporters on the Hill have been quoting and requoting long-debunked 'facts and figures' in order to 'inform' the American public into giving away their constitutional rights.