Congressional Candidates From Both Major Parties Find Opposing The NSA Is A Worthwhile Campaign Platform

from the it's-not-a-partisan-issue dept

Mon, Jan 27th 2014 2:51pm — Mike Masnick

People running for Congress this year, no matter what political party they're associated with have apparently found something they can agree on. It appears that both Republican and Democratic candidates are running on an anti-NSA platform. Of course, it's unclear how successful any of these campaigns will be, and whether or not those running, if elected, would actually do anything. It may just be a form of grandstanding, but at the very least it seems like a good sign. We've been pointing out that opposition to the NSA shouldn't be a a partisan issue at all, but one of doing what's right. Hopefully more politicians will realize this is the case, rather than worrying about whether this or that party supports the position.

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Filed Under: candidates, nsa, politics, surveillance

23 Comments

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Andrew Norton (profile), 27 Jan 2014 @ 3:16pm

As I pointed out on twitter earlier to politico, more and more politicians are coming around to the Pirate way of thinking.

And they said we were unelectable freetards...
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 3:20pm

Re:
Patents have never been popular. Even before Obama got elected I remember him talking about reducing patent terms. After he got elected he sorta .... dropped the subject. No politician has ever ran for office campaigning to expand IP laws because politicians know darn well that the people do not want these laws. They knew it before getting elected while running for office and they even know it after being elected even when they pretend not to.
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Irving, 27 Jan 2014 @ 3:27pm

A politician's campaign promise - now THERE'S something you can rely on!
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vegetaman (profile), 27 Jan 2014 @ 3:46pm

well...
Congressman.
Integrity.
Honesty.

Pick 1.

Oh dear, I think I feel a political wind blowing...
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Glen, 27 Jan 2014 @ 3:47pm

Re:
We need that sad but true button.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 4:11pm

How about letting the people vote on it?
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Just Sayin', 27 Jan 2014 @ 4:18pm

Hope
Just remember Obama's "HOPE" deal, and you will understand why this is nothing but politicians trying to suck up to you for as long as it takes to get your vote. The moment you send them back to Washington, they will completely forget their stand until the next time they are sucking up for your vote.

It's funny to watch you guys get played because you have the "issue of the week" on your side.
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That Anonymous Coward (profile), 27 Jan 2014 @ 4:38pm

It only matters if we stay focused on the issue and make them keep the promises.

And hey I wonder if any votes will change after some of their secrets are mentioned by "lobbyists" for the corps doing the grunt work.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 5:01pm

Rats beginning to desert the sinking ship, eh? Glad to hear it. "Anti-NSA" being considered a voting bloc means that everyone's hard work is starting to pay off. Still a long ways to go, but the tide is definitely turning...
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 5:24pm

Talk is cheap
Action speaks louder than word.
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Andrew Norton (profile), 27 Jan 2014 @ 5:26pm

Re: Re:
You DO know that copyright/patent reform is only a SMALL part of the main pirate platform, right?

The platform is:
* Government accountability/transparency
* Increased Personal Privacy
* Copyright/Patent/Trademark reform.

You'll also notice that's the order of the 3 sections in the book No Safe Harbor, put out by the USPP (and co-edited by me)

You'll notice a lot of the first two being talking about recently. The first vote against ACTA at the EU was led by a committee on a report written by Pirate MEP Amelia Andersdotter.
Pirates: Fact-based politics.
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Andrew Norton (profile), 27 Jan 2014 @ 5:26pm

Re:
Well, support your local pirate party, and you'll see just that from them.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 6:42pm

FUCK.... for all those concerned, I wasn't thinking in racist terms when I said spooks. It was a derogatory term for those spying on me
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 6:57pm

Re:
I DO NOT SUPPORT RASCISM OR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION. This did not even occur to me.... God, I'm sorry if it was taken the wrong way. It literally didn't even occur to me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry if anyone thought that is what I meant.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 9:16pm

Re:
Who were caucasian, and who troed to kill me
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Rekrul, 27 Jan 2014 @ 9:28pm

Of course they'll keep their campaign promises! All politicians are full of Sincerity, Honesty, Integrity and Trustworthiness.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Jan 2014 @ 11:19pm

Re:
What do I do now TAC?

I did what was right in a dark and sometimes twisted world. It was the only kind of hero I knew how to be. Does it get better? Does the light come in? Or do you know?
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Prisoner 201, 27 Jan 2014 @ 11:51pm

Sounds like there will be a lot of aspiring congressmen who have "accidents" or are caught with child porn in the near future.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jan 2014 @ 2:28am

I don't want power
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David, 28 Jan 2014 @ 3:07am

Re:
The people foot the bills for the crap the NSA is pulling on them rather than getting the perks.

You can't expect them to vote according to the best interest of the political class. Fortunately, the U.S.A. has a buffering electoral system that makes sure that whatever people vote for, the actual choices are made by professional politicians paid for working to the best of their monetary interest.

While it is somewhat amusing to look at the "popular vote" after elections, those are not much more than a curiosity.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jan 2014 @ 5:24am

Just think back of what Obama promised and what he did.
Most of them dont give two fucks about these problems
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Ninja (profile), 28 Jan 2014 @ 5:52am

They are only bashing the NSA till they can get back to their jobs. After that they won't care for another few years. It wouldn't be that much of a partisan issue if there were more parties fighting for the votes.
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Pragmatic, 28 Jan 2014 @ 7:49am

Re: Re: Re:
So vote Pirate, already!

You know that middle-ground third party you've been looking for? Here they are!
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