The all-seeing eye of government
Your party won’t protect you
If you aren’t watching much of the news (or even if you are) Congress recently passed the 2024 NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024) and sent it to the President’s desk to be signed. While you may wonder why this is a big deal, since every two years Congress passes a bill to fund the military, there is a baneful bit hidden within this particular bill that further exacerbates a situation about which I recently wrote: government surveillance of U.S. citizens.
The Fourth Amendment expressly prohibits government from surveilling U.S. citizens without a warrant, sworn by oath, that would legally need to be supported by evidence of a crime. There is already a preponderance of policing to which people rarely give thought or simply accept, despite its unconstitutionality.
As if to put a fine point on my piece lamenting government violation of the Fourth Amendment, the most recent NDAA includes verbiage that alters the definition of “electronic communications service provider” in the FISA law (50 USC 1881a), broadening the FBIs power to obtain private citizens’ electronic communications without a warrant. You read that right - warrantless surveillance, just like all the video footage they can retrieve from traffic cameras, conversation recordings (think Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, your TV remote) they can obtain from service providers and big tech, etc., all without a warrant. Add to that list items like public WiFi - you know, those networks you use while sipping your half-caf, non-fat, no-whip, mocha latte at your favorite “coffee” establishment, or while sitting on those silky sheets in your heavenly hotel room while on vacay in Vermont - and imagine the access government now has, all without requiring sworn evidence of a misdeed or a judge’s permission.
If you think your party can or will protect you, that by pulling the lever for a D or R makes a difference, realize that 147 Republicans (including the new, allegedly conservative Speaker) and 163 Democrats in the House approved the bill, and 43 Republican Senators joined 44 Democrat Senators in passing the bill to the President’s desk. It is not as though they did so unknowingly.
A few staunch Congressional “defenders” (I use that term somewhat loosely) of liberty and the Constitution refused to sign on, recognizing the issues with the bill. There were not enough, however, from either of the major parties, to prevent the bill becoming law.
Do you know whether those who represent you (the House) or your State (the Senate) voted for or against this travesty of justice? You can easily check at govtrack.us. The House’s vote was 310-118 in favor, and the Senate’s was 87-13 in favor. The only reason they get away with this is that voters do not hold them accountable.
It’s time to step up and let Congress know that they can’t keep trampling our rights. Give the government an inch, and they will take 1000 miles. The cycle is unending because citizens continue to allow it. Contact your Representatives and Senators today and let them know of your disgust at the passing of this offensive overreach and their utter disdain for the protections granted us by the Constitution. Threaten to have them primaried if they signed on to this bill. Let them know that they work for you, not the other way around. Let them know that they are public servants and are to be monitored by the people, but that you are a private citizen who has a right to be secure in your person, home, papers, and effects. Only you can stop Washington from becoming Mordor.
For a decent explanation of the change, check out this thread from Elizabeth Goitein: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1734249938333167889.html
There are unlimited ways this "authority" for the three letter agencies can ABUSE it and intrude upon us in our everyday lives. They can track EVERY credit/debit card purchase you make. And lord help you if you use a credit or debit card to purchase a gun or ammo. With this current administration, that could raise all kinds of flags for them to dig into your social media posts. If you use a phrase like "Don't tread on me" or "We the People" in a comment or post, that will push them to do MORE illegal digging to get "probable cause" (I use that term VERY loosely with them) so they can get a warrant to take your guns and possibly lock you up for fear that you could start an "INSURRECTION."
This is just one more shining example of why we need to hit that RESET button on our government.
(Now I KNOW I'm going to be on their watch list for saying that).
When you write “It’s time to step up and let Congress know” what that implies is that you are agreeing to have Congress as your authority. Just like voting, you are stating with deeds that you are willing to submit to the system as you are either assuming or giving them authority. You are asking for a ruler over you. Has that been mentioned before? Well yes, in 1st Samuel 8:5 “Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
How does our Creator respond to this request and I contend those that request it in similar ways today? We see it in the next verse with: “they have rejected me from being king over them.”
But don’t stop there. So many gather as conservative Christians stating that we were founded as a Christian country, not realizing that there is no such thing. They cry out to the Lord seeking His blessing. But what did He say in verse 18? “And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
It is not those evil politicians that we need to point out their evil deeds. It is those to follow Christ who need to be encouraged to follow Christ. Trust in the Lord not the state.