Newly unsealed court records have revealed that the U.S. government issued a subpoena to Amazon.com seeking to obtain the identities of customers purchasing books through the Amazon marketplace. The snooping attempt was blocked by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker who wrote in a recently-unsealed ruling, "Well-founded or not, rumors of an Orwellian federal criminal investigation into the reading habits of Amazon's customers could frighten countless potential customers into canceling planned online book purchases."
"The subpoena is troubling because it permits the government to peek into the reading habits of specific individuals without their knowledge or permission," Judge Crocker wrote in his ruling. "It is an unsettling and un-American scenario to envision federal agents nosing through the reading lists of law-abiding citizens while hunting for evidence against somebody else."
This News.com story by Declan McCullagh documents how AT&T opened up its massive telecommunications network to U.S. government security agents who used it to profile the telecomm behaviors of AT&T customers. Curiously, the Bush Administration jumped in and classified key AT&T documents, preventing them from being presented in federal court (so we'll never know what they really said).
Increasingly, the U.S. government is operating in secret, using greatly expanded police state power to spy on its own citizens. This attempt at acquiring Amazon.com book records is just the latest round in an ongoing campaign of secret police tactics being used against the American people by its own government... a government that was once created "Of the People, By the People and For the People" but now seems a lot more interested in terrorizing the people through fear-based politics and war mongering propaganda.
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Comments: 24
Seems that if we were "Police State Amerika" you would never have know about the snooping and the attempted snooping.
That's like saying the citizens of the former Soviet Union didn't know the KGB was spying on them.
Sorta.
We have a system where we can challenge the actions of the government! And are not required to support business like AT&T who roll over their customers freedoms at the request of the government.
We have a judicial system that can say to our government NO! You can't do that!
If this were "Police State Amerika" none of that would exist.
This is all related to actions by the previous administration.
I know you have your own ideology, generally anti-government, but. . . . please don't imply a claim to be impartial when you are not.
But how is this administration any better than the last?
The current administration is just as bad, and probably worse than the previous administration. At least Bush didn't go around blaming everyone else for his incompetence. How many times did Bush blame Clinton for something going wrong?
Electing an far-left zealot as the first African-American President is the worst thing that could have happened.
Harold Ford from Tennessee should have been the first African-American President. I think Hillary might have named him as her VP if she had won in the primaries early.
Only a small percentage of Americans are as far-left as Obama and his administration. This is going to hurt Democrats for decades.
The Bush Administration and all you believers spent 3 full years blaming 9/11 on Bill Clinton.
So F*** You
We did? Got any quotes (from other than the fringe)?
"So F*** You"
Right back atcha Baybe!
Although the American people are generally quite stupid. The Republicans trashed Hillary all through the primaries when they polled better against her than Obama and the Democrats chose in their primaries a man whose campaign accused Bill Clinton of being a racist.
Now anyone who opposes President Obama's policies is deemed a racist. It's a joke. I'd like to see a Gallup poll of how many people regret Hillary not being the Democratic nominee.
Worse Erik.
But thanks for the bi partisan concern.
It's obvious that the closer you are to one of the extremes, the more tolerant you'll be of them.
Although, I will concede that George Bush wasn't as far to the right as Obama is to the left. I couldn't vote in the Democratic primary in Florida because I'm an Independent. I was hoping Hillary would get the nomination, but had to settle with voting for McCain. I think McCain may have had a chance if he had chosen Libermann as his running mate, instead of Palin.
If the Republicans run moderates in 2012 they can retake the White House and maybe even Congress.
How is it "obvious" Erik?
Even if you're center-right in your thinking, that makes you closer to the right-wing extremists.
I hated the bank bail outs, Bush/Paulson, and the Dems didn't bounce them
I think the stimulus should have been BIGGER
I Want National single total government health care.
Yes I am troubled that more of the Bush doctrine hasn't been trashed.
We are still in two wars.
We are waiting, then we will get fussy, just like the
Religious conservatives did with Bush.
I don't mind being called a socialist, I do know the difference between liberal and socialist, some of you conservatives don't.
Yes, I do think stupidity and ignorance are the hallmarks of that famous "Republican voter base"
Peta,
The G20 Anarchists
Are not Democrats and don't vote.
Our other far lefties have their own parties.
Greens, Peace & Freedom, oh is there still a Socialist Party:
So when you know nothings start ranting about the far left fringe.
You really should know they are not Democrats and don't vote Democrat.
The far right is nutty, and more dangerous. They vote Republican.
I think you assume to much Erik and should think a bit more.
Anyone who strives to understand the differences between the right and the left knows that for the most part the rights mindset is more of live and let live, you are welcome to live your life as you choose as long as it doesn't break the law or interfere with my rights.
The left on the other hand believes that they know better and must cause all who think differently than they to be forced to at least go along with their desires.
Government controlled health care is a perfect example, most people don't think it is a good idea but those on the left are willing to force all to comply.
When we are talking about which party is more likely to restrict the rights of their fellow citizens liberals are the ones, it's just that they use the "for the good of society" excuse to justify denying their fellow citizens their rights.