One might think that all libertarians would be equally outraged over revelations (for some, long-suspected) of the National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance, but it’s not true.
In the video below, libertarian John Stossel contends that the surveillance isn’t as troubling as other government actions, including the Drug War. In reply, libertarian Andrew Napolitano contends that NSA domestic surveillance is particularly alarming.
I’ll declare my view: while there are many examples of destructive and wasteful government overreach (among which the Drug War is a case), I agree with Napolitano that the NSA’s domestic spying is a special threat to civil liberties.
What do you think?
they have fbi drones now too
The NSA details get worse every day. It’s a good choice for “particular threat.”
Hasn’t citizen surveillance always been a part of our history?
Yes, that’s right – we’ve had conventional policing and even neighborhood watches and town community patrols, etc., throughout our history – but they’ve always been citizens in (mostly) plain sight, so to speak.
It’s the vast scale and didden nature of electronic, bureaucratic government surveillance now that’s different.