On: FBI misused surveillance powers more than 280k tim...

[yonaguska]

Not to detract from your point, which I agree with- it's very arguable that the order is wrong. The Patriot Act was written and ready before 9/11- it just needed a catalyst to allow it to be passed.

[mcculley → yonaguska]

> The Patriot Act was written and ready before 9/11

Do you have a citation for this assertion?

[cronix → mcculley]

Feel free to watch this interview with Bill Binney, who was technical director of the NSA at the time. He goes over it in detail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3owk7vEEOvs

[mcculley → cronix]

I am aware of ThinThread. The assertion made was "The Patriot Act was written and ready before 9/11". Do you have any specific pointers into where in this 2 hour 35 minute video that claim is made? Or better yet, does anyone have a pointer to anything in writing?

[lazide → mcculley]

Not replying to the original assertion - it was passed 45 days after 9/11, and was 131 pages and 1016 sections.

[mcculley → lazide]

Yes. I believe that myopic, reactive legislators were able to go to the NSA/CIA/FBI and get lots of input on what they would like in a new bill. I am skeptical that "the Patriot Act was written and ready before 9/11".