OFF THE WIRE
By: Marilyn Daly
RT had reported that in a secretly unannounced move, President Barack Obama signed an executive order giving the Department of Homeland Security the ability to shut down all of the United States' communications systems upon his request. Barack Obama laid out a statement he titled "Assignment of National Security Emergency Preparedness Communications Function". No doubt a very confusing title. The reasoning behind his issuing of this executive order, is that he feels the government may one day need to access all of our telephones, computers, cable communications, etc., in the name of national security.
"The Federal Government must have the ability to communicate at all times and under all circumstances to carry out its most critical and time sensitive mission."The American public should be concerned about what this "mission" could be. In a presidential election, one candidate's mission may not be the same as his opponents. RT quotes the president as saying:
"Such communications must be possible under all circumstances to ensure national security, effectively manage emergencies and improve national security.."The fact that our nation needs so much "national security" is puzzling, given the fact that President Obama has declared himself leader of the front that has ended terrorism in the U.S. It seems like now, more than ever, our nation is in peril according to the State Department; but many U.S. citizens are asking themselves, "From what?", or better yet, "From who?"
According to Obama, the items of confiscation, or shut down can include: wireline, wireless, satellite, cable, broadcasting, internet, and other key information systems. Never in United States' history has a president given himself the authority to shut down the entire nation and immobilize the citizenry.
The public has been alerted recently that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been buying an excessive amount of weaponry and ammunitions; inclusive of hallow point bullets. DHS has also been given authority to "supervise" some protests throughout the nation. Tea Party groups have had several organized and peaceful protests circled by Department of Homeland Security officers, leading many to believe that DHS has been given the authority to intimidate as well.
If you combine bullets with nationwide immobilizing of all communications, the power given unto the government, is a power our founding fathers never foresaw, nor wished.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently announced that they had already used drones on Americans for surveillance. This is just one step closer to American's journey towards a police state.
UPDATE
Public Intelligence (July 9, 2013) has acquired copies of some security agreements between communications providers and different U.S. government organizations.
The agreements give the ability to access data when legally requested. According to Public Intelligence, the agreements require companies to maintain...
"....what amounts to an 'internal corporate cell of American citizens with government clearances' ensuring that 'when U.S. government agencies seek access to the massive amounts of data flowing through their networks, the companies have systems in place to provide it securely'.”