In the wake of Edward Snowden’s disclosures about the extent of the federal government’s spying on both its own citizens and foreign officials, look for the White House to announce the creation of a blue-ribbon panel to reform and rein in the web of U.S. intelligence agencies.
Americans don’t want their privacy to become collateral damage in the war on terror, and an increasing number of them are demanding to know how the government spies on them and how much the National Security Agency is engaging in cyber-based cloak-and-dagger activities. Many go further, insisting that Washington simply stop prying into their lives.
The pleas for protecting innocent Americans whose privacy is being compromised by an unrestrained National Security Agency and other spy operations are gradually being absorbed by policymakers. As one Washington insider puts it: “Civil liberties aren’t an issue of the right or an issue of the left. There’s no ideology that supports a violation of individual privacy. The leaders in both parties know they have to clamp down before the spy community gets too big to fail, or too big to be stopped.”
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Both the White House and Congress are aware that among voters, the “I-don’t-have-anything-to-fear” attitude is fading, and by next year, they’ll likely catch up with the opinion of the American public. And that will lead to the first sweeping examination of the clandestine services in more than a generation.
In fact, a review ordered by President Obama into the standards and practices of these services is already under way. But don’t expect much from it. The review is being conducted inside the Obama administration, so it won’t carry much weight with Congress, or with critics who charge the White House with covering up the controversial spy programs.
And so far, neither Congress nor the courts have done much to rein in the NSA. Partisan gridlock and leadership that reflexively protects the nation’s spy agencies have rendered the House and Senate toothless, while the federal courts, citing current law, routinely rule in favor of government surveillance programs.
Ultimately, Obama and the bipartisan leaders of Congress will have no choice but to appoint a panel made up of distinguished experts in intelligence gathering, technology, ethics and law. Polls show Americans fear that the spy community has overreached, and a majority of Americans blame the White House, Congress and the courts for allowing it to happen. Given Washington’s inability to get even the most rudimentary laws put on the books, however, the best chance of actually achieving change is a commission empowered with reforming the clandestine services. The tricky part will be doing so without compromising the feds’ ability to track terrorists.
-
Does My Car Insurance Cover Rental Cars?Is it safe to decline the extra coverage car rental companies offer you when booking? Here's what you need to know.
-
Outsmarting the AI Job Algorithm: Why Older Women Need a StrategyWhen you're job hunting, AI may undermine your best efforts. Here's how older women can throw a wrench in the algorithm.
-
AI Regulation is Looming: Kiplinger Economic ForecastsEconomic Forecasts Find out what Washington and regulators have planned for artificial intelligence.
-
The Biden Tax Plan: How the Build Back Better Act Could Affect Your Tax BillPolitics Depending on your income, the Build Back Better Act recently passed by the House could boost or cut your future tax bills.
-
Kiplinger's 2020 Election ForecastPolitics For nearly a century, The Kiplinger Letter has forecasted the outcome of presidential elections to keep readers informed of what's coming and what it means for them. Here's our call for 2020.
-
The 2020 Election and Your MoneyPolitics We’ve assessed how the presidential candidates’ stances on financial issues will affect your wallet.
-
5 HEROES Act Provisions with a Good Chance of Becoming LawPolitics The massive federal stimulus bill just passed by the House of Representatives is "dead on arrival" in the Senate. But a few proposals in the bill have enough bipartisan support to eventually become law.
-
Vote by Mail: A State-by-State Guide to Absentee Ballot VotingPolitics With health authorities recommending people continue to social distance, the idea of voting by mail is becoming an increasingly hot topic.
-
9 Ways COVID-19 Will Change the 2020 ElectionsPolitics The 2020 election will be like no other in history, as the COVID-19 pandemic will upend the business of politics as usual.
-
How to Run for Local OfficePolitics If you’ve ever thought that you could do a better job than the elected officials currently in office, here’s how to launch a campaign—and win.
