Is this the end of our domestic spying pal, Snuggly the Security Bear? Most likely not. Snuggly will probably still be in business and up to his usual tricks, he just may have to work with a huge telecom company or some kind of NSA-corporate partnership.
Mitch McConnell recently attempted to ram through a last-minute extension of provisions in the Patriot Act that have been used to keep domestic spying "legal." (Never mind that the Second Circuit Court said that Section 215 of the Patriot Act cannot be used to justify bulk collection of everyone’s metadata.) Very long story short, barring any last-minute legislative slight-of-hand, NSA collection of everyone’s phone call metadata will come to an end this Monday.
The spying-at-all-costs crowd is still pushing to keep things as they are, allowing the NSA to harvest scrillions of bits of data on each and every person in the United States. Chances are a "compromise" will come out of Congress that even the NSA endorses. (Which should give you an indication of the extent of this "reform.") Hey, it’s a start! Domestic spying will be reined in somewhat, and chances are we’ll find out in a few months that really not much has changed, methinks. Pray for Snuggly, comment, like and share the cartoon—and dig deeper into some of the links behind the cartoon.
Snuggly the Security Bear
Hello America, it’s me, your loveable friend who’s watched over you ever since the Patriot Act was jammed through Congress!
After tracking your every move and spying lovingly on each and every one of you, I feel like I know you all personally! (Because I do!) Mheeheehee.
Which is why I’m asking you to help me keep my job with the NSA!
Mitch McConnell still loves me, why can’t you?
Now I know the vast majority of you don’t like my “domestic spying.”
All the more reason to keep an eye on you terrorists-in-waiting!
Just look at the number of terror attacks I’ve prevented and you’ll see my job is essential!
I’m not spying on you, I’m watching over you with Snuggly love, while keeping our nation from crumbling. Mheeheeheehee.
Those people in Congress, in Intelligence, and in the Obama Administration who want me to stop spying on every-body— they’re just turning over the keys to ISIS!
Please-please-please! Let me keep my job tracking your every move!
Don’t make me have to go work for Facebook or Google, or some phone company!
I love the NSA, and love watching over all of you!
So help Mitch McConnell rubber stamp the Patriot Act one more time and let me still keep you Snuggly and secure.
Mheeheeheehe.
Please?