The Congress passes a bill which may lead to 30,000 unmanned drones patrolling the skies over American cities
On December 10th of 2011 I wrote this post about a story in North Dakota where the police called in an unmanned drone to assist in a police operation against three American citizens. In that post I admitted that this case seemed to be a benign and legitimate reason to call in unmanned drones to track down three criminals, but I also lamented the fact that eventually the use of unmanned drones would be expanded over time until there were drones flying over American cities and spying on Americans who have done nothing wrong and do not deserve to be spied on by law enforcement officials or the United States government.
Here is part of what I wrote in that post:
This story might be a benign example of the usage of a Predator drone on American soil, using a drone on a reconnaissance mission to ensure a situation is safe before the police enter a potentially dangerous situation seems harmless enough, but does anyone not think that their usage will become more commonplace as we move forward if we simply accept this? And as Predator drones flying over American soil becomes more commonplace are we to believe that they will not gain the authority to take more enlarged powers in law enforcement?
I am not talking about a future where Predator drones are called on to fire on American citizens, but rather a future where the drones are routinely flying over American cities and spying on Americans under the justification of stopping potential crimes. I am talking about a future where the military is charged with policing the American people BEFORE a crime has taken place.
Part of my concern over the use of drones was nestled in the fact that the president signed into law the Defense Authorization Bill, which deemed United States soil as an official battlefield on the war on terror and authorized the president to use military force against citizens of the United States on American soil.
It now appears as if my fear was justified, but it might be happening even sooner that I feared it would.
Today the Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act and Barack Obama is expected to sign it if and when it reaches his desk. This bill includes a provision which authorizes the FAA to study implementing regulations and licensing of thousands of unmanned drones, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 drones could be flying over American cities by the year 2020.
The age of a Big Brother police state is nearly upon us and we can thank the Tea Party House of Representatives, who were elected on the promise of a concept of constitutional governance, smaller government, liberty, and personal responsibility, all the while touting an anti-nanny state agenda, for thrusting this police state upon us.
When drones are flying over the cities of the United States we can thank the very people we elected to shrink the government for expanding the use of drones into an every day inconvenience on law abiding American citizens. Remember this when you look up in the sky and see Big Brother watching us from high above.
I was expecting something like this if Barack Obama was reelected, but I did not foresee the Tea Party House delivering it into his hands.
Trackbacks
- Big Brother is watching you | ufo-tv.com
- Unmanned drones coming to a city near you in the future « America's Watchtower
- Armed drones could soon be flying over cities in America « America's Watchtower
- Is the Department of Justice using spy planes to gather cellphone information on Americans? | America's Watchtower
America's Watchtower 
Considering the perversions that have taken place under the Patriot Act, ie Fusion Centers, excesses of Gestapo like excesses by the TSA, which when coupled with Barack Alinsky’s campaign to force government intrusion in every aspect of our lives, why is it unbelievable that this program would not be turned against the American people?
Back tracking a moment to prove a point is the issue of Fusion Centers. This program was intended to facilitate intelligence sharing between local police forces, the FBI, DOJ and various federal enforcement agencies to track international and domestic terrorists.
What instead happened and quickly revealed was that Janet Napolitano, acting on the Obama administrations orders directed that the program be targeting against tracking those Americans who had issues with and questioned the Obama administrations motives. These Americans would be classed as possible extremists and lumped in with extreme right wing organizations as being possible domestic terrorists.
Neither this administration or whoever in Congress voted for this program are to be trusted. Drones over our cities are just one more step towards sanctioned government oppression against the American people. Just my opinion….WM
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It may just be your opinion, but it is one that I agree with. We are constantly giving away more of your liberties in return for security but these drones are not something the American people asked for and certainly they are not needed unless there is more to this story than we are being led to believe. I do not trust Barack Obama in the slightest and for the Republicans in the Congress to give into him on this issue is disheartening. We simply cannot trust ANY of our elected officials any more.
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As I have said before, there is not much difference in the parties anymore. Makes you wonder why you even vote, doesn’t it? How much difference does it make when they go in and pass more and more freedom stealing bills? This is both parties. I used to be proud of the party I supported, but not now. I don’t think anything is put into play that doesn’t have a “control feature” to it now, do you? Drones over a city should be in an action film, NOT over our cities. As for them seeing what we are doing, remember how neat it was to see a “birdseye view” Google image of your property? Everyone thought that was great. Well, we have fast forwarded to this now. I know they have the satellites up there that can focus in on us, but drones are a bit out of my comfort zone now.
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Yes Lou it is sad, but we simply cannot trust any of our elected officials any more. The Tea Party House Republicans sold us out on this issue and now we can never trust them to do what is right again. Where do we go from here? And why do we even bother trying at this point? I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils, and at this point is one party really any lesser of an evil than the other?
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Steve, I guess for a small portion of the blame, we can blame ourselves for falling for the hype. However, it is the ones that take the entitlements that are pulling the lever, just because they want “more” and don’t want to have the freebies taken away that I lay most the blame on. I never expect anyone else to pay my way, but guess there are those that do. I was reading an article about the illegals getting a “tax refund” of up to $1800.00 if they have children. Now, something seems a bit off there, doesn’t it? Don’t you need a SS# to pay into the social security taxes and if so, how does an illegal get one issued to them, legally? How do you file a tax return if you are not a citizen? I don’t understand our government. Is this something new? I know the trolls will come on here and say how they have paid taxes and are entitled to a refund, so maybe one of them can tell me how they have a legal SS#. Anyone? I am NOT an uncaring person, but enough is enough on bankrupting our system. Fix the system in whatever country they are from. I know that seems harsh, but how much do they expect the American people to shoulder?
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We do deserve part of the blame for falling for this again, but you are right and as long as people can vote themselves benefits there will be politicians willing to hand them out in order to get reelected.
I read on rjjrdq’s America this morning that the House is trying to pass a bill which would stop illegals from getting tax breaks for their children because it would require them to have a valid Social Security card. But a person already needs SS numbers for their children in order to claim them, so what is going on here?
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I just heard tonight that the House passed the line item veto for Obama. This means he can veto any defense item, and whatever else. Are they so sure we will win in November? I mention this because I despair that the Tea Party members offer nothing apparently to our cause. Drip Drip Drip.
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B, I know the Democrats are saying how it is the Republicans fault for bills not passing, but it seems to me that they are very helpful when it comes to what the president wants. You would think that the Republicans were not in control of the House the way things pass out of there. I don’t know about you, but I am not sure we will win in November.
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Worse, I am not sure it will make a whole lot of difference
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I think the Republicans are shooting themselves in the foot and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Tea Party stayed home and said to hell with it. And Bunker is right, at this point does it even make that much of a difference any more.
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B, I think you are probably correct. I was trying to hold out for some hope here, but I think that it is wishful thinking that the Republicans will do much more than go at a slower speed to the same ending. We have had too much freedom, that is about to end. We have to be like the rest of the world, don’t we?
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Newt Gingrich calls is managing the decay and I think that is a great way to put it, but I also feel Gingrich will do the same. The Republicans may slow the collapse, but I doubt they will have the political courage to do what is needed to stop the collapse.
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I just read this on your blog this morning and it is disappointing to see that Paul Ryan sponsored this bill, why on earth would he hand the power of the pursestrings over to Obama!?
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Because they are all on the same team?
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I hope not!
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Things are getting real scary, Steve, They will say that government is only using available technology yo better protect us, Isn’t that their primary duty under the constitution, Law enforcement has used patrol cars for years and now they can be even more efficient with these drones, The problem is we don’t trust our government and with good reason, And, they know that we don’t trust them, How can we know that they are not infringing our privacy? How can we know that they aren’t using this technology to spy on their political enemies; like bible thumping gun tooting conservatives?
This bipartisan approval is the same that brought us the Patriot Act, the TSA and, the recent Defense Authorization Act, The police state is here, my friend,
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Jim, it has gone past infringing on our privacy already. And, it is only “bipartisan” when the Republicans have the upper hand. That is when the Democrats want to “work” with them. If it were the other way around, the Democrats don’t want anything to do with being “bipartisan”. I am sick of all of it.
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Amen Lou!
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This is very scary Jim and I am sure you are right about how they are going to defend this decision and sadly I think that defense will hold up. We have no idea what these drones are equipped with and how much they can see. Can they look into our houses even though we are law abiding citizens? This isn’t much of a stretch because they aleady have police cars which can take x-rays to see if you are doing anything illegal or carrying a weapon when you drive your car passed them.
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Jim, I left out my answer to your comment of “they know that we don’t trust them”. My answer is: they don’t care!
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As much as I think there is no reason for the government to send drones to be over the cities. We already can see into the cities with satellites. I guess it is different but I do not think that it is really that bad. I mean what would they use the information for anyway. If you aren’t doing anything wrong then you have nothing to hind. I do however believe that the bill will just increase our budget witch is the complete opposite of what many politicians have spoken against. It should not even be considered.
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The money spent on this project is yet another consern with this legislation, but I do not subscribe to the theory that if you are doing nothing wrong you have nothing to fear. If you are doing nothing wrong you do not deserve this increased scrutiny.
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There is no reason other than control to be doing this in a “free” country. If you take the stance of “If you aren’t doing anything wrong then you have nothing to hide”, then what else will you be willing to let slide the next time? I don’t like it. Apparently we are supposed to be ok with electronic medical records, as well. Isn’t that going to make it so much easier for doctors to find out your information if it’s all in one place? The problem is, that the government will also be able to look at all your information as well. But, we are ok with that, right? Are you comfortable with someone looking thru your records that does not work in your doctors office? Are you ok with the fact that they might, thru Obamacare ,decide, based on your records that you don’t need done what you went to the doctor for? And, that your doctor is not making that decision, but someone in the government? I guess I must be silly for thinking that this is NOT a good thing and NOT in our favor. Welcome to Obamacare. I think those of us in our 50+ years had better wake up.
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Exactly Lou! Just because you are doing nothing wrong, it doesn’t mean you should give in to these types of intrusions. The government is getting out of control and we need to reign it in right now while we still can.
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Steve, I kind of look at it from this point of view: remember, if you have kids, they would see just how far they could push you? They would look right at you while they were doing something wrong, just to see at what point you were going to stop them. That is part of the learning process growing up. You could only go so far before you were stopped, thus learning a very valuable lesson in life. Does that apply to this administration? Are they on the same maturity level as, say a 2 or 3 year old? Are they seeing what the limit is that the American people will finally say they have had enough?
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That is a great way to look at it. They keep pushing us and pushing us to see how far we will go before we break. We are reaching that point now and it is time to push back.
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