NSA questions

My questions about NSA relate more specifically about what IS legal and what is not...

What I do know so far is that there are several types of targets:

• foreigners completely outside US, either only in one country, or between 2 countries
• outside US but are US citizens
• inside US but not a US citizen 
• or between US citizen and a foreigner

So those are the basic relationships, though there may be other combinations as well.  Now there are the laws that NSA uses, discussed more here.  A good beginning to what I was trying to understand is explained here and here, explaining briefly 215, 702 and EO 12333 collections.

But my questions still relate to the 60 Minutes piece, specifically regarding the "example" about the "pirates" discussed here, especially from what I see, NSA ONLY cites EO 12333 as their authority.

Executive Order 12333, originally issued 4 December 1981, delineates the NSA/CSS roles and responsibilities.

and here too McClatchy article on EO 12333

Gen. Keith Alexander, the NSA director, has ratified that impression, saying that the majority of NSA data is collected “solely pursuant to the authorities provided by Executive Order 12333.”

So my questions are along these lines:

• What can legally be done under these laws, and others, for US citizens and foreigners??

1. 215
2. 702
3. EO 12333
4. FISC

Does a search on a target, either US or not, go through each of the above laws or only one or 2 laws depending on the type of search, email, phone, etc??

FROM 60 MINUTES "report" on NSA---many criticized everything, but  especially THIS

 

What would a typical legal search look like? or put another way, what should or would this search look like legally, versus what NSA is actually doing??
What should this search look like legally versus what NSA has been doing illegally??

""Strange that NSA contact-chaining tool demo'd for #60Minutes shows multiple EO12333 authorities only, no 215""

see my tweets in response ""why did they only show foreign metadata?? cant they collect content legally?"" and asking @ashk4n for more explaination why this is a bad example of putting americans' minds at ease

I have been reading NSA documents again, and getting SOME answers, but would still like more specific answers...

NSA Business Records (BR)  link here

NSA Business Records Slideshow link here

NSA Office of Deputy General Counsel (Operations) link here



New York Times Op-Ed by Senators Wyden, Udall, Heinrich  link here regarding 702 specifically

Our bill would prohibit the government from conducting warrantless “backdoor searches” of Americans’ communications — including emails, text messages and Internet use — under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Wyden, Udall, Heinrich letter to Solicitor General Verrilli regarding 702 collection link here

In addition to authorizing the collection of communications to and from foreign,overseas targets, the FISA Amendments Act also has been secretly interpreted to authorize the collection of communications that are merely about a targeted overseas foreigner.

This form of collection allows the government -- through the "upstream"' collection under Section 702 -- to collect any communication whose content includes an identifier, such as an email address, associated with an overseas foreigner who may be a foreign intelligence target.

tens of thousands of emails between law-abiding Americans are likely being collected -- even though these Americans are not actually communicating directly with a foreign intelligence or terrorism target. As FAA collection was intended to target persons "reasonably believed to be located outside the United States," and targeting procedures were intended to "prevent the intentional acquisition of any communication as to which the sender and all intended recipients are known at the time of acquisition to be located in the United States," 

NSA 60 minutes

CBS 60 Minutes and the NSA link

Ok so there was a lot WRONG with the piece here, and it was easily criticized by everyone except obvious NSA defenders, but my key question was related to the metadata collection of the "pirates".

Metadata has become one of the most important tools in the NSA’s arsenal. Metadata is the digital information on the number dialed, the time and date, and the frequency of the calls.  We wanted to see how metadata was used at the NSA.  Analyst Stephen Benitez showed us a technique known as “call chaining” used to develop targets for electronic surveillance in a pirate network based in Somalia.

Stephen Benitez: As you see here, I'm only allowed to chain on anything that I've been trained on and that I have access to. Add our known pirate. And we chain him out. 

John Miller: Chain him out, for the audience, means what?

Stephen Benitez: People he's been in contact to for those 18 days.

Stephen Benitez: One that stands out to me first would be this one here. He's communicated with our target 12 times.

Stephen Benitez: Now we’re looking at Target B’s contacts.

John Miller: So he's talking to three or four known pirates?

Stephen Benitez: Correct. These three here. We have direct connection to both Target A and Target B. So we'll look at him, too, we'll chain him out. And you see, he's in communication with lots of known pirates. He might be the missing link that tells us everything.

John Miller: What happens in this space when a number comes up that's in Dallas?

Stephen Benitez: So If it does come up, normally, you'll see it as a protected number-- and if you don't have access to it, you won't be able to look.

If a terrorist is suspected of having contacts inside the United States, the NSA can query a database that contains the metadata of every phone call made in the U.S. going back five years.

THIS is how most of the articles and commentary are described----metadata, collection, surveillance etc, but from what I know about the NSA and Snowden revelations, there are the rules that they follow and what they are legally allowed to collect, link NSA is legally allowed to collect emails from Pakistan for example, so my question when I saw things like this tweet criticizing NSA for showing EO 12333 searches versus 215, I got confused, asking "why are they only collecting foreign metadata?? arent they legally allowed to collect content?? and what laws (215, 702, EO 12333) SHOULD they be using, and what does each law legally allow, besides the "secret law" interpretation that Snowden and others are upset about?

I really would appreciate an answer, for me and everyone else confused by this.

A Guide to NSA Laws

So I wanted to collect sources here about the relevant laws that NSA uses to collect intelligence---what the actual laws say, and the "Secret Laws" interpretations revealed in the Snowden Documents.

The Snowden Documents are available on many sites
The Guardian Snowden Documents
EFF Snowden Documents
ACLU Snowden Documents

ACLU explainer about NSA spying under Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (and Court) FISA/FISC link

Brennan Center for Justice Fact Sheet link

Senator Ron Wyden's section on "Secret Laws" how NSA and FISA secretly reinterprets PATRIOT ACT and FISA link

Senator Wyden at Center for American Progress in July 2013 link here   SPEECH PDF


NSA ONLY cites Executive Order 12333 as their authority link, NOT the Patriot Act, and HERE they define their mission to collect

Collect (including through clandestine means), process, analyze, produce, and disseminate signals intelligence information and data for foreign intelligence and counterintelligence purposes to support national and departmental missions;

What Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) says about EO 12333 and NSA link here

McClatchy article link here

Documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden suggest that less than half of the metadata the NSA has collected has been acquired under provisions of the USA Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the two laws that have received the most attention for permitting NSA programs.

Gen. Keith Alexander, the NSA director, has ratified that impression, saying that the majority of NSA data is collected “solely pursuant to the authorities provided by Executive Order 12333.”

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/11/21/209167/most-of-nsas-data-collection-authorized.html#storylink=cpy

Patriot Act section 215 and FAA section 702
ACLU on FAA (FISA Amendments Act 2008) link

Patriot Act Summary by Senator Leahy's office link

Leahy Patriot Act reforms, USA FREEDOM ACT link

Senator Wyden's Letter to fix errors in NSA "Fact Sheet" on 215 and 702 link here

ACLU on 215 (FBI authority, NOT NSA authority) link here

ACLU "Myths" Fact Sheet on 215 link

Reid Report (Joy Reid) blog on 215 and 702 link

PATRIOT ACT section 215

Sec. 215. Access to records and other items under the FISA. Both the House and Senate bills included this provision to remove the "agent of a foreign power" standard for court-ordered access to certain business records under FISA and expands the scope of court orders to include access to other records and tangible items. The authority may be used for an investigation to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities or to obtain foreign intelligence information not concerning U.S. persons. An investigation of a United States person may not be based solely on activities protected by the First Amendment. Narrower than original Administration proposal, which would have removed requirements of court order and the "agent of a foreign power" showing.

FISA Amendment Act Section 702 link

SEC. 702. PROCEDURES FOR TARGETING CERTAIN PERSONS OUTSIDE THE UNITED 
              STATES OTHER THAN UNITED STATES PERSONS.

Just Security Blog article on 702 link

Section 702 is the statutory authority for the PRISM program, which involves warrantless collection of communications contents via targeting non-U.S. individuals or entities reasonably believed to be located abroad.

Section 702 authorizes warrantless acquisition of communications—including Americans’ communications—if at least one party to the message is overseas, and the target—that is the person or entity about which the government wants information—is a non-U.S. person.

NSA definitions of acronyms NSA website

INTERCEPT - The acquisition of electromagnetic signals, such as communications, radio or radar, using electronic equipment or other means for the purpose of gathering intelligence information on foreign entities. The material collected itself is sometimes referred to as "intercept."

SIGINT - Signals Intelligence - Information which contains communications intelligence (COMINT), electronics intelligence (ELINT), and foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (FISINT), either individually or in combination, however transmitted.

EO 12333, from The FBI v. The First Amendment by Richard Criley (1990) link A History of the Authors

Page 11 The "Thought Police" are still with us

After the 1976 public exposures of the FBI's flagrant abuses of constitutional rights, changes were made.  Congress broadened the purview of the Freedom of Information Act to include CIA and FBI documents.  Guidelines drafted by Edward H Levi, Attorney General in the Ford Administration, imposed restrictions on FBI investigations in First Amendment areas. William Webster, a federal judge, was appointed FBI Director with a mandate to carefully supervise FBI operations.

Early in the Reagan Administration, however, the President signaled a change in policy. He pardoned the only FBI officials ever tried and convicted of violations of constitutional rights.* In 1981, he issued Executive Order 12333, authorizing the CIA and FBI to engage in secret political spying to combat foreign "terrorism" on US soil.  In 1982, EO 12356 gave almost unlimited discretion to government officials to classify and withhold documents from the public. In 1983 Attorney General William French Smith issued new FBI guidelines, rescinding many of the restrictions imposed by Levi.

* FBI Officials W. Mark Felt and Edward Miller, who had authorized illegal break-ins in the investigation of the Weather Underground, were indicted in 1978 and convicted.  President Reagan issued the pardons without examining the trial records. (Kenneth O'Reily p. 291 "Hoover and the Un-Americans" 1983)


Audio/Video

Podcast Michael Hayden "explains" sections 215 and 702 and why its "no big deal" link
I made some comments about Hayden's podcast here and here

Podcast Barton Gellman responds to Michael Hayden link

Gellman and Hayden together, the "steel cage death match" video

Marcy Wheeler (emptywheel.net) explains NSA surveillance video

NSA Whistleblower Thomas Drake on 3 most important Snowden disclosures video FULL EPISODE, Snowden whistleblower award in Russia

BBC news "overview" of Snowden allegations video

A Simple Matter of G-d and Country

I recently saw a Holocaust movie called ""A Simple Matter of G-d and Country""  Movie website

For the majority of Germans, it had always been a simple matter of God and country...Jews believed in the wrong God, and they lived in the wrong country.

Opening frame of the movie is this quote, which as always with me relates perfectly to today's struggles with National security, protest, privacy and individual rights.

People still free must decide how much freedom is worth, how many lies they will live by, how far they will acquiesce while their neighbors are destroyed. The choice is always there.                                                                                                                           Terrence Des Pres

RIP Nelson Mandela, Madiba

Nelson Mandela fought for equality under a racist government in South Africa.

Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa credited with ending apartheid there, died Thursday in South Africa. He was 95 years old. Mandela was revered worldwide for leading the anti-apartheid movement and not letting his nearly three decades in prison shake his determination.  link

FAIR on Nelson Mandela
http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/12/06/nelson-mandela-and-nonviolent-resistance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nelson-mandela-and-nonviolent-resistance


""3 Things you don't want to know about Nelson Mandela""
http://thebackbencher.co.uk/3-things-you-didnt-want-to-know-about-nelson-mandela/

Mandela's terrorist activities with ANC

Operating through a cell structure, the MK agreed to acts of sabotage to exert maximum pressure on the government with minimum casualties, bombing military installations, power plants, telephone lines and transport links at night, when civilians were not present. Mandela noted that should these tactics fail, MK would resort to "guerilla warfare and terrorism." Wikipedia

From ""What Terrorists Want"" by Louise Richardson
pg. 8 discussion of comparisons to IRA in Ireland and ANC in South Africa

In 1961, however, with all forms of political organization closed to it, Nelson Mandela was authorized to create a separate military organization, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). In his autobiography Mandela describes the strategy session as the movement examined the options available to them:

We considered four types of violent activities: sabotage, guerrilla warfare, terrorism and open revolution---Guerrilla warfare was a possibility, but since the ANC [since its creation in 1912] had been reluctant to embrace violence at all, it made sense to start with the form of violence that inflicted the least harm against individuals: sabotage.

 These fine distinctions were lost on the court in Rivonia that convicted Mandela and most of the ANC leadership in 1964 and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Professor Peter Schwab, a noted authority on human rights, (and a professor of mine link) writes in ""Africa: A Continent Self-Destructs"" about the legacy of Mandela in championing peace, equality and justice not only in South Africa, but also in neighboring countries over the last 20 years.  But here is the quote (page 168) I want to reflect on, about the totality of US foreign policy in Africa and applicable elsewhere.

Rhetoric, lip service, and periodic trips to Africa where a president speaks of democracy and "feels your pain" do not make a viable and coherent foreign policy.......words by themselves are meaningless.

President Obama's trip to Africa earlier this year, portrayed by right wing media as a vacation, was a policy trip, but the policy was business link

Obama and other world leaders have made moving statements about Mandela's passing, remembering his momentous achievements during his life.  Obama has even said that it was Mandela's struggle and the movement to divest from South Africa in the 1980's that started his career in politics.

But as those who follow my posts know, I criticize Obama for his words compared to his actions.  And his words on Mandela came on the same day that there was a trial in California of the PayPal 14, internet activists who launched a denial of service attack on PayPal after the website stopped processing payments for Wikileaks.  article by Alexa O'Brien



Obama praised Mandela, saying link

"A man who took history in his hands and bent the arc of the moral universe towards justice."

""took history in his hands"" means to me his terrorist acts of sabotage.  Mandela and the MK and the ANC resorted to bombs against a repressive government.  What about Chelsea Manning, who leaked documents in order to try and change the debate about US foreign policy and end wars???  Jeremy Hammond, who was upset about the privatization of intelligence and espionage that was used against anti war activists?? and Barrett Brown, a journalist who simply posted a link while writing about Jeremy Hammond's case???  Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and others who are upset about the policy of the US since 9/11, the abuse of the Bill of Rights, labeling everyone a terrorist or possible suspect???

I want America to live up to its ideals and its documents promising us equal protection under the law, that all men and women are created equal, that people are secure in their homes, entitled to privacy, not accused of terrorism because they use Verizon, the internet, or know how to use computers.  I hope one day we can honor Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, and others, like we honor Mandela today.  It is often those that governments prosecute who are the true heroes, and we need to remember that.

Hollywood and Obama's Foreign policy

My comments on Homeland (Showtime) Hostages (CBS)

article, ""CIA Does Hollywood""
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15905

article, ""Homeland and the Imagination of Homeland Security""
http://jacobinmag.com/2013/11/homeland-and-the-imagination-of-national-security/

The article from Jacobin particularly surprised me, and while I see their point, I do not agree with all of it.  I see these shows, especially Homeland (Showtime) and Hostages (CBS) as criticizing parts of Obama's policies, praising others, along with interesting guesses and fun dramas.  I see Homeland as a show against drones, not as the Jacobin article says, shows Obama's pivot to focus on lone, homegrown terrorists or recent converts to Islam ""If Obama’s policy involved a shift in focus onto the “homegrown” terrorist, Brody came to personify what happens to good Americans when they adopt Islam.""

The show began with a POW Nick Brody found alive after 8 years, returned home, who is secretly bent on killing the Vice President, who as former CIA chief ordered a drone strike on a school that killed the son of the terrorist that befriended him during his captivity.  Some obvious weirdness there, a soldier befriends his captor and terrorist and comes home to kill.  But two things stuck with me---one was the drone strike as Brody's motivation, killing the child he had grown fond of, and Two, even more amazing in a weird way, was his insistence that no, he was not a terrorist, but simply keeping his oath to ""protect and defend the Constitution from enemies foreign and domestic""----WOW, taking the law into his own hands, with twisted logic, but still, wow.



Hostages on CBS is another show, which focuses on the storyline that the ""President has to die because of......""  when I found out in episode 4 that the story was about the NSA, and the president wanting to end and expose an unconstitutional program called ""Operation Total Information,"" which seems based on BOUNDLESSINFORMANT, my first thought was WHEN was this written, shot, filmed???!!!!!

this was either prescience or quick production after Snowden's revelations started in June.

but the fallout that occurs from these two ideas, drones in Homeland and NSA in Hostages (almost every plan to fix the problems just makes things worse) seems a critique of Obama's policies where they are wrong, NOT a Hollywood collusion to sell Obama's shift in policy as better than that of Bush.

Immigration Reform Now

The Senate passed the Gang of 8 Immigration bill back in June, but since then it has not been brought up by a vote in the House by John Boehner.  With less than 8 days left in the Congressional calender, it seems like it is dead this year. But it appears things may change soon.  Those protesting for immigration reform have been increasing the pressure for comprehensive reform.  Comprehensive reform went nowhere in 2007, and was last done in 1986. Articulate young protesters have approached Boehner at breakfast at a local diner, at his home early in the morning, and are occupying the mall in front of Congress, fasting since November 20th.  They have passionate intimate stories of being separated from their families, and are stuck in the American nightmare, hoping for a chance at the American dream.  All Boehner has said is he is trying to find a way to move on reform.  Conservatives have their lists of negatives for not embracing immigration reform---its a drain on economy, immigrants only vote Democrat, it awards illegal activity, will increase crime, and other reasons why they can't do anything on reform.

President Obama has his faults as well, breaking a promise to stop deportations of non criminal illegal immigrants.  He is approaching 2 million deportations, more than any other president.


Immigration reform will help children who were brought here through no fault of their own, will help those who see America as their only home, who did well in high school and are not allowed to go to college, who want to work here and pay taxes but are not allowed to.  Even Grover Norquist likes immigration reform as a way to get more money without raising taxes, because more people will be paying taxes at the current rate. He also amazingly criticizes the history of racist immigration policies.  It will help the debt and deficit, will not lead to an increase in crime (they are already here, crime won't increase if they're made legal).

Hopefully the House will act soon, as several political barriers are falling---registration for the 2014 election is over soon, so threats of being primaried from the right will either appear or not soon.  Too bad politicians these days care more about being reelected rather than serving the people they represent.

Serve the people's needs, and you will be reelected.  Your job is to serve the people you represent, not yourself.

We are a nation of immigrants, and they are our greatest strength.  It's time to keep our promises to them, and make the process of becoming a citizen in this great country possible.

REFORM IMMIGRATION POLICIES NOW!!!!!

hire of Rebecca Talent may be sign of hope for Immigration
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/2013/1204/Is-Boehner-getting-serious-on-immigration-reform-New-hire-intrigues.-video

THIS AMERICAN LIFE story about the Morton Memos and Obama's policies  http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/498/the-one-thing-youre-not-supposed-to-do?act=1#play

http://prospect.org/article/los-infiltradores

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/07/obama-administration-not-deporting-many-criminals-immigration

Govt Bureaucracy vs Private Sector

I recently lost my job.

So now I am applying for Unemployment Insurance, and have been thinking, as I always am, about politics.

A million questions to verify who you are, what your current job situation is, make sure you are looking for new work, how and if you qualify and the terms in which you can lose your benefits.  First call this number, then that number, lots of steps for verification and compliance.  And you have to call every week to ask for the past week's benefits, and keep documents showing that you have been looking for work.

Unemployment insurance is something everyone who works pays into, and it is for those who have lost their jobs, not for those who quit or don't look actively for work.  Steps are taken to prevent waste fraud and abuse, and the maximum benefit you are allowed isnt even that much to live on.  But yes it's always better than nothing.


The GOP always complains that government bureaucracy is too burdensome and that any cure for any ailment whether its the economy or any other aspect of society is always to deregulate and cut taxes.  But in always attacking the long procedures of navigating through government processes, they of course fail to mention that the private sector has the same procedures, plus a profit motive as the bottom line, which does nothing to make the experience of dealing with it any easier, and it costs more and is as equal or more prone to corruption, waste, fraud, abuse etc.

Think of the Obamacare website, which is a marketplace for private insurance companies.  The website itself has problems because of government procurement procedures, technical glitches and policy changes right before the launch---initially the website would let you browse plans and then register later, but then the Administration said that people must sign up first, and then look around.

The change in policy caused glitches that lasted 2 months.

Now think of airline travel, hotels, credit cards, store return policies, insurance companies, etc etc.

Does anyone have pleasant experiences dealing with these private companies when something goes wrong?? Lost bags, canceled services, wrong transactions show up and you have to clear them, long lists of procedures to go through before a transaction can be done, and lists of reasons why they can't help you. And of course refunds always take several weeks, but new charges show up immediately.

Private sector companies are no better than the Government when it comes to laws that don't make sense, long lists of bureaucratic red tape to cut and steps to take before you get anything done.  GOP just likes corporate America.

This is What Democracy Looks Like

America, the Democratic Republic

Democracy 

a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections

Republic
a country that is governed by elected representatives and by an elected leader (such as a president) rather than by a king or queen

America is government of by and for the people. We elect our representatives, congressmen, senators, governors, presidents.  We run for office ourselves. We petition the government to fix our problems. We hold them accountable.

we must vote, have universal voting rights, be informed by the media which holds public leaders accountable, and have campaign finance reform, so that our votes matter.  

right now states are moving to restrict voting rights

not enough people vote, even though they can

media covers anything that gets ratings, instead of what matters

campaign finance is broken--billionaires buy their candidates and lobby for issues that harm the majority of the population

elected officials focus more on fundraising and getting reelected rather than helping people while in office

we make our voices heard, and are ignored----change happens slowly

Occupy!!! Resist!!! Protest!!! Change!!!!

The People's Bank

an idea for Occupy Wall St

most are already here http://www.occupycooperative.com/

a people's bank, that would give depositors an opening balance--can be $1,000, $10,000, up to $250,000 maybe with FDIC?? not sure there http://www.fdic.gov/deposit/insurance/index.html

bank would go along with better loans, interest checking and savings, debt education and solid banking regulations 

Understanding Debt

there already is the GREAT Debt Resistor's Operations Manual PDF here

PrePaid Card

Occupy Cooperative Card link here

another world is possible #Occupy

Dissent

Dissent
to publicly disagree with an official opinion, decision, or set of beliefs
to differ in opinion
political opposition to a government or its policies
religious nonconformity
a justice's nonconcurrence with a decision of the majority link

without dissent there would be no America, no Declaration of Independence, no end to slavery, segregation, women's right to vote, fights for civil rights and civil liberties, no President Barack Obama, no change ever.

the majority rules in a democracy, but is not always right, and it is up to the minority to protest, investigate, run for office, yell at the majority, change public opinion and become the elected majority, in our long fight bending the arc of justice.

breaking the law is wrong, but so is corruption, fraud, abuse of power.  exposing truth should not be a crime, even when the law is broken to do it.

Thank you whistleblowers, ignored whistleblowers who became leakers, journalists, lawyers, hackers, protesters, public servants, elected leaders, patriots---YOU are what makes America great!!!


FREE Chelsea (Bradley) Manning, Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, Barrett Brown, Jeremy Hammond and everyone else.

Veteran's Day

To every Veteran or every war, Thank you for your service to our country!

Whether you volunteered or were drafted, agreed with the war or not, whether the war was for self defense, sold to us with lies as self defense, an unprovoked attack on others, or not even called a war, thank you.

If you went to gain discipline, travel the world, serve with friends, family, or get money for college, thank you.

If you lost your life, lost a friend, lost a limb, lost your innocence, suffered PTSD or were a victim of rape or assault, thank you for your sacrifice. I am sorry for your loss----too often it has been in vain.

If you went to serve our country, and instead found lies and exposed the truth, thank you--especially those punished and prosecuted for doing so THANK YOU for your service to our country!!

For every veteran who served in every war, my family, friends, those who will serve in the future........thank you.

We must never forget, we must work to help you before, during and after the battles.

Veterans, POW/MIA, Killed in action, PTSD, Military rape and assault victims, whistleblowers and truth tellers in Military and intelligence

Thank you!!

Alexa O'Brien facts on Chelsea (Bradley) Manning and trial

Facts about Manning Trial and US V. Wikileaks that media ignores

From Twitter @carwinb   alexaobrien.com

1.) The wanton publication accusation regarding WikiLeaks is totally bogus. tweet

2.) Only 223 docs from 4 larger datasets of #Manning charged under "reason to believe" 116 cables, 102 SIGACTS from Afghan AND Iraq, 5 GTMO tweet

3.) Add to that the 1x 2008 USACIC memo on WL; 2 CIA Red Cell Memos; handful of investigative docs re May 2009 US bombing in Farah tweet

4.) All classified as SECRET or below. Ridiculous propaganda continues regarding #Manning #Assange #WikiLeaks tweet

5.) Take GTMO files (only 5 charged under "reason to believe" ie. Espionage Act. 3 docs are Tipton Three. tweet

washington post and NSA

some thoughts on Wahington Post, Jeff Bezos and NSA

From Christopher Soghoian (ACLU) tweet here
             Guess which major cloud computing company still hasn't published a transparency report for gov                  surveillance? Amazon.

so Bezos buys Washington Post in August link here with lots of implications----move paper online, make it a private company, expand Amazon empire (although it's Bezos buying paper NOT Amazon).

Snowden gave NSA documents in June to Guardian Glenn Greenwald, NYT Laura Poitras, with others like Bruce Schneier, and Barton Gellman of the Washington Post.

the questions are when did Bezos first plan to buy Washington Post----did he know about PRISM and Amazon cloud and NSA??? and how has NSA coverage been at Washington Post (besides Barton Gellman)???

More NSA

Videos on NSA, FISA, Intelligence Community

NSA surveillance Authority March 28 2006

Pre 9/11 Intel Failures

James Bamford Body of Secrets 2002

James Bamford Shadow Factory

Chatter----Global Eavesdropping

Pentagon Papers 35 years later


NSA Bill Binney Mass Surveillance before Snowden Revelations 
Bill Binney presentation on NSA from November 2012----why Snowden was so important-----NSA abuse was not in  the mainstream like it is now

MIT page here    Youtube

Binney answers some questions in the video-----

how much NSA can collect  20 terabytes a minute

Why General Hayden (audio & blog post) said earlier that ""in a perfect world he would brief the House/Senate intelligence committtees""

Bill Binney explains that the collection was illegal (as we know now) so NSA would only brief the Chair and Co-Chair of each committee---the House and Senate intelligence committees----so brief 4 people instead of 40

what was in the news before Snowden?? General Petraeus and his mistress, and Corporate spying, knowing you're pregnant based on your shopping habits.

Also discussed is European standards---you own your privacy, not how it works in the US

also discussed is the Jones Supreme Court case, discussing police placing a GPS on a car to investigate possible drug sales Jones Case interview On The Media

Ali Anouzla

The Case of Moroccan Journalist Ali Anouzla 

Moroccan journalist Ali Anouzla jailed for posting a link to a video from Al Qaeda in Maghreb

In one ongoing case in Morocco, the act of linking to a news article that linked to a YouTube video that was posted by a terrorist group has landed a prominent editor in jail, charged with “material assistance” to a terrorist group, “defending terrorism,” and “inciting the execution of terrorist acts.” EFF article

Journalism is not terrorism My blog post

Ali Anouzla article Wikipedia

Ali Anouzla released provisionally Al Jazeera
Moroccan journalist Ali Anouzla was arraigned on Tuesday on terrorism-related charges in a case that has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations and press freedom groups who say the charges are meant to stifle critical reporting.

"Moroccans have the right to know that a terrorist organisation is threatening their rulers," said Jamai, who runs the French version of Lakome, in a phone interview. "The accusation that Ali is promoting terrorism is absurd. Like other media outlets in the world in similar cases, we simply reported the story."

Hearing postponed till October 30th Committee to Protect Journalists

He appeared on Tuesday before an investigating judge in Rabat. The courts examines "terrorism cases," Khadija Riadi, former president of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights and coordinator of the National Committee to Free Anouzla, told me. The judge postponed the hearing to October 30, according to Riadi, and is considering a request to temporarily release Anouzla, according to news reports.

The two charges carry sentences of up to six years and 20 years' imprisonment respectively, according to Amnesty international, which has adopted Anouzla as a "prisoner of conscience."

The London-based human rights group expressed its deep concern that Moroccan authorities failed to make a distinction "between the right to freedom of expression on the one hand, and incitement to terrorism ... on the other hand," and would send the message that "any discussion of terrorism, including criticism of counter-terrorism strategies, will be treated by the government of Morocco as a criminal offence".

Reporters Without Borders Article

friday october 18

NSA FISA National Security Letters requests and Patriot Act Section 215 requests from emptywheel
http://t.co/yGKTncBejk

Commander defends Apache pilots in Collateral Murder video, speaks out after ""Fifth Estate"" release
http://t.co/pzOUPk3MPz

Commander says pilots ""were not trigger happy"" but the transcript says otherwise
http://t.co/e0dXYN0Sz0

NSA dissenters (Other Possible Snowdens)
http://t.co/yGFd9xam4z

The 2009 NSA Inspector General report that convinced Snowden to leak
https://t.co/gxQpwdJOmM

Chelsea (Bradley) Manning

Chelsea (Bradley) Manning has been senteced to 35 years in prison for being a source to Wikileaks, a charge Manning plead guilty to and admitted. Manning was motivated by conscience---seeing war crimes being committed and after trying to get the Washington Post and other papers to report the story, Manning went to Wikileaks---publishing the Collateral Murder video, Iraq and Afghan war logs, and  State Department Diplomatic Cables.

The information helped start the Arab Spring, and showed the world the true story of the US government.  The information that the government kept secret from the American people hid the true cost of the wars, and Manning and Wikileaks showed the American people and the world the truth about what the government was doing in our name.  The release of the information caused no harm, and even the government admitted this during the 3 month trial---which  was also kept from the public!!! (except for a few DEDICATED journalists and the Freedom of the Press Foundation link here)


Learn more about Manning and Wikileaks PDF here

What Wikileaks revealed PDF here

Manning was held in pretrial confinement for over 3 years, in conditions defined as torture by the UN, and was given 112 days credit during sentencing by Judge Colonel Lind---but that is not enough.

Major General Jeffery Buchanan has the power to reduce Manning's sentence and YOU can help by writing a letter for leniency.




PLEASE take a minute to write a letter.  Write a letter for Chelsea Manning



The basics of the letter    Sample Letter PDF


Your Name (can be Anonymous)

To
Major General Jeffrey S. Buchanan
Commanding General, US Army Military District of Washington

 Today's Date

Dear Major General Buchanan

I write to urge you to use your authority as the Convening Authority in the case of US v. Bradley E. Manning to reduce Private Manning’s 35 year sentence to time served, and upgrade his “Dishonorable Discharge.”

 Pvt. Manning has been punished enough for violating military regulations in the course of being true to his conscience.  I urge you to use your authority as Convening Authority to reduce Pvt. Manning’s sentence to time served.

He was denied a speedy trial in violation of Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 10


Prosecutors changed the Charge Sheet to match the evidence presented, even after the prosecution and defense rested their cases.

Subjected to illegal pretrial confinement of approximately 9 months at Quantico Marine Base, Virginia, in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 13, facts confirmed by both the United Nation’s lead investigator on torture and military judge Col. Lind, as evidenced by the 112 days credit Col. Lind gave Manning in his sentence.



You can sign the letter using Adobe PDF and can reate a PDF online here

Tweets

Darrell Issa replaces Obamacare with Obamacare https://twitter.com/libdemwasjailed/status/389384232285388803


Obama and the GOP--first Stimulus meeting---Obama offers 1/3 tax cuts so GOP would vote for it---GOP walked into meeting already deciding to vote no---no matter what Obama offered
https://twitter.com/libdemwasjailed/status/347840098504687617

the Obama ""is a socialist"" claim---    Don't you think a Socialist WOULD HAVE nationalized a bank???!!!!
https://twitter.com/libdemwasjailed/status/347843683653132288


 Chelsea Manning (formerly Bradley Manning) leaked audio from Providence Inquiry Statement
http://t.co/m46SmlLMnv



SYRIA-----Rand Paul's version http://t.co/ynSdUzmOha
SYRIA-----My version http://t.co/tq5vHF5Sck

sunday october 13

Malala visits Obama in the White House link here

"I thanked President Obama for the United States' work in supporting education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and for Syrian refugees," Yousafzai said in a statement published by the Associated Press. "I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fueling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people. If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact."

BBC 16 questions (well, statements) for Glenn Greenwald link here


NSA and the Conspiracy to Committ Journalism link here




Business Insider ""Top Republican replaces Obamacare With Obamacare link here

My Blog Post http://libdemtweets.blogspot.com/2013/10/issa-replaces-obamacare-with-obamacare.html

Jeremy Hammond

 Jeremy Hammond political activist and computer programmer---gave Wikileaks emails from StratFor (Strategic Forecasting) a PRIVATE intelligence company, like the CIA or FBI but with NO Congessional oversight (not even the oversight theater that NSA gets!!) which worked with the US Government to attack political activists like Occupy, PETA, and others.

http://freejeremy.net/            WRITE A LETTER


WRITE AN ANONYMOUS LETTER

Peter Judlow's GREAT LETTER

CONVERT the letter to PDF here

email the letter to  jay@criminal-lawyer.me
                       
Basic text of letter to Judge Preska (add your own views as well)

I am aware that Jeremy Hammond has plead guilty to violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). I am writing you ask for leniency in his sentencing. He has already spent more than enough time behind bars.

The sentences associated with the CFAA are vastly disproportionate to the crime. Jeremy faces up to 10 years in prison for politically motivated acts of civil disobedience, from which he sought no financial gain.  Meanwhile, those of Jeremy's co-defendants convicted in Ireland and the UK will not spend more than 16 months in prison. Some have already been released.

Jeremy sought only to make the world a better place. I respectfully ask for leniency in his sentencing.

saturday october 12

Edward Snowden's laptops were blank says Ray McGovern
link here

Jack Goldsmith defends NSA ""collecting everything"" link here

Marcy Wheeler (emptywheel) on Jack Goldsmith and the NSA
link here


NPR interview with NSA Whistleblower Thomas Drake, who was with Edward Snowden in Russia this week along Whistleblowers with Ray McGovern, Coleen Rowley and Jesselyn Radack link here

Edward Snowden receives Sam Adams award in Russia visited by group of US Whistleblowers link here

Edward Snowden's leaks are leading to more disclosure and declassification from US Government (I say that was his goal all along) link here

GOP versus the Government

Government IS NOT THE PROBLEM-----EVERYTHING is Government!!! 

The GOP Shutdown, “”Govt is the problem”” and the Declaration of Independence and Constitution

We in America have a government OF BY AND FOR the people to protect our rights and protect our liberty---

That is what the Declaration of Independence and Constitution set up---an accountable government that follows the will of the people (majority rules), a Congress of Representatives and Senators by state to ensure equal representation in Congress, with a Bill of Rights of individual liberty that Government ENFORCES and lives by---

We have the First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, press, assembly and petition the government in order to make sure Congress listens to the people they represent

Why we have government

The Declaration of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

The Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Constitution sets up a Congress of a House and Senate, Role of President and the Courts, sets guidelines for laws and prohibitions----there aren’t many actual laws in the Constitution, but mostly a guideline for Congress who is the Legislative branch that will be writing laws (you can do this but not this when writing laws, etc)

GOP on Govt “”being the problem, hindering the economy,”” BLAH BLAH BLAH

Our Government as set up by the Constitution

PRINTS MONEY and loans it out to banks

establishes Patents to protect inventions and protect the profits of inventors

created roads and post offices for trade and mail, regulate banks

gives licenses to businesses, entrepreneurs, inventors and workers,

regulates labor and safety laws.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR GOES THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT!!!

Without Government services THERE IS NO PRIVATE SECTOR!!!!

sunday october 6

FREE BARRETT BROWN


JEREMY HAMMOND



NSA and Govt get caught OVER AND OVER lying to American Public on Spying
link here


Does the NSA think you are a terrorist?? link here
(well if you use TOR , then yes they do)


FBI seizes BitCoin, protestors fight back link here


Dont forget about Syria link here


Man sets himself on fire near White House link here



MORE PROOF this is the #GOPShutDown
link here

During the brief exchange, Paul suggested that Republicans would sound more reasonable if they struck a conciliatory tone on government funding than Democrats, who maintain that they won’t alter Obamacare as a condition of reopening the government.

“I think if we keep saying, ‘We wanted to defund it, we fought for that, but now we’re willing to compromise on this,’ Paul said. “I know we don’t want to be here, but we’re going to win this I think.”






Because of #GOPShutDown, Kerry will be in Asia APEC meeting instead of Obama, but its CORPORATIONS that wrote the Trade deal
http://www.exposethetpp.org/

https://www.citizen.org/tradewatch

Nobel peace prize for Manning (and a pardon or commutted sentence!!!)

Chelsea Manning (Bradely Manning) has fought for peace by exposing truth in war, fighting the unequal Dont Ask Dont Tell policy forcing gay soldiers to lie about who they are in order to serve their country, and is now fighting for equal treatment for transgender soldiers in the military and military prison system----Manning has fought for us as Americans and citizens of the world, and now we fight for Manning to be honored for her dedication and service to our country, and we fight for her freedom from an unjust sentence.



NOBEL PEACE PRIZE!!! Pardon MANNING!!!!! FREE MANNING!!!


sign the petition, pass it on PETITION

Saturday oct 5

TOR Browser---Anonymity Online
torproject.org


NSA hates TOR Browser---TOR stands for ""The Onion Router"" a series of connections that creates an anonymous internet
TOR is ""King of High Secure Internet Anonymity""

NSA can see some individual users, but not whole TOR network

""TOR Stinks"" document




Google is encrypting its searches link here

Newsweek Profiles Marcy Wheeler link here

Marcy Wheeler on Scooter Libby Trial link here


www.emptywheel.net
Marcy Wheeler examines MORE NSA LIES at Senate Hearing link here

But the most telling exchange occurred between Amy Klobuchar, Keith Alexander, and James Clapper. (after 1:25) Klobuchar asked why they hadn’t told the Committee of the violations reported in an internal NSA review when they last appeared before the committee. After Alexander tried to filibuster (actually addressing the report in question and noting only ODNI and DOJ get those numbers, not FISC or Congress), Clapper interrupted and pretended she had asked about the LOVEINT incidents just reported to Charles Grassley. Clapper claimed those hadn’t been reported because they were 12333 violations.

In other words, while this may (or may not) be minor, they are real violations of FISA authorities, the stuff that Congress and the Courts are supposed to oversee. And Clapper just blew off the question by saying they don’t have to disclose any violations pertaining to EO 12333 (even though a chunk of these violations weren’t EO 12333 violations).

Which of course demonstrates a further point. The Intelligence Community is basically refusing to discuss any EO 12333 violations and/or programs, even while it also picks up US person information at least incidentally.

And yet they claimed there was adequate oversight over those programs.

General Hayden on Snowden podcast link here
Hayden says NSA spying is legal and overseen by Congress, and dismisses Snowden as ""

Hayden says
Snowdens leak is most significant in history, he exposed the pipes and plumbing. Even compared to REAL SPIES and the death of sources at the hands of previous spies such as Hansen and Ames is not as bad as Snowden's leaking how we do everything

Dismissed Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, as ex-patriots ""Greenwald publishes on the weekends, dribbles them out""

On Snowden and leaks, Hayden compares to levees around Lake Pontchartrain as ""strongest in a century""  and says ""Katrina was still a bad idea"" but LEVEES WERE STRENGTHENED AFTER KATRINA NOT BEFORE!!!!

so Snowden IS KATRINA exposing weaknesses----AND WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN DEFENSES!!!

again Hayden ""welcomes the debate"" but wants it based on ""facts"" THAT ARE SECRET AND LEAKS ARE EVIL and NSA lies to Congress

Hayden Says ""In a ""perfect world"" I would brief House and Senate Intelligence Committees""   (WHAT??!! So How does he say there is OVERSIGHT NOW??!!!!)

Hayden on Snowden---I reject Whistleblower, Snowden ""stole something he didnt own"" flew to serial foreign countries, "I call him defector"" troubled, morally arrogant---he will be isolated, bored, lonely, depressed, many defectors became alcoholics---its not zero chance of getting him back here to stand trial.

Hayden (at 37:24) mentions Executive Order 12333 and FISA as authority over NSA 


Hayden dismisses Snowden, but totally ignores OTHER whistleblowers!!! 

Thomas Drake was an NSA WhistleBlower after 9/11---WELL before Snowden--and had the same concerns about NSA spying and tactics and abuses of privacy

Thomas Drake article about Snowden and NSA

Thomas Drake video about NSA in March 2013 (before Snowden's revelations)


NSA COLLECTS EVERY WORD of domestic communications
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/08/nsa-whistleblowers-nsa-collects-word-for-word-every-domestic-communication.html

Friday oct 4

NSA attacks TOR link here


House is NOT GOP by votes link here

Issa suggests replacing Obamacare with......Obamacare my blog post



So I have other posts about Journalism, terrorism, free speech etc--THIS is NOT protected speech
 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/b-ch-dead-threat-rep-maloney-protected-speech-judge-article-1.1472034

Death threats against Rep. Carolyn Maloney not protected speech: Judge
‘That stupid c**t needs to stay away from my Second Amendment right...I hate that stupid b**ch...I hope that f**king c**t dies of cancer.... I want that b**ch dead.’ The hate-charged calls of Ronald Buchanan crossed the line, says Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Erika Edwards.

Issa replaces Obamacare with Obamacare

OK so I wrote the piece below, then I saw this from All in With Chris Hayes Video here  Twitter link here

THEN I saw this from Josh Barro at Business Insider (I love when this happens)
***anyone notice the headline??
http://www.businessinsider.com/top-republican-calls-for-replacing-obamacare-with-obamacare-2013-10

Why is Darrel Issa Pushing for FEHBP instead of Obamacare (and GOP plan)??

So Darrel Issa has been tweeting since Sept 28 link here about how great FEHBP is link here---and yes it is great---but why is he pushing this now, EVEN instead of GOP link here replace option??
2 page Summary of GOP plan


3rd question, link here
Q. When will these individuals lose FEHB eligibility? 
A. Members of Congress and their congressional staff employed by the official office will no longer be eligible for FEHB coverage as of January 1, 2014. 

7th question

How are employer contributions for health care coverage premiums treated under the Affordable Care Act and for Federal tax purposes with respect to Members of Congress and congressional employees on the Exchange? 

A. Under pre-Affordable Care Act law, Members of Congress and their staff are offered health insurance coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB), which allows them to choose among various health plans that have contracted with FEHB. As with other health coverage provided in connection with employment, both employer contributions and contributions pursuant to a salary reduction election by employees towards the cost of FEHB coverage may be excluded from the employee’s income and wages for both income and employment tax purposes. 

My guess is that Issa knows FEHBP is ending, and that the GOP plan (like every other vote in the House) will die in the Senate or be vetoed by the President.

Politico Article about healthcare changes in Congress link here

GOP ShutDown and Obamacare

The ShutDown is ABSOLUTELY a #GOPShutDown

My Previous reports on GOP and economy 

GOP and food stamps

GOP ""small govt"" see War On Drugs

GOP--debt reduction NOT THEIR GOAL---its GOVT reduction

Romney and BAIN versus Obama and Solyndra

Congress is the one on Welfare and Food Stamps

Norquist's REAL goal

Filibuster Reform

the TEA Party

GOP on the economy

REMEMBER THE RECESSION

GOP on taxes 

THE TRUTH ABOUT TAXES (NOT MINE, just a great source that shows differences between tax rates and revenues)

Our ""immoral debt""


Martin Gross on Government Waste
Top 10

I've got This Version from 1992
The Govt Racket--Waste from A to Z

Govt Racket--Waste from A to Z, from 2000 and beyond

Article on Gross' works

Book review  larger version

Obituary Martin Gross

CSPAN video interview Clip

CSPAN FULL INTERVIEW


The GOP and Tea Party have been for small government as their ideology forever-----that is their party goal----small government, less taxes to pay for government, give more to the states, take away power from the federal government, etc.

So now the Tea Party and GOP shut down the government, with Ted Cruz's FAUXlibuster, Boehner and the House refusing to appoint members to a conference committee on the Senate Budget since April, screaming against Obamacare and Obama since he was the nominee in 2008!!! and now they try to blame the DEMOCRATS for the #GOPShutDown??!!! I'd laugh if it was funny----but it's outrageous.


2010---Tea Party runs on shutting down government link here
The federal shutdown this week represents the culmination of a sustained attack by a group of conservative Republicans on the size and scope of government that has been years in the making.

A core group of House Republicans elected in the tea party wave of 2010 has largely succeeded in its aim of scaling back federal spending, despite fervent opposition from President Obama and the Democratic controlled Senate.


House Blocked Senate Budget Bill Since April, called for Conference at last minute link here
July 1st, Just a few months ago, Republicans were eager to go to conference, but once they got what they wished for, Republican leadership ran as fast as they could in the other direction. Over the past 100 days, Republican leadership has followed a Tea Party-backed strategy of obstruction, and has offered up excuse after excuse for blocking conference and ignoring regular order.

link here
As of midnight, the federal government shut down after Congress was unable to come to an agreement and pass a continuing resolution to keep it funded. After the House passed a slew of funding bills with amendments attached to delay and defund Obamacare, the lawmakers switched gears right before recessing for the evening and formally requested a budget conference with the Senate. A conference would mean convening a group of bipartisan lawmakers from both houses, or a conference committee, to work out a compromise between their competing visions for what a government budget should look like.

But House Republicans have had an opportunity to conference with the Senate since April. That’s when lawmakers in the Senate, led by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), passed a budget and opened the door to create a committee to hash out the differences between that bill and the House budget, which it passed in March. Republicans had made the lack of a Democratic Senate budget a talking point for three years, arguing that Congress should return to “regular order” by passing budgets in both chambers and conferencing to work out the differences. Yet after the Senate passed a bill and the opportunity to do so became real, Senate Republicans blocked Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) from creating a conference committee.

 
September 20 The House votes to eliminate financing for the Affordable Care Act--the back and forth that led to ShutDown---STARTING with GOP House and vote to defund Obamacare link here

80 Tea Party members write letter to Boehner to defund Obamacare and include in spending bill
 letter here article here
Meadows was not pleased with how Boehner and his fellow Republican leaders in the House were approaching the September fight over spending. The annual appropriations to fund the government were scheduled to run out on October 1st, and much of it would stop operating unless Congress passed a new law. Meadows wanted Boehner to use the threat of a government shutdown to defund Obamacare, a course Boehner had publicly ruled out.

By the Way---""Other organizations"" targeted by IRS means LIBERAL ones GOP letter link here link here

House is in GOP control, but not because Americans voted that way link here

Republicans Stand their ground on Obamacare link here

GOP on ShutDown---we're happy, we got what we wanted link here (and PLEASE ignore all the Nuclear Energy ads in between the article----Ugh, Wow)


MORE PROOF this is the #GOPShutDown
link here

Rand Paul and Mitch McConnelll Open Mic 
During the brief exchange, Paul suggested that Republicans would sound more reasonable if they struck a conciliatory tone on government funding than Democrats, who maintain that they won’t alter Obamacare as a condition of reopening the government.

“I think if we keep saying, ‘We wanted to defund it, we fought for that, but now we’re willing to compromise on this,’ Paul said. “I know we don’t want to be here, but we’re going to win this I think.”





Congressional HealthCare Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)
CRS report

There are 230 different health plans available in FEHBP for the 2013 plan year.
Out of the 230 plans available through FEHBP, an enrollee’s choice is typically limited to 10 to
15 different plans, depending on where the individual resides

All FEHBP plans cover a range of benefits, including hospital, surgical, physician, mental health,
prescription drug, catastrophic, and emergency care. There are variations in the amount the plans
pay for each benefit, the coverage of specific services, and the extent to which they protect
enrollees from the risk of catastrophic medical bills.

The federal government and enrollees share the cost of the premiums for FEHBP plans. The 

government’s contribution to premiums is set at 72% of the weighted average premium of all 

plans in the program, not to exceed 75% of any given plan’s premium.

The percentage of premiums paid by the government is calculated separately for individual and family coverage, but each uses the same formula. Annuitants and active employees pay the same premium amounts, although active employees have the option of paying premiums on a pre-tax basis. 

             Govt Pays         Employee Pays        Total Premium

Self         $184.06               $80.74                     $264.80

Family    $410.92               $178.24                    $589.16

As FEHBP is the largest employer-sponsored health insurance program in the United States, it is 

difficult to compare FEHBP to health benefits offered by other employers. Any comparison must 

be limited to large employers in the private sector and state and local governments.

large firms with more than 200 employees, 55% offered one plan, 37% offered two plans, and 8% offered three or more plans. For firms with more than 5,000 employees, a subset of the aforementioned group of large firms, 26% offered one plan, 49% offered two plans, and 25% offered three or more plans.

large firms, on average employers paid 82% of the premium for single plans and 75% of the premium for family plans for current employees

state and local government employers of all sizes, on average employers paid 88% of the
premium for single coverage and 76% of the premium for family coverage for current
employees.

Dental and vision benefits are available to active federal employees and annuitants through the
Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program.  Enrollees are responsible for 100% of the premiums. To continue or obtain FEDVIP coverage in retirement, an employee does not have to participate in FEDVIP prior to retirement.

The [Affordable Care Act, Obamacare] exchanges will not be insurers, but will provide a marketplace for eligible individuals and small businesses to purchase private health insurance plans. For more information on the exchanges, see CRS Report R42663, Health Insurance Exchanges Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), by Bernadette Fernandez and Annie L. Mach.

Darrel Issa pushes Obamacare----secretly
So Darrel Issa has been tweeting ""Replace Obamacare with FEHBP"" BUT in fact Obamacare will be replacing FEHBP---so why is he pushing a program that's ending???
My Blog Post