The massive spying programs run by the US government are Å“an attempt to totally control the American people” and deny them Å“their constitutional liberties”, says Paul Sheldon Foote, a professor at California State University.
The US House of Representatives voted 217-205 Wednesday against an amendment seeking to curb the National Security Agencyâ„¢s controversial spying powers to collect data on the phone calls of millions of Americans.
Rep. Justin Amashâ„¢s amendment was also opposed by House Speaker John Boehner and the administration of US President Barack Obama.
Å“This attempt by the Obama administration to limit any restrictions on the NSA is totally contrary to his campaign promises. He has said that he would have the most transparent administration ever,” said Foote in a phone interview with Press TVâ„¢s US Desk on Thursday.
Å“He has had the least transparent administration and more and more Americans are starting to realize this,” he added.
Last month, American whistleblower Edward Snowden blew the lid on massive surveillance by the NSA including a spying program for gathering US phone records.
Other leaked document also showed that the NSA tracks the use of US-based web servers by American citizens and other nationals and that the US spy agency has spied on European Union representations, ordinary European citizens, and companies and individuals in Latin America.
Moreover, according to a former NSA employee turned whistleblower, William Edward Binney, the NSA has transcribed Americansâ„¢ phone calls and there is no reason to believe US officials Å“when they say we don’t transcribe or we don’t read your email”.
ISH/ARA
Republished from: Press TV