No-one above the law

Of course not.  Well, that is, until they are.  It’s similar to the old phrase that if you kill 1 person you’re a murderer, kill 10 people you’re a serial killer, but kill 1 million people and you’re a revolutionary.  Form a junta and sign in your own immunity.

Telecom companies that illegally spied on people have now been given immunity thanks to a rewrite of FISA (the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act).  Additionally this rewrite allows the president more ability to request and tap private communications information without court approval.

Original NPR article: here.

This is a scary time for privacy and freedom, especially when we’re setting a precedent that as a large company you can break the law as long as you’re doing it in a way the government will forgive you for later.