When former President Jimmy Carter wants to send a message to a world leader, he uses snail mail, because he knows that the NSA is reading his emails.
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Transcript:
ANDREA MITCHELL:
Now, there’s been a lot of criticism of his policy regarding drones and the NSA surveillance. And the N.S.A. has argued that this kind of intelligence gathering is critical to try to protect the American homeland?
JIMMY CARTER:
That has been extremely liberalized and, I think, abused by our own intelligence agencies. As a matter of fact, you know, I have felt that my own communications are probably monitored. And when I want to communicate with a foreign leader privately, I type or write a letter myself, put it in the post office, and mail it. (LAUGH)
ANDREA MITCHELL:
Old fashioned snail mail–
JIMMY CARTER:
Old– yeah. Yeah. Because I believe if I send an email, it will be monitored. (LAUGH)
President Carter was most likely correct. His emails are being monitored. If the CIA is hacking and spying on the Senate Intelligence Committee, it is a pretty safe bet that the NSA, and/or other intelligence agencies are spying on former President Carter.
It is a good rule of thumb for everyone. The privacy that you think you have on the Internet doesn’t really exist. Facebook has access to all of your direct messages. The same thing with Twitter’s private messages. Domestic spying has been out of control for a long time.
The spying apparatus is bigger than Obama. It will outlast this president, and future presidents, because that is the nature of institutionalized bureaucracy. It is also the nature of the military industrial complex. The only thing that can stop the rampant plague of domestic spying is an outcry of popular demand.
If the people force their government to stop, it will stop. Otherwise, the spying will never end.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
