Knock out '702'

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Branson grassers blend new and old
as they ready launch of gospel album
https://youtu.be/clBy6gyOOjc?list=RDclBy6gyOOjc
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FISA's notorious section 702 is the target of a trenchant, hard-hitting commentary by Rob Braxman, a very well-informed privacy expert who runs a Youtube channel and markets privacy tech. He knows his business, and facts.
https://youtu.be/1cQ1YpTTN7E
The threat to freedom of speech and press posed by this proviso is much more serious than even many news professionals seem to realize. The sinister potential exposed by Edward Snowden has not gone away. Yet presidents LOVE this proviso, because it so effectively enhances presidential power. Even so, President Trump is certainly well aware of how FISA can be abused, and this particular section makes abuses virtually inevitable, so we must call him out on his push to extend its life with no changes.

A full transcript of Braxman's video can be found via his Youtube video or HERE. https://tubealloys979.blogspot.com/2026/04/braxman-transcript.html

Here is a Perplexity.ai summary, which, however, does not convey the full force of Braxman's hard-hitting commentary:

SUMMARY
The video transcript details Rob Braxman's critique of FISA Section 702, emphasizing its evolution into a tool for warrantless mass surveillance of Americans despite its foreign intelligence origins.

FISA 702 Renewal Stalled
Congress's routine rubber-stamp renewal has stalled for the first time, as average citizens overlook how this Patriot Act provision powers U.S. surveillance despite bypassing the Fourth Amendment.

Post-9/11 Context Shift
Enacted in 2001 amid limited digital use, FISA 702 exploded with smartphones and social media by 2008, creating surveillance goldmines via PRISM, location tracking, and emails—far beyond original phone/financial targets.

Foreign Persons Loophole
Officially for non-U.S. persons abroad, it ensnares Americans via incidental collection from any foreign contact or degrees of separation (e.g., bank clients), enabling politicized spying like against Trump or BLM activists.

Warrantless Searches
No individual warrants or probable cause reviews occur; the FISA Court (FISC) merely rubber-stamps procedures annually, allowing unchecked executive abuse akin to constant digital "roadside inspections."

Dragnet Collection Lie
All data is vacuumed indiscriminately (NSA Utah center), with "targeted" claims false—operatives search freely via simple interfaces, now AI-enhanced, justifying retroactively via foreign links.

Political and Personal Abuses
Bipartisan misuse for opposition spying (Obama vs. Trump, Trump vs. BLM); Obama expanded sharing to CIA/FBI and Rule 41 hacks; privacy tools like VPNs flag users as suspicious.

Fourth Amendment Erosion
Dragnet reverses justice (search first, justify later), enabling geofencing of events like Jan. 6 or protests; echoes Soviet tactics ("show me the man, find the crime"), undermining freedoms.

Reforms Demanded
Require warrants, criminal penalties for abusers, independent reviews—not endless renewals that empower blackmail or deep state control; highlights bipartisan foes like Wyden, Lee, Raskin.

Current Status Short extension to April 30, 2026, amid FISC-noted compliance issues; Braxman urges contacting reps for "no surveillance without warrants."

FISA Section 702 enables warrantless surveillance primarily targeting non-U.S. persons abroad, but it routinely captures Americans' communications incidentally.

Legal Overreach

The law permits "backdoor searches" where agencies like the FBI query vast databases for U.S. persons' data without judicial warrants, turning a foreign intelligence tool into domestic spying. This violates Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches, as exposed by Snowden leaks and confirmed in annual reports showing thousands of improper queries yearly.

Incidental Collection Abuses
Even when targeting foreigners, modern tech like email and apps ensures Americans' messages with overseas contacts get swept up en masse via programs like PRISM, then shared across spy agencies without minimization. Critics highlight bipartisan misuse—for political opponents, activists, or journalists—across administrations, including Trump's.

National Security Pretext Proponents claim 702 combats terrorism, cyber threats from Iran/China, and drug trafficking (e.g., 70% of CIA synthetic drug intel), arguing warrants would create gaps. Detractors counter it exceeds FISA's foreign scope, lacks "reasonable cause," and fuels a surveillance state without accountability.

Renewal Resistance As 702 faces 2026 renewal, privacy advocates like Braxman call for warrant requirements on all U.S. queries, urging contacts to reps like Raskin and Davidson. Lapse risks exist amid GOP pushback and tech firm challenges, despite no prior failures.

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The irrepressible Petersens https://www.youtube.com/@ThePetersens are going their own cheerful way, oblivious to musical trends around them. That independent streak is well demonstrated by their latest release, "Gonna Keep Prayin'." You can really hear that good old-fashioned gospel, which is actually a brand new song penned by group members and a friend.

In fact, the video teases an upcoming gospel album showcasing next month that features the band's original work.

The originality of this band, based in the family entertainment mecca of Branson, Mo., is shown not only in their original music but also in the arrangements of covers, such as the old Marty Robbins gunfight ballad "Big Iron."

Have fun checking out these latest offerings:

Below: Big Iron
https://youtu.be/tE-uoAcRzas

Below: In Christ Alone
https://youtu.be/BIXdrcmiT0A

Below: When God Dips His Love in My Heart
https://youtu.be/ZpEXZYwKo7U

Below: Caledonia
https://youtu.be/NGPWI-IW_y0