Pressure Groups USA - Tech companies

The White House.
Photo Credit: Tom Lohdan / Ars Technica

In brief, as a follow on an earlier post I made back in August about the revelations by Edward Snowden about the NSA spying on US citizens and foreigners with little oversight, I came across this nugget of useful information.

According to Ars Technica and the Washington Post had a meeting this week at the White House in which they "discussed" the revelations about the NSA. The exact details of the hacking by the NSA I don't think are especially relevant to G & P students (although they are interesting and quite extraordiary).

More pertinent is the idea that major companies are operating as pressure groups to change the way the executive operates. A great example for G & P students contemplating Pressure groups in Unit 3C. It is also a great example if anyone is contemplating the power of the president (the NSA's activities started in 2006 under Bush Jr).

In a low federal court (crucially not the Supreme Court, so this statement is not binding), a judge has said that some of the NSA's activities are "unconstitutional". The Federal Government is going to appeal. This is one of a number of cases to be brought to trial by various parties, including the ACLU outraged by the Federal Government's activities. One can imagine this ending up at the Supreme Court in due course.

There is an issue whether this government agency was acting under the supervision of the President or whether it was not. This is a judgement which I will leave to others.