Drudge Alert: Senate Panel Approves "Internet Kill" Switch Plan; New Emergency Powers

[FrankRep]

Obama Can Shut Down Internet For 4 Months Under New Emergency Powers



DRUDGE REPORT
http://www.drudgereport.com/


SENATE PANEL APPROVES 'INTERNET KILL' SWITCH PLAN
http://news.techworld.com/security/3228198/obama-internet-kill-switch-plan-approved-by-us-senate/?olo=rss

New Emergency Powers
http://www.prisonplanet.com/obama-can-shut-down-internet-for-4-months-under-new-emergency-powers.html

[FrankRep]

http://www.votervoice.net/Files/JBS/Images/JBSemailheader.jpg (http://www.jbs.org/)



Email Congress/Senate!!
http://www.votervoice.net/Groups/JBS/Advocacy/?IssueID=22245&SiteID=-1



Two bills, S. 3480 and S. 773, have been introduced into the Senate that would endanger Internet freedom through extensive new regulations in the name of cybersecurity and would empower the President to limit access to the Internet with a so-called kill-switch.


Preserve Internet Freedom -- Oppose Cybersecurity Legislation (http://www.jbs.org/component/content/article/1009-commentary/6366-preserve-internet-freedom-oppose-cybersecurity-legislation)


Larry Greenley | John Birch Society (http://www.jbs.org/)
23 June 2010


“To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and other laws to enhance the security and resiliency of the cyber and communications infrastructure of the United States.” These are the words used to describe the latest cybersecurity bill, S. 3480 (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s3480/show) "Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010," introduced on June 10 and cosponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.).

Senate Bill 3480 would convert the White House appointed cyber coordinator into the Director of the Office of Cyber Policy. One concession to “transparency” and “accountability” is that the cybersecurity coordinators inside the White House and the Department of Homeland Security -- under a new agency, the National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (NCCC) -- would have to be approved by the Senate.

The DHS would compile a list of companies that rely on the Internet, phone system, or any other feature of the U.S. “information infrastructure” to “conduct risk-based assessments” of the system “with respect to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other large-scale disruptions...” According to terms in the bill “information infrastructure” covers the entire Internet and phone system, and these would be subjected to the broad and almost unrestrained authority of the NCCC:

‘‘(18) the term ‘national information infrastructure’ means information infrastructure—
‘‘(A)(i) that is owned, operated, or controlled within or from the United States; or
‘‘(ii) if located outside the United States, the disruption of which could result in national or regional catastrophic damage in the United States; and that is not owned, operated, controlled, or licensed for use by a Federal agency;

The NCCC would be tasked with monitoring the “security status” of private sector websites, broadband providers, etc. A requirement for private sector companies would be participation in “information sharing” with the federal government. They must certify in writing that they have complied with federally approved security measures -- encryption, physical security mechanisms, or other programming methods -- approved by the director. To make this directive more palatable to technology companies, the bill would offer immunity from civil lawsuits to ISP’s who comply with all federal regulations and standards, so that if those companies cause a website to experience a loss of business in downtime or money from a shutdown due to their own mistakes, or if the shutdown was federally mandated, the business or organization would not be able to recoup any losses by suing their ISP or the government.

Not content with establishing a gigantic framework (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20007418-38.html) for the federal government to control private sector Internet companies and those who use the World Wide Web, the new legislation, under the cosponsors’ claims of building a “public/private partnership” to increase “economic security, national security and public safety,” there is a most disturbing allocation of authority to the Executive Branch (http://beforeitsnews.com/news/77/022/New_Bill_Would_Create_Office_of_Cyber_Policy_in_Wh ite_House_to_Protect_Nation_from_Cyber_Terrorism.h tml).

Emergency response authority would be granted to the President to protect critical infrastructure if any level of cyber vulnerability is detected by the federal government. What defines “emergency” for the feds is:

the term ‘national cyber emergency’ means an actual or imminent action by any individual or entity to exploit a cyber vulnerability in a manner that disrupts, attempts to disrupt, or poses a significant risk of disruption to the operation of the information infrastructure essential to the reliable operation of covered critical infrastructure;

Congress is supposed to be notified in advance of the exercise of the emergency powers and any emergency measures are also supposed to be the least disruptive as possible, expiring in 30 days unless re-extended. But a President could in actuality keep extending the measures indefinitely (http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/congress/3776-senate-considers-making-the-president-king-of-cyberspace).

There are several acknowledgements given to international partners of the United States, and international agreements as well. If a declaration of emergency is declared by the President, then the Director has the authority to coordinate responses with certain international partners to protect the critical infrastructure, and even international standards may be relied upon for use as cyber guidelines.

The 197-page bill that creates a super-sized bureaucratic agency with incredible power over private enterprise and private information sources and means of communication containing all sorts of hidden dictates is just another in a list of similar bills that keep coming to the fore. The Senate Commerce Committee had previously approved a bill in March cosponsored by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine.) that also contained a presidential “kill-switch” provision (http://www.fiercegovernmentit.com/story/lieberman-wants-give-federal-govt-power-over-internet-cybersecurity/2010-06-14). And now Lieberman and Rockefeller have pledged to work together to iron out any differences between the bills so that they can proceed on the path to quick passage for near absolute governmental control of cyberspace. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) indicated that he wants this legislation passed this year as well.

Whether it’s S. 3480, the Lieberman/Collins/Carper caper that gets the nod, or the Rockefeller/Snowe job, S. 773 (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s773/show), the American people need to loudly and strongly voice their opposition to government monitoring and control of Information Technology, whether it’s the Internet, or phone system.

The U.S. already possesses a very healthy and capable private IT security industry. Government interference would only destroy private protection initiatives and efforts, and allow security and intelligence agencies that have very faulty track records to hold sway over the liberties of the people. Help stop this unconstitutional power grab and oppose any government intervention or interference in the private communications network.

Help preserve Internet freedom by contacting your representative and senators (http://www.votervoice.net/Groups/JBS/Advocacy/?IssueID=22245&SiteID=-1) in opposition to the proposed cybersecurity legislation.


SOURCE:
http://www.jbs.org/component/content/article/1009-commentary/6366-preserve-internet-freedom-oppose-cybersecurity-legislation

[easycougar]

Can The People have an emergency shut off the government switch?

[Dojo]

Can The People have an emergency shut off the government switch?

I bet you WANTED to say Kill switch, but thought twice about it............

[Dr.3D]

So why doesn't the Senate just vote to give Obama dictatorial power and get it over with in just one vote. Why do they need to just nibble a little here and a little there to accomplish the same objective?

[FrankRep]

So why doesn't the Senate just vote to give Obama dictatorial power and get it over with in just one vote. Why do they need to just nibble a little here and a little there to accomplish the same objective?

Incrementalism!, the frog doesn't know the heat is slowly being turned up until it's too late.


Nikita Khrushchev: "You Americans are so gullible. No, you won't accept communism outright. But we'll keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you finally wake up and find you already have communism. We won't have to fight you; we'll so weaken your economy until you fall like overripe fruit into our hands."

[jmdrake]

Well, it's time again to contact our senators. Republicans could be the heros of the nation if they towed the line on this one. Quick question, can they filibuster this without counting on Senator Joe "Palpatine" Lieberman? And unfortunately Scott Brown seems awfully chummy with Darth Lieberman, almost like he's a young Anakin Skywalker.

http://newsburglar.com/images/LiebermanPalpatine.jpg

http://commentsfromleftfield.com/uploaded_images/palpatine_lieberman-768485.jpg

[Number19]

The whole discussion about a presidential "kill switch plan" is misdirection. What needs to go viral is the complete, planned takeover of the internet by government "under a new agency, the National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (NCCC)."


...The NCCC would be tasked with monitoring the “security status” of private sector websites, broadband providers, etc. A requirement for private sector companies would be participation in “information sharing” with the federal government...a gigantic framework for the federal government to control private sector Internet companies and those who use the World Wide Web...

[FrankRep]

The whole discussion about a presidential "kill switch plan" is misdirection. What needs to go viral is the complete, planned takeover of the internet by government "under a new agency, the National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications (NCCC)."

PC World is talking about it.

Senate Panel Approves Controversial Cybersecurity Bill (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/199825/senate_panel_approves_controversial_cybersecurity_ bill.html)

PC World - June 24


The bill, introduced earlier this month, would establish a White House Office for Cyberspace Policy and a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications, which would work with private U.S. companies to create cybersecurity requirements for the electrical grid, telecommunications networks and other critical infrastructure.

[Number19]

PC World is talking about it.

Senate Panel Approves Controversial Cybersecurity Bill (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/199825/senate_panel_approves_controversial_cybersecurity_ bill.html)

PC World - June 24


The bill, introduced earlier this month, would establish a White House Office for Cyberspace Policy and a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications, which would work with private U.S. companies to create cybersecurity requirements for the electrical grid, telecommunications networks and other critical infrastructure.


...On Wednesday, 24 privacy and civil liberties groups sent a letter raising concerns about the legislation to the sponsors..."Changes are needed to ensure that cybersecurity measures do not unnecessarily infringe on free speech, privacy, and other civil liberties interests," the letter added."...Changes do not need to be made! The bill needs to be stopped dead in its track. If allowed to go forward in any form, Pandora's Box is opened. Government always expands its power.

[FrankRep]

bump

[SooperDave]

this is a VERY scary power for him to have

the revolution will be heavily dependent on the web to spread the truth when the shit hits the fan

[Cowlesy]

this is a VERY scary power for him to have

the revolution will be heavily dependent on the web to spread the truth when the shit hits the fan

"Yep, we know. We are pre-empting that." - FedGov

[awake]

They long for the China model.

[FrankRep]

They long for the China model.

You nailed it.



Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-Independent senator from Connecticut, told CNN's State of the Union program June 20 that the United States government needs to follow the lead of internet censor Communist China on information technology security. by Thomas R. Eddlem


Joe Lieberman: Follow China's Lead on Internet (http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/politics/3855-joe-lieberman-follow-chinas-lead-on-internet)


Thomas R. Eddlem | The New American (http://www.thenewamerican.com/)
Wednesday, 23 June 2010


Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-Independent Senator from Connecticut, told (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1006/20/sotu.01.html) CNN's State of the Union program June 20 that the United States government needs to follow the lead of Internet censor Communist China on information technology security. “Right now, China, the government, can disconnect parts of its Internet in a case of war,” Lieberman told CNN's Candy Crowley. “We need to have that here, too.”

YouTube - Joe Lieberman tells Web users to relax about Internet Kill Switch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1caZvxMUWk)

Crowley asked Lieberman about his bill (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s3480is.txt.pdf), “Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010,” and whether it involves a Presidential “kill-switch bill” for the Internet. Lieberman's full response was as follows:



No way, and total misinformation. I don't know whether people are intentionally pedaling misinformation. Here is the fact. Cyber-war is going on in some sense right now. Our civilian infrastructure, the Internet that runs the electric grid, the telecommunications grid, transportation, all the rest is constantly being probed by nation states, by some terrorist groups, by organized criminal gangs.

And we need this capacity in a time of war. We need the capacity for the president to say, Internet service provider, we've got to disconnect the American Internet from all traffic coming in from another foreign country, or we've got to put a patch on this part of it.

The president will never take over — the government should never take over the Internet. Listen, we've consulted, Senator Collins and I, who are proposing this bill, with civil liberties and privacy experts. This is a matter of national security. A cyber attack on America can do as much or more damage today by incapacitating our banks, our communications, our finance, our transportation, as a conventional war attack.

And the president, in catastrophic cases — not going to do it every day, not going to take it over. So I say to my friends on the Internet, relax... (LAUGHTER) take a look at the bill. And this is something that we need to protect our country. Right now, China, the government, can disconnect parts of its Internet in a case of war. We need to have that here, too. [Emphasis added.]


The bill has garnered increased attention as Lieberman's bill would increase federal government control over the Internet. Indeed, despite the fact that Lieberman claimed that the bill involved a presidential "kill switch" was "total misinformation," by the end of his response alarm bells were ringing in the minds of alert citizens and civil libertarians that this was nothing like misinformation. The New American's Michael Tennant reported (http://thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/congress/3776-senate-considers-making-the-president-king-of-cyberspace) June 14 that “even if a cyber emergency is never declared, PCNAA still provides for a vast increase in the federal government’s control over cyberspace.”

Moreover, the Federal Communications Commission voted (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/199138/fcc_takes_first_step_toward_regulating_broadband.h tml) 3-2 on June 17 to hold hearings to reclassify Internet broadband service as a telecommunications service. Up until now, Internet service alone — as opposed to cellphone service — has been designated as an information service and largely beyond the FCC's regulatory reach. (For more information on this FCC vote, see The New American's Dennis Behreandt explain it (http://thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/computers/3818-fcc-moves-to-regulate-the-internet) in greater detail here.)

Hat tip for this story: Lew Rockwell's invaluable blog (http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/)


SOURCE:
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/politics/3855-joe-lieberman-follow-chinas-lead-on-internet

[Live_Free_Or_Die]

I have complete faith in the FEC. The agency has been created and regulated by the best representation free people can elect. They know what they are doing.

[tangent4ronpaul]

I'm getting really tired of this asshole Lieberman. We need to get rid of him. He's currently 68yo, so probably going to run again. Next election is 2012.

Do we have a candidate to run against him? How about a national level effort - on the level of a presidential campaign or Rands senate run to give they guy the boot! Robo-calls, bringing in people to door knock, nationwide donations for TV, radio and fliers, etc.

There isn't a piece of police state legislation this asshole hasn't liked, and probably wrote!

:mad:

-t

[HOLLYWOOD]

AND... a slew of Pandering letters to the Fascists from high tech companies that want those future contracts to put kill switches in across the nation... of course at our expense.


Example EMC Corp.

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee332/McLieberman/EMC2_endorses_Cybercontrol.png

[TNforPaul45]

Well, it's time again to contact our senators. Republicans could be the heros of the nation if they towed the line on this one. Quick question, can they filibuster this without counting on Senator Joe "Palpatine" Lieberman? And unfortunately Scott Brown seems awfully chummy with Darth Lieberman, almost like he's a young Anakin Skywalker.

http://newsburglar.com/images/LiebermanPalpatine.jpg

http://commentsfromleftfield.com/uploaded_images/palpatine_lieberman-768485.jpg

hmm....



Soon I will have a new apprentice. One much younger...and far more powerful. . .

[2young2vote]

What the heck is wrong with the internet now? There is basically no regulation and a majority of people never have any kind of problem with hackers or major viruses. This is seriously scary stuff. The one free medium of entertainment and information and they want to regulate in case of an "emergency". What kind of emergency would need a shutdown of websites?

[James Madison]

This is terrible. Barry is moving to prevent any alternative candidates from having a shot against the establishment boys in future elections.

[jbrace]

Isn't this bill in direct violation of Amendment one of the constitution?

What about the ramification if the internet were shut down for a period of time to companies, such as, Ebay, Amazon, Netflix etc..

[James Madison]

Isn't this bill in direct violation of Amendment one of the constitution?

What about the ramification if the internet were shut down for a period of time to companies, such as, Ebay, Amazon, Netflix etc..

It will be selectively enforced.

[free1]

Government always expands its power.
And people never understand that.

Fools.

[tpreitzel]

PC World is talking about it.

Senate Panel Approves Controversial Cybersecurity Bill (http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/199825/senate_panel_approves_controversial_cybersecurity_ bill.html)

PC World - June 24
The bill, introduced earlier this month, would establish a White House Office for Cyberspace Policy and a National Center for Cybersecurity and Communications, which would work with private U.S. companies to create cybersecurity requirements for the electrical grid, telecommunications networks and other critical infrastructure.

As I've repeatedly said in the past, optical links are the ONLY way to go despite their inconvenience of requiring LOS for local networks. True, non-local networks pose more of a problem, but communicating locally can be accomplished very securely without the need for ANY approval from the FCC. Did most of you honestly think the government would leave the internet alone? HaHa

Do any of you want to make some honest money? Mass produce the RONJA system at an affordable price and update the system with modern components. Develop the capability for networking these systems together locally. Also, one can use interface these optical systems to bi-quad dish antennas on WIFI networks. An interesting experiment would include utilizing these technologies, i.e. RONJA and bi-quad WIFI, in some sort of "WAN". For the latter to work over larger areas, bi-quad dish antennas need the capability of operating up to 10+ miles.

[GunnyFreedom]

ham-band networking. just sayin'

you could actually use that visual LOS base for local nodes, and hamband to interconnect those nodes, based on a DARPANET/USENET structure and end up with a dam near bulletproof underground internet.

[Ricky201]

I think it's time to protest this like the world is about to end. This has to be the biggest blow to the liberty movement this year.

[Mach]

Joseph Lieberman.... Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

[GunnyFreedom]

I think it's time to protest this like the world is about to end. This has to be the biggest blow to the liberty movement this year.

Things are gonna get a lot darker before the dawn. :( We WILL win this thing if we don't slide back into apathy :ahem: (I'm looking at YOU, liberty movement) but 5x as many people need to become outraged from current standings. And they will whether we stay active or not. Whether we stay active or not will determine whether there is a viable alternative when that rage boils over, or whether they opt for totalitarianism of the worst kind as 'the only option.'

[FrankRep]

Bump, it's important.

[michaelwise]

Go ahead BO, shut the Internet down. Make my day. Then watch the value of these companies immediately go to ZERO. Google zero, Amazon zero, Microsoft zero, Apple zero, Ebay zero, Cisco zero, etc zero. Make my day BO.

[ProBlue33]

I hate to say it but it's already started, they just shut some sites down yesterday.

When you go to them this is what comes up

http://www.movies-links.tv/SiteSeizedNOTICE.JPG

[tpreitzel]

I hate to say it but it's already started, they just shut some sites down yesterday.

When you go to them this is what comes up

http://www.movies-links.tv/SiteSeizedNOTICE.JPG

Copyrights, eh? Nothing like paying off the government to allow one to sit on their arse for 100 years based on past production while seeking protection at the expense of taxpayers funding the judicial system for that 100 years. ;) Personally, after 10 years of taxpayer-funded support of the judicial system, copyrights should be deemed purchased and transferred to the public domain as the taxpayers own them.

[GunnyFreedom]

I hate to say it but it's already started, they just shut some sites down yesterday.

When you go to them this is what comes up

http://www.movies-links.tv/SiteSeizedNOTICE.JPG

OK, i don't mind sharing this, but what sort of sites are being shut down?

[ProBlue33]

These sites are sort of a google connection for movies both current and old. They don't actually host the vids but act as a hub and direction finder for where you can find them. For example the A-team is in theaters still, and these sites direct you to various links for that movie, not all work even, but some always do.

Anyways they said it's pirating, actually it isn't because they host no vids it's the other sites that are doing the actually pirating. It not HD either it's like 480 on a small screen with poor sound. If that is a threat to Hollywood movies, then something is seriously wrong. But it has no effect on movies that people want to experience rather that just see, like Avatar.

[catdd]

And guess what; we will ALWAYS be in a state of emergency with this administration in power.
I'm telling you, these liberals are going to transform this country into something we won't even recognize during an ongoing state of emergency.