For The Record digs deeper into the NSA scandal and looks at the revolution underway in Egypt

August 23, 2013

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For The Record: Surveillance State Exposed and Egyptian Revolution is now available ON DEMAND. Not a subscriber? Start your 14-day free trial of TheBlaze TV HERE.

Tonight, For The Record revisited two of the most pertinent and under-reported stories in the news today: the NSA surveillance techniques and the revolution underway in Egypt. In March, For The Record exposed how the NSA has turned America into a Surveillance State. Now, new information reveals more truth about the government spying program. In May, For The Record took its cameras inside Egypt for an exclusive look at the Muslim Brotherhood’s persecution of Christians, and now with Mohamed Morsi out, For The Record returns to Egypt as a new revolution is underway.

Surveillance State Exposed

Earlier this year, For The Record spoke with whistleblowers from the National Security Agency who said that the NSA was violating the Constitution and spying on American citizens. Since that report aired, new leaks of classified information have seemingly confirmed that story.

With Edward Snowden's leaks now available for the world to see, NSA whistleblowers Thomas Drake and Kirk Wiebe had their worst fears realized - the U.S. government is collecting metadata on domestic phone calls, emails, and internet activity. Alex Abdo of the ACLU describes this metadata as so "valuable", "sensitive", and "invasive" the U.S. government feels it is absolutely imperative to collect and store.

New leaks of classified information have given Americans a glimpse inside their country's surveillance state, and just how pervasive it is. It's a system that has seemingly grown almost unchecked since the 9/11 attacks, and in the process won over support from many in power who once opposed it. Drake described the practices as a "cancer on the Constitution," and he and Wiebe both agree that we now know this behavior is not one-off but rather a "tipping point".

No one actually believes that the government is interested in reading every single email or listening to every single phone call, but Wiebe explained that we now know with certainty that the government has the ability to do so. Records are being collected on millions of Americans and the information is being processed and stored and can be sought at a moment's notice.

A recent Pew Research Study shows that Americans are now more concerned about threats on civil liberties than terrorist attacks. Abdo explained that there is an extremely fine line between "excessive secrecy" and "appropriate surveillance," and so far the government has failed to find that balance.

Egyptian Revolution

Five months ago, For The Record cameras went inside Egypt for an exclusive look at the persecution of Christians under Muslim Brotherhood rule. One of the people interviewed at the time predicted that Egypt would soon see another revolution. By all accounts, he was correct.

In late June For The Record went back inside the country, just as protestors were packing the streets and President Mohammed Morsi was removed from office. As Egypt has descended into chaos, Christians there have once again found themselves a target for extremists.

Throughout the country one question seems to linger on the minds of the Egyptian people: Why has America remained supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood? The Muslim Brotherhood, despite being thrown out of power with considerable support, still seems to control the narrative in western media outlets.

The story is ever-evolving and the up until this morning, the For The Record team was working tirelessly to find the most up-to-date information. With former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak now out of prison, TheBlaze's national security editor Buck Sexton told Laurie Dhue that he believes a return to a Mubarak-style regime is probable. There is, however, a very real possibility that the situation will devolve further - from the "bloody crackdown" we are currently witnessing to an all-out "insurgency."

For The Record: Surveillance State Exposed and Egyptian Revolution is now available ON DEMAND. Not a subscriber? Start your 14-day free trial of TheBlaze TV HERE.

THESE 6 institutions have reinstated COVID-era mask mandates

COVID is back! Or that is what we’re being told anyway...

A recent spike in COVID cases has triggered the left's alarm bells, and the following institutions have begun to reinstate COVID-era mandates. You might want to avoid them if you enjoy breathing freely...

Do YOU think institutions should bring back COVID-era mandates if cases increase? Let us know your thoughts HERE.

Morris Brown College

Both of Upstate Medical's hospitals in Syracuse, New York

Corey Henry / Senior Staff Photographer | The Daily Orange

Auburn Community Hospital, New York

Kevin Rivoli / The Citizen | Auburn Pub

Lionsgate Studio

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor | GETTY IMAGES

United Health Services in New York

Kaiser Permanente in California

Justin Sullivan / Staff | GETTY IMAGES

Get THE DOCUMENTS for the 'Parental Advisory' Glenn TV special

There was a time when both the Left and the Right agreed that parents have the final say in raising their children... Not anymore.

In the People's Republic of California, the STATE, not parents, will determine whether children should undergo transgender treatments. The California state legislature just passed a law that will require judges in child custody cases to consider whether parents support a child’s gender transition. According to the law, the state now thinks total affirmation is an integral part of a child’s “health, safety, and welfare.”

We are inching closer to a dystopia where the state, not the parents, have ultimate rights over their children, a history that people from former Soviet nations would feign repeating.

Glenn dove into the law AND MORE in this episode titled, "Parental Advisory: The EXPLICIT plot to control YOUR kids." To get all the research that went into this episode AND information on how YOU can fight back, enter your email address below:

If you didn't catch Wednesday night's Glenn TV special, be sure to check it out HERE!

The Biden admin has let in MORE illegal aliens than the populations of THESE 15 states

GUILLERMO ARIAS / Contributor | Getty Images

There are currently an estimated 16.8 MILLION illegal aliens residing in the United States as of June 2023, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). This number is already 1.3 million higher than FAIR's January 2022 estimate of 15.5 million and a 2.3 million increase from its end-of-2020 estimate. Even Democrats like New York City's Mayor Adams Mayor Adams are waking up to what Conservatives have been warning for years: we are in a border CRISIS.

However, this isn't the same border crisis that Republicans were warning about back in 2010. In the first two years of the Biden administration alone, the illegal alien population increased by 16 PERCENT nationwide, imposing a whopping net cost of $150.6 BILLION PER YEAR on American taxpayers. That is nearly DOUBLE the total amount that the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine.

This isn't the same border crisis that Republicans were warning about back in 2010.

These large numbers often make it difficult to conceptualize the sheer impact of illegal immigration on the United States. To put it in perspective, we have listed ALL 15 states and the District of Colombia that have smaller populations than the 2.3 MILLION illegal immigrants, who have entered the U.S. under the Biden administration. That is more than the entire populations of Wyoming, Vermont, and South Dakota COMBINED—and the American taxpayers have to pay the price.

Here are all 16 states/districts that have FEWER people than the illegal immigrants who have entered the U.S. under the Biden administration.

1. New Mexico

Population: 2,110,011

2. Idaho

Population: 1,973,752

3. Nebraska

Population: 1,972,292

4. West Virginia

Population: 1,764,786

5. Hawaii

Population: 1,433,238

6. New Hampshire

Population: 1,402,957

7. Maine

Population: 1,393,442

8. Montana

Population: 1,139,507

9. Rhode Island

Population: 1,090,483

10. Delaware

Population: 1,031,985

11. South Dakota

Population: 923,484

12. North Dakota

Population: 780,588

13. Alaska

Population: 732,984

14. Washington DC

Population: 674,815

15. Vermont

Population: 647,156

16. Wyoming

Population: 583,279

POLL: Should the Government control the future of AI?

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

Earlier this week, tech titans, lawmakers, and union leaders met on Capitol Hill to discuss the future of AI regulation. The three-hour meeting boasted an impressive roster of tech leaders including, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and others, along with more than 60 US Senators.

Tech Titans and Senators gathered in the Kennedy Caucus Room.The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The meeting was closed to the public, so what was exactly discussed is unknown. However, what we do know is that a majority of the CEOs support AI regulation, the most vocal of which is Elon Musk. During the meeting, Musk called AI "a double-edged sword" and strongly pushed for regulation in the interest of public safety.

A majority of the CEOs support AI regulation.

Many other related issues were discussed, including the disruption AI has caused to the job market. As Glenn has discussed on his program, the potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real, and many have already felt the effects. From taxi drivers to Hollywood actors and writers, AI's presence can be felt everywhere and lawmakers are unsure how to respond.

The potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real.

Ultimately, the meeting's conclusion was less than decisive, with several Senators making comments to the tune of "we need more time before we act." The White House is expected to release an executive order regarding AI regulation by the end of the year. But now it's YOUR turn to tell us what YOU think needs to be done!

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