Since the passage of the Patriot Act in 2001, the United States Government (under both presidents Bush and Obama) has systematically increased its ability to engage in surveillance of American citizens without transparency, warrants, or any of the other systems of checks and balance normally present. This power was further enhanced by the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, which codifies the governments ability to detain individuals indefinitely without charges or trial.
The impact of these and similar laws was recently laid bare in the revelations that the National Security Administration has been recording information on the phone, email, and even Skype communications of millions of Americans. This must end. We call on the president to demand a repeal of these laws.