Sen. Durbin can help stop the country from becoming a 'surveillance state'

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an alarming bill last week to allow the government to conscript Chicago businesses to spy on their customers, employees and everyone they communicate with, from relatives to journalists.

That sounds hyperbolic, but it’s not. The bill is every bit as bad as it sounds.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act already allows the government to compel communications companies like Google and Verizon to turn over information. This terrible bill would expand that to any service provider with access to equipment like routers, and let the government order them to help it monitor communications.

That means virtually any vendor who enters your home, or any business you visit, could be forced to become an involuntary government agent. That should chill you to the bone.

Congress masked the bill’s destructive impact by exempting hotels, coffee shops and a few other places. That’s cause for alarm, not relief. It admits that, without an exemption, they too could be commandeered by the FBI. Those not specifically exempted still can be.

But you may never know if they are. Under the bill, they’re gagged from telling anyone. Joseph Heller, meet Mr. Kafka.

It’s now up to the Senate to stop the U.S. from becoming an outright surveillance state. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., should lead the fight to save the First and Fourth Amendments.

Durbin wouldn’t be alone. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called the bill “one of the most dramatic and terrifying expansions of government surveillance authority in history.” Other lawmakers and privacy advocates call it “Patriot Act 2.0” and “Stasi-like.”

The government will not use new, unchecked surveillance powers responsibly. It will violate your rights. It already habitually abuses Section 702 — intended for surveillance of foreigners — to search Americans’ communications. Fred Hampton‘s home state should be particularly wary of handing the FBI new surveillance tools.

Durbin recognizes the problem. He co-sponsored legislation to amend Section 702 to end warrantless domestic spying. But the current bill omits his reforms while vastly expanding government surveillance. Under the old Section 702, ordinary Americans could be spied on. Under the new version, they could be forced to spy. Hard to believe, but true.

Durbin has also led efforts to stop surveillance of journalists, including cosponsoring the PRESS Act. But the FISA bill would codify countless new ways to spy on reporters.

The Senate must kill this unconstitutional legislation. Otherwise, say goodbye to your First and Fourth Amendment rights.

John Cusack, founding board member, and Seth Stern, director of advocacy, Freedom of the Press Foundation

Not everyone can afford to pay for higher education

I am writing in response to Sun-Times reader Richard J. White, who was fortunate enough to afford going to DePaul, a private university. I guess it has not occurred to Mr. White that not everyone is as privileged as he is and can afford to go to college.

With the rising cost of college education, many people are straddled with a huge debt once they graduate. Most European nations offer a free college education but with much stricter entrance requirements. Higher education should not be available only to those who can afford to pay.

Regina Gomory, Crystal Lake

‘Normal ‘Republican likes Trump? No thanks

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Bindy Bitterman, Uptown