I appreciate the information and the differences, but either are laughable if members of the press go through the CIA first to make sure they won't get in trouble for publishing something.

If an investigative journalist is having his house continually searched, phones bugged, friends and relatives watched, if he is being held and questioned as a 'terrorist' ?  In your reference it says something about "the majority cannot take away certain inalienable rights".  Like the bill of rights?  Isn't there something in there about freedom of the press?

I hope we aren't a democracy, I was taught we were a republic.

Democracy vs Republic

We are not a democracy. We are a republic :)

Today I googled democracy and saw a few articles in 'news' stating that the USA has been found not to be a democracy, but an oligarchy, we all knew it of course but now a study has concluded it.

You can read all about that here.

Democracy -  government by the people; especially :  rule of the majority.

Oligarchy - a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution.

A hearing is also being conducted on the NSA by the European parliament, which is available to watch at various places which I will link to.

It is very long but also extremely interesting, and while I didn't feel like spending so much time watching anything I couldn't pull myself away.

Here it is. 

There were MANY  scary and interesting points made but I found the statements of Jacob Appelbaum very worthwhile, so if you want to watch his much shorter interview from after the hearing you can click here.

For some people who did not have the pleasure (hah) of living in East Germany and or know not what Mr. Appelbaum refers to - he alludes to the Stasi.

He also uses the german word Zersetzung.

And for those living in the States, I will include this final dramatization.  

oooo... a couple... how cute