So I guess that some of us who asserted that the BushCo was a 3rd rate dictatorship in the making were just really paranoid left wing loons...well, maybe not; as John Yoo's Authority for Use of Military Force To Combat Terrorist Activities Within the United States makes a bit clearer. (pdf) This thing is a mess, but I'll try to cover at least some of the ground and save you 37 pages of mind numbing cites, redefinitions, and historical revisionism.
They state that the Posse Commitatus Act does not apply because 9/11 changed everything by making internal terrorists a military conflict as opposed to a law enforcement matter. In the same vein it is asserted that the 4th Amendment was inappropriate because of circumstance as well as the military nature of using the military; and further that fruits of such action would be legally admissible as law enforcement. (hmm) Finally they asserted that the 1st Amendment in regard to speech and press was disposable as a function of government necessity in such warfare. Suspension of Habeas Corpus is entirely within the scope of such actions, again at the convenience of the government. The memo assures the reader that the Courts would recognize the natural limits that the President or his agents would hold themselves to and not be troubled by these assertions.
I don't think anyone has argued that the government has no right to defend itself from armed or otherwise forceful attack. In the face of Iranian landing forces sweeping across Atlantic Beach I'm pretty sure military units being deployed would meet Constitutional muster as well as Statutory muster. This memo isn't aimed at such a scenario, it is aimed at 'secret' sorts of activity, the kind of thing that we actually understand to be law enforcement based business. No discussion of the 4th Amendment would be necessary in the event of a terrorist take over of a building or facility, nor would the request by local officials for federal assistance in such an event require the cover of such a memo. Nor would infringements of the 1st Amendment be in question.
If you don't want to go to the trouble of reading the thing most of the cites cover either foreign war or insurrection (particularly the Civil War) and touch on such ongoing conflicts as the American Indian Wars. Yes, the Indian Wars, a situation one would find fraught with legal difficulties to present as a basis for Constitutional behavior and rule of law. I will not even think about presenting the incidents of atrocities and abhorrent behaviors included in such a cover. The other cover used is such ongoing disturbances as the Detroit riots or the Civil Rights backlash disturbances and use of troops to enforce, in their face, law and Court orders.
The especially nasty part of the reasoning used is that outright and obvious war and insurrection are used as justification for military use against targets not in such a condition. Because September 11th happened we are to trust the President and his designees to determine that acts not obviously involving warfare are within his power to call warfare. Understand that a part of this memo is directly related to the inability of an oil company to recoup damages incurred in the Phillipines in WWII, thus the very real spectre of a full fledged military assault and attendant damage is envisioned on private property and with considerable loss.
The memo asserts that the President and designees have the Executive power to declare that a terrorist condition exists, he will determine the facts and actions and the Courts can butt out. The FISA Court is invoked as an authority and then dismissed within a few sentences as immaterial to the discussion of the granting of authority. Please keep in mind in this framework that this President had also assumed the authority to designate American citizens as foreign combatants.
If you were to mix up the order of presentation a bit, and law does do that, you would find that exercise of the 1st Amendment in a manner that the President was willing to call imminent terrorism or active support of it would be sufficient to provoke an air strike on the NY Times leaving the remnants no legal recourse under the 1st, 4th, or 5th. I would suppose that something like an ad referring to Gen Betrayus might qualify taking this out a ways into the weeds, but...
I'll leave it to Constitutional and Legal scholars to dissect this thing but it clearly bears no resemblance to the understanding that more than a handful of Americans have of their relationship with their President. Pardon me if I find it a bit odd that this thing wasn't disavowed until very shortly before the end of BushCo.
Sure, I just bet I want to talk about Truth and Reconciliation Commissions...how about fluorescent jumpsuits and irons?
Yes this is filed under 'Treason', what the hell would you expect?
A Related Newsweek Article
Showing posts with label Treason. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Treason. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Vindicate My Faith
John McCain doesn't like the expression Obama used regarding Iowa in the Primaries and used on several occassions, since. He stated that he's never needed that. Never. That's a rather large chunk to take in on one statement. This is a nation that counted slaves as 3/5ths a person in its Constitution, this is a nation that practiced Jim Crow, this is a nation that abrogated one treaty after another with American Indians and practiced not only physical but sprititual genocide on them, this nation imprisoned most of the Japanese American population on the West Coast, this nation fought a Civil War essentially over the issue of Slavery, this nation allowed blacks to go untreated for syphillis as an experiment, subjected US soldiers to radiation from atomic bombs as an experiment, this nation had states with the Confederate flag as a State flag, which J McM approved of when politically expedient, this nation treats gays as second class citizens, the federal government has tortured people in out custody, John McCain bombed on behalf of one of the most despicable despots in our association, under his watch the POW/MIA issue was never resolved, under his watch a very nearly historical redistribution of wealth up resulting in nearly historical disparity of wealth occured.
I can think of a few times, evidently, that this nation has not lived up to its ideals nor its promise. Under the McCain model demonstrated here you are either for the government or a traitor. Whateve John might get up to, if you oppose him as President you are questionable, he's not. I'll be damned if I want to live in his version of the USA, and I won't goddam move to avoid it. You have absolutely got to understand the jingoistic nature of this rhetoric. It plays to the uninformed in McCain/Palin rallies and plays on Faux News and the right wing blogosphere. It is corrosive in the extreme, it actually means the death of liberty. The liberty the Republicans so fondly reference is one of the first casualties of their jingoism.
This is not some slip of the tongue, accidental tie in made by a lefty blogger - it is endemic to that Party. GWB and Cheney used it. Sarah Palin is so completely into that bag that despite having some kind of journalism degree (majoring in teleprompter?) she had this to say about the media and the 1st Amendment:
If I call her a mean mouthed ignorant hick as I advocate her poltical extinction I am not being particularly responsible, but I am indulging in my First Amendment rights. Now I am completely unclear how it is that she mentally redefines her statements about Obama as something other than negatice or how the media is supposed to call it something else. Obama has certainly run attacks on McCain, linking him to Pres GWB in this climate isn't a compliment.
The media is traitor for not redefining Palin's campaign, the Obamas are traitors for not thinking everything has always been just ducky in the US. I take the Bill of Rights pretty seriously, evidently more so than these Faux patriots. These are the people who reinforce my belief in the importance of the Second Amendment. This is where tyrrany comes from my lefty friends.
I can think of a few times, evidently, that this nation has not lived up to its ideals nor its promise. Under the McCain model demonstrated here you are either for the government or a traitor. Whateve John might get up to, if you oppose him as President you are questionable, he's not. I'll be damned if I want to live in his version of the USA, and I won't goddam move to avoid it. You have absolutely got to understand the jingoistic nature of this rhetoric. It plays to the uninformed in McCain/Palin rallies and plays on Faux News and the right wing blogosphere. It is corrosive in the extreme, it actually means the death of liberty. The liberty the Republicans so fondly reference is one of the first casualties of their jingoism.
This is not some slip of the tongue, accidental tie in made by a lefty blogger - it is endemic to that Party. GWB and Cheney used it. Sarah Palin is so completely into that bag that despite having some kind of journalism degree (majoring in teleprompter?) she had this to say about the media and the 1st Amendment:
"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."
If I call her a mean mouthed ignorant hick as I advocate her poltical extinction I am not being particularly responsible, but I am indulging in my First Amendment rights. Now I am completely unclear how it is that she mentally redefines her statements about Obama as something other than negatice or how the media is supposed to call it something else. Obama has certainly run attacks on McCain, linking him to Pres GWB in this climate isn't a compliment.
The media is traitor for not redefining Palin's campaign, the Obamas are traitors for not thinking everything has always been just ducky in the US. I take the Bill of Rights pretty seriously, evidently more so than these Faux patriots. These are the people who reinforce my belief in the importance of the Second Amendment. This is where tyrrany comes from my lefty friends.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
The Shrill Right
I don't know if anybody has noticed that the level of shrillness from the right has risen considerably of late. I'm not referring to the run of the mill expected exaggeration of the Hannities and Limbaughs or silliness of the Gibsons and "O'Reallys" I mean the out and out squalling that's been going on. Words like "phony soldiers," "traitorous speech," "disgusting ads," "strangling" critics, it's gotten pretty deep. Maybe you've noticed a pattern, or cycle (assuming the whole thing doesn't make you too disgusted to remember).
Here's what I've picked up on, when it looks as though there is a challenge to "Republican" dominance or they're in trouble the nutcase rhetoric begins and escalates. As Bill Clinton improved in the polls and had successes in policy the rhetoric amped up, it went from annoying investigations to allegations of murder, drug dealing, and finally impeachment. This isn't to say that Bill didn't offer up some pretty attractive bait, but it sure got hot for awhile. When McCain threatened the BushCo primary, out came the nasty allegations, Max Cleland found out that an amputee vet was fodder for nastiness, John Kerry got "swiftboated," as terrorist alerts accelerated and any criticism of it was either weakness inviting an attack or out and out treasonous aid and comfort to the enemy. By 06 when polling showed Democratic resurgence the gloves came off and the rhetoric went nuts. Hannity and Limbaugh made Michael Moore sound downright conventional (and that my lefty friends is a stretch).
What I'm getting at is that under threat the Republicans get awfully nasty and their surrogates get downright lunatic with hate and fear. Blogs that were pretty centrist drift right and manage to persuade themselves that they are still centered - since the loony right has gone off the deep end. As their policies fail and even the complicit media can't hide the failures they are driven farther and farther from reason. When a moderate Republican blogger takes time to discuss with an anonymous loon the idea that criticism of a military commander or the behavior of troops or their mission is actual treason and then partially agree, the "center" has lost its way.
Treason is a serious charge, it involves either giving to the enemy such things as intelligence (ie troop movements or logistics or technology); or providing food, shelter, or security to them. It in no way involves the exercise of speech to criticize the mission (as demoralizing as that might possibly be) or to criticize the abilities or honorableness of conduct of their superiors, it does not even include calling troops names (as stupidly rude and obnoxious conduct as that is). You have the right to be stupid in public, you have the right to be obnoxious in public, you have the right to make a fool of yourself in public (lacking these rights the Republicans would be in jail). You also have the right to be exactly right and loudly so.
The fringe elements of the Republican Party have taken it off a cliff, that is unfortunate. What is truly unfortunate is when the responsible elements of the Party follow them over. Nobody ever forgets being called a traitor. Not ever. Those who "inadvertently" participated are not forgotten. They are remembered, they are discounted, they have ceased to be fellow citizens by placing that between us. They have established that I am not a citizen of "their" country and quite frankly - I don't wish to be. Their difficulty is that it's not "their" country. The day it is "their" country is the day I take out the weapons and make them prove it. There. The gauntlet is thrown down, you can pick it up or back up and go away.
Here's what I've picked up on, when it looks as though there is a challenge to "Republican" dominance or they're in trouble the nutcase rhetoric begins and escalates. As Bill Clinton improved in the polls and had successes in policy the rhetoric amped up, it went from annoying investigations to allegations of murder, drug dealing, and finally impeachment. This isn't to say that Bill didn't offer up some pretty attractive bait, but it sure got hot for awhile. When McCain threatened the BushCo primary, out came the nasty allegations, Max Cleland found out that an amputee vet was fodder for nastiness, John Kerry got "swiftboated," as terrorist alerts accelerated and any criticism of it was either weakness inviting an attack or out and out treasonous aid and comfort to the enemy. By 06 when polling showed Democratic resurgence the gloves came off and the rhetoric went nuts. Hannity and Limbaugh made Michael Moore sound downright conventional (and that my lefty friends is a stretch).
What I'm getting at is that under threat the Republicans get awfully nasty and their surrogates get downright lunatic with hate and fear. Blogs that were pretty centrist drift right and manage to persuade themselves that they are still centered - since the loony right has gone off the deep end. As their policies fail and even the complicit media can't hide the failures they are driven farther and farther from reason. When a moderate Republican blogger takes time to discuss with an anonymous loon the idea that criticism of a military commander or the behavior of troops or their mission is actual treason and then partially agree, the "center" has lost its way.
Treason is a serious charge, it involves either giving to the enemy such things as intelligence (ie troop movements or logistics or technology); or providing food, shelter, or security to them. It in no way involves the exercise of speech to criticize the mission (as demoralizing as that might possibly be) or to criticize the abilities or honorableness of conduct of their superiors, it does not even include calling troops names (as stupidly rude and obnoxious conduct as that is). You have the right to be stupid in public, you have the right to be obnoxious in public, you have the right to make a fool of yourself in public (lacking these rights the Republicans would be in jail). You also have the right to be exactly right and loudly so.
The fringe elements of the Republican Party have taken it off a cliff, that is unfortunate. What is truly unfortunate is when the responsible elements of the Party follow them over. Nobody ever forgets being called a traitor. Not ever. Those who "inadvertently" participated are not forgotten. They are remembered, they are discounted, they have ceased to be fellow citizens by placing that between us. They have established that I am not a citizen of "their" country and quite frankly - I don't wish to be. Their difficulty is that it's not "their" country. The day it is "their" country is the day I take out the weapons and make them prove it. There. The gauntlet is thrown down, you can pick it up or back up and go away.
Monday, March 26, 2007
They Gave Assurances
Sen John Sununu (R-NH) said,
“They gave us assurances that when we raised concerns about civil liberties that they have strong procedures and checks in place for issuing national security letters, and all of those assurances have proven to be unfounded,” about bills he strongly supported, Patriot Act and Military Commissions Act. Does anybody other than me see a problem with this statement?
Who the hell are "They"? The Constitution is clear you dimwitted Republican thug, it's not your damn business to get assurances from anybody about our civil liberties. You DO NOT give them to us, we have them despite your ilk. You jump around and squeal about how the terrorists are going to kill us while you strangle our democracy, you cowardly lying BushCo shill and then have the nerve to say, "well they said they wouldn't." You are more dangerous than all the Bin Ladins in the world.
Maybe in your fear induced state of coma you can't realize just how close to the dictatorial rule of personality you've pushed this country. Yes John Sununu, YOU. In your comatose state you neglected one of the basics of power politics, all power seeks power and the grant of power assures it will be used. Every school yard bully knows this one and a US Senator doesn't?
Harsh language? I'll tell you what's harsh, torture, disappearances, renditions, no day in court, secret testimony, governmental burglary and eavesdropping, domestic spying, letters of marque for federal police. Let me be plain and clear, once you've removed the barriers and people can no longer trust having their day in a fair court, why should they allow you to take them alive? What possible reason is there to not have it out, then and there, before the manacles go on? The law enforcement officer who comes has the misfortune to represent a criminal lawless enterprise stripped of all pretence to any more than physical force, he is therefore, a criminal. You and your pals are stupid thugs if you can't realize that outcome and think you get away with it.
I think my head's going to explode. I cannot fathom the depths of that kind of stupidity, "they gave assurances," for pete's sake, 'oooh, I was concerned about civil liberties...' If you're concerned then the answer is no, don't do that. How simple is that? No. But oh boy, you had control of Congress, the Executive, and a big chunk of the Judicial branches so you just thought, what?? That your kind of people were soooo good nothing could go wrong? That's what that "assurances" bull hockey is about, you do understand that my fine readers, denizens of the great unwashed, the good people in the Republican eternal majority will look out for your best interests because they're sooo special and sooo nice. Much too nice to take bribes, sell influence, try to bugger kids, or stomp on your freedom. Oh no, they wouldn't hide you from lawyers, deny you a hearing, torture you (unless your name happened to be Padilla), they certainly wouldn't burgle a Portland Oregon lawyer's home and hold him with NO evidence, no, nothing can go wrong.
Every Congressman that voted for those pieces of garbage needs to go in 08, Republicans and Democrats. The operative word is treason. Every member of this Congress that does not take a hand in cleaning this mess up needs to go. No ifs, no buts, do it or get the heck out. Any District that returns them deserves the iron boot on their neck that these weasels perpetrated on this country. Barring that, it falls on the responsible citizenry to demand redress of these grievances and a document signed in 1776 states clearly to what lengths that demand can be taken.
F*** you John Sununu and your assurances. Oh, same to you DOJ, FBI, NSA, and BushCo.
“They gave us assurances that when we raised concerns about civil liberties that they have strong procedures and checks in place for issuing national security letters, and all of those assurances have proven to be unfounded,” about bills he strongly supported, Patriot Act and Military Commissions Act. Does anybody other than me see a problem with this statement?
Who the hell are "They"? The Constitution is clear you dimwitted Republican thug, it's not your damn business to get assurances from anybody about our civil liberties. You DO NOT give them to us, we have them despite your ilk. You jump around and squeal about how the terrorists are going to kill us while you strangle our democracy, you cowardly lying BushCo shill and then have the nerve to say, "well they said they wouldn't." You are more dangerous than all the Bin Ladins in the world.
Maybe in your fear induced state of coma you can't realize just how close to the dictatorial rule of personality you've pushed this country. Yes John Sununu, YOU. In your comatose state you neglected one of the basics of power politics, all power seeks power and the grant of power assures it will be used. Every school yard bully knows this one and a US Senator doesn't?
Harsh language? I'll tell you what's harsh, torture, disappearances, renditions, no day in court, secret testimony, governmental burglary and eavesdropping, domestic spying, letters of marque for federal police. Let me be plain and clear, once you've removed the barriers and people can no longer trust having their day in a fair court, why should they allow you to take them alive? What possible reason is there to not have it out, then and there, before the manacles go on? The law enforcement officer who comes has the misfortune to represent a criminal lawless enterprise stripped of all pretence to any more than physical force, he is therefore, a criminal. You and your pals are stupid thugs if you can't realize that outcome and think you get away with it.
I think my head's going to explode. I cannot fathom the depths of that kind of stupidity, "they gave assurances," for pete's sake, 'oooh, I was concerned about civil liberties...' If you're concerned then the answer is no, don't do that. How simple is that? No. But oh boy, you had control of Congress, the Executive, and a big chunk of the Judicial branches so you just thought, what?? That your kind of people were soooo good nothing could go wrong? That's what that "assurances" bull hockey is about, you do understand that my fine readers, denizens of the great unwashed, the good people in the Republican eternal majority will look out for your best interests because they're sooo special and sooo nice. Much too nice to take bribes, sell influence, try to bugger kids, or stomp on your freedom. Oh no, they wouldn't hide you from lawyers, deny you a hearing, torture you (unless your name happened to be Padilla), they certainly wouldn't burgle a Portland Oregon lawyer's home and hold him with NO evidence, no, nothing can go wrong.
Every Congressman that voted for those pieces of garbage needs to go in 08, Republicans and Democrats. The operative word is treason. Every member of this Congress that does not take a hand in cleaning this mess up needs to go. No ifs, no buts, do it or get the heck out. Any District that returns them deserves the iron boot on their neck that these weasels perpetrated on this country. Barring that, it falls on the responsible citizenry to demand redress of these grievances and a document signed in 1776 states clearly to what lengths that demand can be taken.
F*** you John Sununu and your assurances. Oh, same to you DOJ, FBI, NSA, and BushCo.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Take Your Allies Where You Find Them, AFA
Awhile back I posted about the formation of the American Freedom Agenda and said that I would find out what I could. You will find the AFA website here . Do not think that Barr, Keene, or Viguerie have changed their political stripes, they are Conservatives. Yes, with a capital 'C.' On social and economic issues our paths may coincide infrequently, our ideas about the role of government in those arenas is quite different, but here we are in complete agreement. I am going to directly copy and paste their 10 point agenda, so there is no mistaking my words or wishes with theirs :
Prohibit military commissions whose verdicts are suspect except in places of active hostilities where a battlefield tribunal is necessary to obtain fresh testimony or to prevent anarchy;
Prohibit the use of secret evidence or evidence obtained by torture or coercion in military or civilian tribunals;
Prohibit the detention of American citizens as unlawful enemy combatants without proof of criminal activity on the President’s say-so;
Restore habeas corpus for alleged alien enemy combatants, i.e., non-citizens who have allegedly participated in active hostilities against the United States, to protect the innocent;
Prohibit the National Security Agency from intercepting phone conversations or emails or breaking and entering homes on the President’s say-so in violation of federal law;
Empower the House of Representatives and the Senate collectively to challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of signing statements that declare the intent of the President to disregard duly enacted provisions of bills he has signed into law because he maintains they are unconstitutional;
Prohibit the executive from invoking the state secrets privilege to deny justice to victims of constitutional violations perpetrated by government officers or agents; and, establish legislative-executive committees in the House and Senate to adjudicate the withholding of information from Congress based on executive privilege that obstructs oversight and government in the sunshine;
Prohibit the President from kidnapping, detaining, and torturing persons abroad in collaboration with foreign governments;
Amend the Espionage Act to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution; and;
Prohibit the listing of individuals or organizations with a presence in the United States as global terrorists or global terrorist organizations based on secret evidence.
Since their roll-out was March 20th the website is a little bare yet, but you should see it for yourself to ensure you know what I'm talking about. I am under no illusions about the differences in our Party affiliations, I also am under no illusions as to whether these matters supersede those affiliations. What is at stake is so basic to the structure of the US that our disagreements amount to small change. There is absolutely no point in trying to advance Democratic agenda absent our basic structure of government and law. That amounts to no more than spitting into the wind. The DOJ fight marks a beginning of Congressional interest in this, but is not any more than a first baby step.
The AFA has a Freedom Pledge for candidates, which is at least something. I am interested, but only in concrete pressure our public representatives to redress these grievances. Posturing bores me, quite plainly there is an ass kicking over due and it needs to be an enthusiastic one. This stance will put more stress on the politics of Republicans than Democrats for the obvious reason that Democrats didn't instigate this mess, though the amount of their kicking and screaming about it left quite a bit to be desired.
A little over 200 hundred years ago the instigators of this Constitutional mess would have been taken out and hanged for trying it. Today generating something close to discontent is difficult. It takes no more than the latest details of the affairs of a deceased blond to distract our attention. I will point out that in the face of all the BushCo crap, a NY Democratic Representative has the temerity to bring forward an assault weapons ban just to add to the insult and injury inflicted by the Republicans. Sometimes I really wonder just exactly how such stupid and asinine people manage to get themselves elected and if we really do deserve the kind of government the Framers put together.
Eight years ago I'd have fallen out laughing my butt off if somebody had suggested to me that Bob Barr could be an ally. I ain't laughing, I ain't smiling, I'm flat out pissed off and I'll take his hand, gladly. If you can't, maybe you'd better think over what kind of country you want to live in.
Prohibit military commissions whose verdicts are suspect except in places of active hostilities where a battlefield tribunal is necessary to obtain fresh testimony or to prevent anarchy;
Prohibit the use of secret evidence or evidence obtained by torture or coercion in military or civilian tribunals;
Prohibit the detention of American citizens as unlawful enemy combatants without proof of criminal activity on the President’s say-so;
Restore habeas corpus for alleged alien enemy combatants, i.e., non-citizens who have allegedly participated in active hostilities against the United States, to protect the innocent;
Prohibit the National Security Agency from intercepting phone conversations or emails or breaking and entering homes on the President’s say-so in violation of federal law;
Empower the House of Representatives and the Senate collectively to challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of signing statements that declare the intent of the President to disregard duly enacted provisions of bills he has signed into law because he maintains they are unconstitutional;
Prohibit the executive from invoking the state secrets privilege to deny justice to victims of constitutional violations perpetrated by government officers or agents; and, establish legislative-executive committees in the House and Senate to adjudicate the withholding of information from Congress based on executive privilege that obstructs oversight and government in the sunshine;
Prohibit the President from kidnapping, detaining, and torturing persons abroad in collaboration with foreign governments;
Amend the Espionage Act to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution; and;
Prohibit the listing of individuals or organizations with a presence in the United States as global terrorists or global terrorist organizations based on secret evidence.
Since their roll-out was March 20th the website is a little bare yet, but you should see it for yourself to ensure you know what I'm talking about. I am under no illusions about the differences in our Party affiliations, I also am under no illusions as to whether these matters supersede those affiliations. What is at stake is so basic to the structure of the US that our disagreements amount to small change. There is absolutely no point in trying to advance Democratic agenda absent our basic structure of government and law. That amounts to no more than spitting into the wind. The DOJ fight marks a beginning of Congressional interest in this, but is not any more than a first baby step.
The AFA has a Freedom Pledge for candidates, which is at least something. I am interested, but only in concrete pressure our public representatives to redress these grievances. Posturing bores me, quite plainly there is an ass kicking over due and it needs to be an enthusiastic one. This stance will put more stress on the politics of Republicans than Democrats for the obvious reason that Democrats didn't instigate this mess, though the amount of their kicking and screaming about it left quite a bit to be desired.
A little over 200 hundred years ago the instigators of this Constitutional mess would have been taken out and hanged for trying it. Today generating something close to discontent is difficult. It takes no more than the latest details of the affairs of a deceased blond to distract our attention. I will point out that in the face of all the BushCo crap, a NY Democratic Representative has the temerity to bring forward an assault weapons ban just to add to the insult and injury inflicted by the Republicans. Sometimes I really wonder just exactly how such stupid and asinine people manage to get themselves elected and if we really do deserve the kind of government the Framers put together.
Eight years ago I'd have fallen out laughing my butt off if somebody had suggested to me that Bob Barr could be an ally. I ain't laughing, I ain't smiling, I'm flat out pissed off and I'll take his hand, gladly. If you can't, maybe you'd better think over what kind of country you want to live in.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Too Long A List
There is such a long list of the BushCo depredations of our system of government, the checks and balances and basic rights that sometimes stuff just slips our memory. There is so much wreckage to be cleaned up I doubt a dedicated Congress and willing Administration could manage it in a year doing nothing else.
The NYT Editorial Board would like to remind us of one that was slipped through in October '06, and slipped through is exactly the words. The defense budget bill contained a little provision that might be really scary to anybody paying attention. Posse Commitatus bars the military and National Guard from acting in a law enforcement capacity and the Insurrection Act of 1807 which allows and exemption in cases of lawlessness, insurrection and rebellion, where a state is violating federal law or depriving people of constitutional rights. The nasty little provision allows the President to "use military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack or to any “other condition.” The NYT thinks this needs a "public airing," I don't think any amount of airing is going to clear this smell.
I know that BushCo has killed irony and made satire pointless, but why exactly is he fighting a war in Iraq to spread democracy and fighting a war against it at home?
The NYT Editorial Board would like to remind us of one that was slipped through in October '06, and slipped through is exactly the words. The defense budget bill contained a little provision that might be really scary to anybody paying attention. Posse Commitatus bars the military and National Guard from acting in a law enforcement capacity and the Insurrection Act of 1807 which allows and exemption in cases of lawlessness, insurrection and rebellion, where a state is violating federal law or depriving people of constitutional rights. The nasty little provision allows the President to "use military troops as a domestic police force in response to a natural disaster, a disease outbreak, terrorist attack or to any “other condition.” The NYT thinks this needs a "public airing," I don't think any amount of airing is going to clear this smell.
I know that BushCo has killed irony and made satire pointless, but why exactly is he fighting a war in Iraq to spread democracy and fighting a war against it at home?
George Washington Commits Post-mortum Hari-Kari
In Japan at one time, a person who found themselves responsible for a catastrophic outcome through personal involvement removed the stain from the State and Religion by excising their gut. I prefer my apologies a little less dramatic, but this is the decade of HIGH DRAMA and screeching patriotism so I'm afraid George W had little choice. You see 230 or so years ago he set in motion the Iraq war and a very second GeorgeII. Yes an invoked spirit has little choice but to deal with the consequences. He has been invoked.
GeorgeII: "Today, we're fighting a new war to defend our liberty and our people and our way of life. And as we work to advance the cause of freedom around the world, we remember that the father of our country believed that the freedoms we secured in our revolution were not meant for Americans alone."
"I feel right at home here. After all, this is the home of the first George W. I thank President Washington for welcoming us today."
Now here's the really scary bit: "In the end, General Washington understood that the Revolutionary War was a test of wills, and his will was unbreakable. After winning the war, Washington did what victorious leaders rarely did at the time. He voluntarily gave up power."
Does he think we'll wait that long for him to leave? He actually invoked the Commander of the Revolutionary War, opened with the Declaration of Independence - the foundational document of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, as his predecessor in his war of profit and war on civil liberties - HIS AG stated that the Right of Habeas Corpus was not in the Constitution - he invoked a man who'd have had him shot as a traitor??? Now George W (I) has had to do the honorable thing.
My god it's true, the man has killed irony, satire is dead - you cannot make more fun of this than it makes of itself. Maybe I'll have to kill this Blog, what more can I say about anything?
GeorgeII: "Today, we're fighting a new war to defend our liberty and our people and our way of life. And as we work to advance the cause of freedom around the world, we remember that the father of our country believed that the freedoms we secured in our revolution were not meant for Americans alone."
"I feel right at home here. After all, this is the home of the first George W. I thank President Washington for welcoming us today."
Now here's the really scary bit: "In the end, General Washington understood that the Revolutionary War was a test of wills, and his will was unbreakable. After winning the war, Washington did what victorious leaders rarely did at the time. He voluntarily gave up power."
Does he think we'll wait that long for him to leave? He actually invoked the Commander of the Revolutionary War, opened with the Declaration of Independence - the foundational document of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, as his predecessor in his war of profit and war on civil liberties - HIS AG stated that the Right of Habeas Corpus was not in the Constitution - he invoked a man who'd have had him shot as a traitor??? Now George W (I) has had to do the honorable thing.
My god it's true, the man has killed irony, satire is dead - you cannot make more fun of this than it makes of itself. Maybe I'll have to kill this Blog, what more can I say about anything?
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Prosecutorial Bloodbath
Seven Federal Prosecutors have been fired/resigned before their terms expired over the last month. Talking Points Memo has several stories about this. Apparently some of these prosecutors have been investigating Congressional and White House corruption. These folks:
"
San Francisco - 1/16/07 - Kevin V. Ryan - unclear
Nevada - 1/15/07 - Daniel Bogden - pushed out
San Diego - 1/12/07 - Carole Lam - pushed out
New Mexico - 12/19/06 - David Igleslias - pushed out
Arizona - 12/19/06 - Paul K. Charlton - unclear
Seattle - 12/15/06 - John McKay - unclear; likely pushed out
Little Rock (Ark.) - 12/15/06 - Bud Cummins - pushed out "
*from TPMmuckraker
They are being replaced without Congressional approval through a section of the "Revised" Patriot Act. Some of us have been wasting good bytes complaining about this particular piece of treasonous crap. Isn't it just plain astonishing what you can manage with a lick-spittle Congress and a pants soiling frightened populous. Somebody should've thought of this idea before - oh, they did.
"
San Francisco - 1/16/07 - Kevin V. Ryan - unclear
Nevada - 1/15/07 - Daniel Bogden - pushed out
San Diego - 1/12/07 - Carole Lam - pushed out
New Mexico - 12/19/06 - David Igleslias - pushed out
Arizona - 12/19/06 - Paul K. Charlton - unclear
Seattle - 12/15/06 - John McKay - unclear; likely pushed out
Little Rock (Ark.) - 12/15/06 - Bud Cummins - pushed out "
*from TPMmuckraker
They are being replaced without Congressional approval through a section of the "Revised" Patriot Act. Some of us have been wasting good bytes complaining about this particular piece of treasonous crap. Isn't it just plain astonishing what you can manage with a lick-spittle Congress and a pants soiling frightened populous. Somebody should've thought of this idea before - oh, they did.
Friday, September 29, 2006
US Senate Traitors - Partial Listing
The Senate of the United States on Thursday September 28, 2006 committed an act of Treason against the Citizens of The United States of America. The offenders are:
The entire Republican Senate minus one,
Democrats in favor (12) – Carper (Del.), Johnson (S.D.), Landrieu (La.), Lautenberg (N.J.), Lieberman (Conn.), Menendez (N.J), Pryor (Ark.), Rockefeller (W. Va.), Salazar (Co.), Stabenow (Mich.), Nelson (Fla.), Nelson (Neb.)
Republicans against (1) – Chafee (R.I.).
Jeffords voted against.
If the list of 12 doesn't make you ill, you are not a Democrat, you are not a Patriot, leave your comment with a full name and address so the New Gestapo will leave you alone. "Oh liberal exaggeration," not on your life, read this piece of crap.
If you really do give a rat's patoot about your country, archive this list and work like a dog to get rid of these scumsuckers when their Primaries come up. As for the Republican delegation, I think you can figure that one out. There isn't a principled person in the bunch, if you want their ilk, just remember what they've got waiting for you if you ever turn against them.
Make noise, don't be polite, don't be circumspect, kick these bastards' asses. Make them pay in public. As for George II and his cronies, at some point they'll face the music. Other laws can be retroacted, their misdeeds can be accounted for. If you think the Supremes will deal with this, you've forgotten something, you have to have standing, and if you've got standing, you've been "disappeared." Auguste Pinoche would be proud. That's right, it didn't take the illegal immigration invasion to turn the US into a third world cesspit, all it took was a cowardly child oprivilegege and a bunch of terrorized pussy citizens with actual voting rights. That's right - pansy assed mewling puking cowardly...argh...my head's exploded...
Goddam I cannot understand you scared white lilly livered pukes, how the hell did you get like that? My great (x?) grandfather fought in the Revolution, my great great grandfather fought in the Civil War, my father fought in WWII, my friends fought in Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq and I've fought forest fires on a Hot Shot Crew, so I've had examples of how one faces danger and stays honorable. And so have you, but look how you voted, look how you've polled, look at this mess and tell me how you can look at yourselves. You believe this is for your security? You are an ass. You're much more likely to get hit by lightning and then win the lottery than to be directly harmed by "terrorists" other than the ones you've elected (whether with a vote or inaction). I feel like I've walked off the face of the earth into the Twilight Zone.
I'll bet President Clinton on Faux News seems calm now.
The entire Republican Senate minus one,
Democrats in favor (12) – Carper (Del.), Johnson (S.D.), Landrieu (La.), Lautenberg (N.J.), Lieberman (Conn.), Menendez (N.J), Pryor (Ark.), Rockefeller (W. Va.), Salazar (Co.), Stabenow (Mich.), Nelson (Fla.), Nelson (Neb.)
Republicans against (1) – Chafee (R.I.).
Jeffords voted against.
If the list of 12 doesn't make you ill, you are not a Democrat, you are not a Patriot, leave your comment with a full name and address so the New Gestapo will leave you alone. "Oh liberal exaggeration," not on your life, read this piece of crap.
If you really do give a rat's patoot about your country, archive this list and work like a dog to get rid of these scumsuckers when their Primaries come up. As for the Republican delegation, I think you can figure that one out. There isn't a principled person in the bunch, if you want their ilk, just remember what they've got waiting for you if you ever turn against them.
Make noise, don't be polite, don't be circumspect, kick these bastards' asses. Make them pay in public. As for George II and his cronies, at some point they'll face the music. Other laws can be retroacted, their misdeeds can be accounted for. If you think the Supremes will deal with this, you've forgotten something, you have to have standing, and if you've got standing, you've been "disappeared." Auguste Pinoche would be proud. That's right, it didn't take the illegal immigration invasion to turn the US into a third world cesspit, all it took was a cowardly child oprivilegege and a bunch of terrorized pussy citizens with actual voting rights. That's right - pansy assed mewling puking cowardly...argh...my head's exploded...
Goddam I cannot understand you scared white lilly livered pukes, how the hell did you get like that? My great (x?) grandfather fought in the Revolution, my great great grandfather fought in the Civil War, my father fought in WWII, my friends fought in Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq and I've fought forest fires on a Hot Shot Crew, so I've had examples of how one faces danger and stays honorable. And so have you, but look how you voted, look how you've polled, look at this mess and tell me how you can look at yourselves. You believe this is for your security? You are an ass. You're much more likely to get hit by lightning and then win the lottery than to be directly harmed by "terrorists" other than the ones you've elected (whether with a vote or inaction). I feel like I've walked off the face of the earth into the Twilight Zone.
I'll bet President Clinton on Faux News seems calm now.
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