Democracy Has Prevailed.

February 18, 2008

Good Luck Today

I wonder if we'll survive till dinner time.

For those of you who don't know, this will be the first weekday our great nation will be left unprotected by the now defunct "Protect America Act." Now, according to the great leader, "our country is in more danger of an attack" because the cowards in the House of Representatives didn't roll over and give him what he wanted. More from the AP:

"American citizens must understand, clearly understand that there's still a threat on the homeland. There's still an enemy which would like to do us harm," Bush said. "We've got to give our professionals the tools they need, to be able to figure out what the enemy is up to so we can stop it."

"By blocking this piece of legislation, our country is more in danger of an attack," he said.

Too bad Ronald Reagan's fav-rit newspaper, the Washington Times had this to say recently:

Many intelligence scholars and analysts outside the government say that today's expiration of certain temporary domestic wiretapping laws will have little effect on national security, despite warnings to the contrary by the White House and Capitol Hill Republican leaders.

With the Protect America Act expiring this weekend, domestic wiretapping rules will revert to the 30-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which requires the government to obtain a warrant from a special court to conduct foreign intelligence surveillance in the United States.

The original FISA law, these experts say, provides the necessary tools for the intelligence community to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists.

Indeed, this stuff was supposed to have been resolved a while back. Dubya even said so on October 27, 2001:

The bill I signed yesterday gives intelligence and law enforcement officials additional tools they need to hunt and capture and punish terrorists. Our enemies operate by highly sophisticated methods and technologies, using the latest means of communication and the new weapon of bioterrorism.

When earlier laws were written, some of these methods did not even exist. The new law recognizes the realities and dangers posed by the modern terrorist. It will help us to prosecute terrorist organizations -- and also to detect them before they strike.
Since 11th of September, the men and women of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been relentless in their work. In return for their exceptional service, these public servants deserve our full support, and every means of help that we can provide. Intelligence operations and criminal investigations have often had to operate on separate tracks. The new law will make it easier for all agencies to share vital information about terrorist activity.

Surveillance of communications is another essential method of law enforcement. But for a long time, we have been working under laws written in the era of rotary telephones. Under the new law, officials may conduct court-ordered surveillance of all modern forms of communication used by terrorists.

In recent years, some investigations have been hindered by limits on the reach of federal search warrants. Officials had to get a new warrant for each new district and investigation covered, even when involving the same suspect. As of now, warrants are valid across districts and across state lines.

And what did he sign on October 26 of that year? Read on, MacDuff:
Six and a half weeks after the worst acts of terrorism ever committed on U.S. soil, President Bush signed into law the wide-reaching "USA Patriot Act," which authorizes broad new powers for law enforcement agencies that Congress rejected in less turbulent times.
That's right. We're left unprotected in these troubled times by the USA Patriot Act. Not to mention the FISA court and the rest of the intelligence community.

That's what dubya and his many apologists want us to believe.

How stupid do they think we are?

22 comments:

Sherry Pasquarello said...

they know we are pretty stupid we elected him a second time.

it's a matter of just how stupid.

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Of course we will survive till dinner. Duhhhh. That is not the problem. We gave the al queda people another loophole to exploit and the Democrats are clearly responsible for this. Remember, we have them on the run and we have not been hit since 9-11. Quite an achievement!

Anonymous said...

The unconstitutional legislation was in effect for years and didn't yield a single prosecution. Further, it expired on Fri and we have not been hit yet. The evidence suggests it was worthless as well as illegal.

Anonymous said...

John K.

The history of Germany is that the populace, scared by a plethora of real and imagined threats, gave up their rule of law little by little...until there was none. That is the world which the GOP imagines; one in which the Executive Branch essentially rules by fiat.

You are being scared as well and it appears to color everything you discuss. Al Qeada is not under every rock. They remain a threat, but we can't give up everything just because George Bush (who has a long history of shading the truth, if not flat-out lying. Remember the mobile chemical weapons trucks in Iraq that he claimed existed?) says we should.

Pilt

Anonymous said...

John K. says: The history of Germany? So what. We are not Germany. At least not until Frau Hillary and her brownshirts get elected.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

no country ever thinks it can happen to them...

until it does.


bush and friends have done a good job trying to make it happen and we've spent the first 5 years of his trying refusing to believe that it ever could happen here.

i hope it isn't too late to resore the balance of power between the 2 branches of government.

(you know, those THREE equal branches that our forefathers fought to give us. the ones that worked really well until a few years ago)

Sherry Pasquarello said...

yes, typos, should be 3, should be restore, yeah i know, my typing sucks. : )

C.H. said...

What are you talking about? You people control the congress. The reason you can't get anything done is because Reid and Pelosi are the most inneffective leaders we've had in a long, long time. It has nothing to do with the Executive Powers.

The militant wing of the american left, ie code pink and the "world can't wait", have even managed to infiltrate local governments, like in Berkeley, where they think they have a right to force the Marines out of the city.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

"you people"

well, "we people" did not, while the constitution was being gutted using fear as an excuse.

Anonymous said...

"Infiltrate local government."

Do you read your own stuff? What does that even mean? Are you suggesting that a duly elected local government is, in some manner or form, illegally formed? Didn't people vote? Isn't that how it works?

And this fear of Hillary is just so laughable. Tell you what, she would kick ass as a President and that, I fear, is what most men are afraid of. They look at Hillary and they see their Mother or wife, not a savvy politician with the smarts to run this country.

Pilt

C.H. said...

So are you saying that these loons have a right to trample over the marines' right to recruit in the city of Berkeley? These people claim to be "all for free speech" as they screamed last week in the streets, yet it seems they will only stand up for free speech that supports their cause.

I'm so sick of these kooks and whackos proclaiming that they are against he war but support the troops, all the while they do everything they can to oust recruiters from schools, ban them entirely, and accuse them of being murderers and rapists.

C.H.

Anonymous said...

Just about the only way to support the troops is to oppose the invasion and attempted occupation of Iraq.

Unless your version of "support the troops" involves sending them on a fool's errand to die and bleed unnecessarily, often as a consequence of inadequate equipment.

Anonymous said...

So are you saying that these loons have a right to trample over the marines' right to recruit in the city of Berkeley?

That's right. Were there other questions?

Free speech applies to individuals, not governments, and Marine recruiters are government reps.

Sorry, you lose again. You must get so tired of that.

Anonymous said...

"Loons and whackos" isn't a particularly good way to characterize anyone, but I'll just let that pass.

I don't know the details of this issue, but it sounds like some government entity doesn't want the Marines recruiting. If they have the legal right to do so, then I say, fine; go for it. We are a nation of laws and rules. If you have a problem with laws which you personally don't like, then vote out the offending agents and put your own folks in. As I noted earlier, that's how it works.

Besides, I do have to wonder just how successful the Marines are going to be in what has been, for many, many years, a bastion of liberal thought in the U.S.? Makes me wonder if they didn't go there intentionally, just to foment the sort of reaction you're having....

In terms of being "against the war, but for the troops," I find no problem with that logic. Indeed, I agree with it wholeheartedly. "Supporting our troops" is, for most American's, a pointless slogan meant to make them feel good. Aside from slapping a yellow magnet on their cars, what have most people done to help our soldiers? Indeed, what COULD they do? And, more importantly, with an all-volunteer Army, what practical good does this "support" offer anyhow? This isn't a basketball game and we aren't the cheerleaders....

In the end, "supporting of troops" is something the Bush administration has failed at in a myriad of ways, not something that a few protesters in the Bay area have to shoulder.

Pilt

Anonymous said...

C.H. really seems to be losing his composure. His comments echo Rush and BillO more and more, and become increasingly shrill and nonsensical.

All his negativity, anger, irrationality, and desperation are really bubbling up to the surface these days. Off the meds?

C.H. said...

Obviously I made a very legitimate point and struck a nerve, since the various creatures at Dayvoe and Maria's zoo of haters felt the need to team up and launch an all-out assault on my character.

As I said, the comments section on this blog has reached the point where its entirely dependent on wingnuttia's noble oberfuherer to come here and speak his words of wisdom.

Yep, its fun to have that kind of power.

C.H. said...

I would like to know what banning the marines has to do with wanting to end the war. I am unable to comprehend how supporting the troops involves banning them from recruiting in schools and entire cities, all the while accusing them of being rapists, as Murtha and so many in the media have done.

The Marines have a legitimate right to recruit in an American city that receives federal funding. By trying to force them out and using extremist haters like code pink as their proxies, they are destroying that right...all in the name of "free speech". However, the correct term to use would be fascism. When you develop a political system that promotes one way of thinking, and use intimidation and harassment to silence those who disagree with you, you are indeed a fascist.

But that's all I have to say on that issue....the United States Marines are more than capable of holding their own against a bunch of code pink protesters and moveon.org bloggers. What devastates me the most are the innocent people you people claim to care about, but in the end show little regard for if it means you can enforce your ideology.

You glorify failure in Iraq...all so you can sabotage the presidency of George w. Bush. Last year, when things seemed lost in Iraq and NBC news had declared it a civil war, many on your side were overjoyed. You insult the people of Iraq and their religion by saying that its "nothing more than a civil war" when nothing could be further from the truth. But when the Iraqis rose up and crushed extremism in places like Baghdad and Anbar province, no one was there to support them. Instead, you set your sights on new targets, like an economic "recession".

Then of course, when the evil that is political terrorism threatens the stability of other countries, like Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia, your cheerleaders in the media could also care less. Why? Because then people might realize that terrorism is a real threat, just as it has been in Iraq. Over the weekend, when Taliban suicide bombers massacred hundreds of people along the Afghan-Pakistan border, was that "nothing more than a civil war", just as you proclaimed when terrorists strapped bombs to unwilling disabled people and detonated markets in Baghdad earlier this month?

Your beliefs are not only flat-out wrong and hypocritical, but sickening. You champion free speech, but only if it speaks the words you wish to hear.

Obviously, there is nothing wrong with being a liberal...I consider myself to be one on most issues. However, you people don't deserve a political title...you are simply haters. Yes, mean-spirited, angry, bitter haters.

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Look at that hypocrite shitrock. I have been telling everyone in here for 6 months this guy is a phony. He advocates shutting down the speech and offices of Marines in Berkeley. And then in a later blog will tell us how he supports the troops. LOL LOL Man is he funny. What shitrock has forgotten, if he ever knew it, was Marines also pay taxes. (I wonder if shitrock does or is he just another left wing welfare loon)And that the Constitution, that he likes to trample, applies to Marines as well as loons like him. Shitrock, my boy, you been outed. LMAO at just how phony you are. You support the troops. LOL LOL LOL LMAO

Anonymous said...

C.H., I'm really sorry to note the way you have gone completely over the edge. You are becoming a second Laughing Chickenhawk. It's sad. For a while you were simply wrong, but rational. Then, as your fundamental beliefs were shown to be fallacious, you started behaving stupidly, but still with a semblance of reasonabilty. Now you are simply raving, even picking up John K's ridiculous criticisms of the right-winger, John Murtha. The next step for you would be to start ranting about John McCain having stabbed his party in the back.

A few examples? Sure.

The Marines have a legitimate right to recruit in an American city that receives federal funding.

This is simply bizarre. Marines, as individuals, have free speech rights (except of course that the Corps forbids them from exercising it while in uniform). The United States Marine Corps, OTOH, has no constitutional rights whatsoever. And you seem to be confusing cities with colleges that receive Federal funding.

What devastates me the most are the innocent people you people claim to care about, but in the end show little regard for if it means you can enforce your ideology.

Can you give me some idea of how this is supposed to tie in with the question of Marine recruiting in Berkely? It seems to be completely irrelevant -- in addition to being incomprehensible.

You glorify failure in Iraq

So you admit that Iraq has been a failure? At least we are making progress on that front. But "glorify" the failure? Actually, it is the folks on your side who glorify the killing and human misery that's being perpetrated in Iraq. We who oppose the war do quite the opposite.

You insult the people of Iraq and their religion by saying that its "nothing more than a civil war"

It's amazing how you can pack mistakes into such a brief statement. I don't hear anyone saying that Iraq is "nothing more than a civil war," but if someone did say that, it wouldn't be insulting to either the people or their religious delusions.

Your beliefs are not only flat-out wrong...

First, and I speak only for myself here, I make it a point to believe nothing. I need evidence. Belief is for people who can't cope with reality. Second, you have a very long way to go to demonstrate that our positions are "wrong." So far, we look very, very correct.

...and hypocritical...

You have made no attempt even to hint at hypocrisy.

...but sickening.
What's sickening is the killing and displacement of innocent people as practiced by you Republicans who supported the invasion of Iraq.

You champion free speech, but only if it speaks the words you wish to hear.
You keep saying this, and we'll keep laughing. We're not laughing at your anger, we're laughing at your blind, partisan stupidity.

you are simply haters. Yes, mean-spirited, angry, bitter haters.

Oh, now I get it. People who wish to stop killing and repression are haters. I suppose then that people who want a humanitarian tragedy to continue are lovers?

Anonymous said...

John K. says: Yep, there he is, right on que. Shitrock trying to tell us how he supports the military. This same shitrock who called Gen Petreaus a liar prior to hearing any testimony and supported the Betrayus ad. This same shitrock who thinks Marines in Berkley, Calif are not US citizens and as such do not have rights. LOL LOL LOL We own you shitrock. You're a hypocrite.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, John. You have once again made my day.

Ol' Froth said...

we have not been hit since 9-11

DAMNIT!! How many times do I have to point out that this statement is flat out wrong??? We HAVE been hit, on US soil, since 9-11. I'll say it again. ANTHRAX. ANd the perps of that one are still at large.