Tuesday, December 20, 2005

We Are Under Surveillance

Rom-fay ow-nay on his-thay log-bay ill-way e-bay osted-pay in ig-pay atin-lay.

Security vs Liberty

Bush has always thought that being a dictator was easier than being a President. Evidently, he has been using the 9/11 attacks as an excuse to act as a dictator. Habeas Corpus, out the window. Secret prisons and torture, no problem. Arrest anyone I say might be guilty, we'll sort it out in 5-10 years, let's do it. Now some kind of super secret spying program has surfaced. He has been desperate to keep this program secret because he knows it's illegal. This program was probably leaked by some of the very people that are responsible for running it because they also think it is illegal and unconstitutional.

What's weird about this whole spying thing is that Bush has legal authority to authorize wiretaps on almost anyone, but for some reason he chose not to use the legal route. It's likely he chose the illegal route because whatever it is they are doing is probably so egregious that even the rubber stamp FISA secret court probably wouldn't have approved it. Bush claims he has congressional oversight but this claim is extremely exagerated. He briefed 4-6 congressmen in classified briefings such that they could not legally disclose or discuss what they were told.

So what is going on? One idea 'out there' is that ALL communications are being collected and analyzed for content by super computers. There is no way you could get a court order to do something like that. So 'watch what you say' in your phone calls and computer communications, because 'Big Brother' is probably watching.

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. -- Samuel Adams

Monday, December 19, 2005

Did Bush Violate the 4th Amendment?

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, an no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized

President Bush, brushing aside bipartisan criticism in Congress, said Monday he approved spying on suspected terrorists without court orders because it was "a necessary part of my job to protect" Americans from attack

Let's have a poll. Yes or No?