Just in time for Independence Day - The number 1 Cable News channel in America calls for the end of the Bill of Rights (well just that pesky one about a free press).

You know what they are right - we would be safer in a police state (as long as we had the "approved thoughts.") - but I thought America was the land of the free and the home of the brave. Fox doesn't want us to be free - and from the sound of their bleating they aren't brave.

Insane

Media Matters - Fox & Friends co-host Kilmeade advocated "Office of Censorship" in wake of NY Times banking surveillance story

- rob 4:47 PM - [PermaLink] -

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AMERICAblog has an excellent set of quotes from speeches (with links to YouTube video clips) given by Dems on the floor of Congress about the GOP's politically playing with freedom of the press in a last ditch effort to keep themselves in power.

Pelosi:

"Let's take this resolution for what it is: it is a campaign document...There's never been any oversight of the program. The fact is that because there has never been any oversight of the program, there isn't one person in this body, who will vote on this resolution, who can attest to this statement. They're asking us to vote on something that we absolutely cannot attest to. Not any one of you can attest to this as a fact."
(full speech)
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Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
"They've called the disclosure of the swift anti-terrorist program a disgrace, they've accused a newspaper that first wrote it, the the New York Times, of forcing its "arrogant elitist left-wing agenda" on the rest of the country. If all of this is true, I have no choice but to conclude that our President, President Bush himself, is a disgraceful, arrogant left-wing elitist, because it was Mr. Bush who leaked the story."
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Rep. John Dingell (D-MI)
"They tell us that they're protecting our civil liberties while they're tapping our phones and spying in our libraries and looking into our bank accounts. They tell us to trust us on everything. They tell us to trust us on -- trust them on everything because they're protecting their civil liberties. Well, I don't think I can trust this administration to protect my civil liberties and those of the people that I serve."

- rob 4:29 PM - [PermaLink] -

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I have a feeling that a huge chunk of the modern GOP saw "some really gritty war movies" and think of themselves as veterans.

via Clarence Thomas -- chickenhawk

American Constitution Society:

[In the Hamdan decision,] Justice Thomas refers to Justice Stevens' "unfamiliarity with the realities of warfare"; but Stevens served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945, during World War II. Thomas's official bio, by contrast, contains no experience of military service.

Me? I've never been in service - I have no idea what War is like (I'd assume it would not be fun), despite the fact that I've seen many war films. I also have seen many science fiction shows and yet despite that do not see myself as an expert on particle physics, dark matter, or anything to do with the space time continuum.

- rob 4:21 PM - [PermaLink] -

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One of the most important stories about the stability of our elections (and thus our democracy) finally hits the front section of the Washington Post (on page 7).

A Single Person Could Swing an Election



(thanks again to whomever originally made those fake Diebold ads).

- rob 6:30 PM - [PermaLink] -

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Whoa! Actual good news when it comes to the rule of law in America.

It seems the Supreme Court still believes the President must obey the law.

Good for them.

Supreme Court Rejects Guantanamo War Crimes Trials

The Supreme Court today delivered a stunning rebuke to the Bush administration over its plans to try Guantanamo detainees before military commissions, ruling that the commissions are unconstitutional.

In a 5-3 decision, the court said the trials were not authorized under U.S. law or the Geneva Conventions. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion in the case, called Hamdan v. Rumsfeld. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. recused himself from the case.

The ruling, which overturned a federal appeals court decision in which Roberts had participated, represented a defeat for President Bush, who had ordered military trials for detainees at the Guantanamo Bay naval base.

So Roberts recused himself, but had previously been fine with Bush's abuses - but good for him on recusing himself, Justice Scalia probably was stunned at Robert's actions, not knowing what the word meant.

Who were the ones who thought breaking American law was okay? (I'll update when I find out).

Update: No real surprise the dissenting justices were Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

So congrats to the rubber stamping congress (and that does include too many of the Democrats) for approving Roberts and Alito - The newest members of the Supreme Court are frighteningly out of touch with what America is about - freedom. And that Freedom requires the laws apply to everyone - no matter how reprehensible those people may be.

- rob 11:49 AM - [PermaLink] -

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Joe Scarborough is the former Republican Representative who has a talk show on MSNBC.

Most times he is a standard "support Bush because we are at war", "Kerry is French", etc pundit. He often pretends to be the voice of true average heartland Joe - if the average Joe was a conservative ex-representative from Florida.

But occasionally he speaks out against some of the more atrocious acts of the Bush administration. Though I probably disagree with Mr. Scarborough on the majority of policy issues for this country I respect and appreciate that not only does he love America - but he actually understands what America and freedom is about. That shouldn't be a big deal, but is a truly rare find in punditry and politics these days.

Hats off to Joe: Scarborough chooses Jefferson

Scarborough: You gotta admit-it’s frightening. More so to us who know how Washington works and know how power can corrupt and know how power can be abused. I believe friends, we are in dangerous times for those of us who believe like Thomas Jefferson-that Washington is not to be trusted with unlimited police power.

- rob 5:58 PM - [PermaLink] -

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Good job

Democrats: No raises for Congress until minimum wage is increased

- rob 5:49 PM - [PermaLink] -

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Panel questions whether Bush improperly ignoring laws

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House on Tuesday defended President Bush's frequent use of special statements that claim authority to limit the effects of bills he signs, saying the statements help him uphold the Constitution and defend national security.

um... isn't the judiciary the part of the government that judges if a law is constitutional or not. If the President is worried that the law isn't he should just veto it.

Also here again Bush is saying he can comletely ignore the constitution because of "national security." That can, and has often been throughout history, a wonderful blanket phrase that can be used over and over again as each line of the constitution is slowly rendered null and void.

"It's a challenge to the plain language of the Constitution," said Arlen Specter, a Republican whose Senate Judiciary Committee opened hearings on the issue.
...
The bill-signing statements say Bush reserves a right to revise, interpret or disregard measures on national security and constitutional grounds. Some 110 statements have challenged about 750 statutes passed by Congress, according to numbers combined from White House and the Senate committee. They include documents revising or disregarding parts of legislation to ban torture of detainees and to renew the Patriot Act.
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The exchange came during a midterm election year in which Specter, some fellow Republicans and many Democrats are highlighting concerns about the administration's use of executive power. Specter's personal list includes Bush's warrantless domestic wiretapping program, the administration's checking of phone records and the sending of officials to hearings but saying they cannot answer lawmakers' questions on national security grounds.
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Other presidents have used signing statements for administrative reasons, such as instructing an agency how to put a certain law into effect. They usually are inserted quietly into the federal record.

- rob 5:46 PM - [PermaLink] -

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The ruling party of a country issues a warning against a newspaper for reporting a potentially illegal act by the government.

China? Iran? Cuba? Russia?

No... and unfortunately you know where this is going:

GOP bill targets NY Times

House Republican leaders are expected to introduce a resolution today condemning The New York Times for publishing a story last week that exposed government monitoring of banking records.
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The resolution comes as Republicans from the president on down condemn media organizations for reporting on the secret government program that tracked financial records overseas through the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT), an international banking cooperative.

- rob 12:42 PM - [PermaLink] -

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“Yes I am a Christian – that is simply a fact – and just by the way Christianity- um well this is what my book is about – ended the practice of churches – I mean it basically ended religion.

With Christianity Christ came and died for our sins – we no longer get to heaven by good works, by how many times we go to church, by how much we do this or that or eating certain meals or not eating certain meals or praying at certain times.”
- Ann Coulter, author of Godless: The Church of Liberalism and Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism

From: Interview with Ann Coulter WERS FM Boston (its my transcription so it may not be perfect)

This is lazy spirituality – “I believe Jesus died for my sins” – done. That is it - all spiritual needs are fulfilled – immortality in heaven assured.

Many conservatives believe that belief in God is mandatory for members of a society as the threat of eternal damnation is the most effective means of crime deterrence / of adherence to a moral code. But if you take Christ as your savior it doesn’t matter what you do – you are saved.

It suddenly makes the actions of Bush, Coulter, and their ilk comprehendible. One could be forgiven to wornder if they really are so religious how could they act with such greed, how could they excuse and out right promote suffering? But you see - it doesn’t matter what they do. They are saved.

Christ paid for their sins so all sins are now free. They can be greedy, they can be cruel, they can lie, cheat, and steal. Not only did Christ die so they could be saved, Christ died so they could sin.

And so they do.

Not familiar with Ms. Coulter? Here are some of her more famous statements:

• My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building.
• Taxes are like abortion, and not just because both are grotesque procedures supported by Democrats.
• We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.

Ann’s a regular on Fox News, has been a frequent guest on MSNBC, and occasional guest on other network news shows. She is a syndicated columnist. You may think she is just a loon, but she is a loon whose opinions our media considers worthy part of our political discourse.

- rob 2:43 PM - [PermaLink] -

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Har Har

Sales calls push security hotline to refuge of Do Not Call list

The federal government has decided to put its own secret Homeland Security hotline to the nation's 50 governors on the federal Do Not Call Registry, according to Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner.

The move came after a complaint Thursday by Minner, who said that when her line rings, chances are it's not an emergency but an unwanted intrusion. "Every time that phone rings, it's telemarketers," she said in Washington.

Minner keeps the secret homeland defense hotline in her office. Governors have them for instant communication with Washington in case of a major emergency. Minner says that when her line rings, it's someone offering a time-share condominium or the latest deal on long-distance phone service.

"I wonder about the security of that line," Minner said.

She said other governors have reported similar interruptions, such as the caller who chirps, "Hello! Are you satisfied with your long-distance service provider?"

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle reported getting a similar call in 2003. The caller jangled nerves and the phone just as U.S. troops were launching ground combat in Iraq.

I've got to repeat the most deadpan line I've read in the news for at least a week:

"I wonder about the security of that line," Minner said.

- rob 2:07 PM - [PermaLink] -

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In one way he is right - Congress shouldn't accept the crap the Bush administration gives them - nor should we.

But how sad a civil servant seems so wiling to give out crap.

The Raw Story Former Bush Assistant Secretary of State says don't 'accept the crap we give you'

Appearing before the The Senate Democratic Policy Committee, former Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Carl Ford called upon policy makers to accept part of the blame for intelligence failures, telling them to "not accept the crap we give you."

The proceedings, chaired by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), heard testimony regarding pre-war intelligence in Iraq. The Democrats held their own hearings out of frustration with a lack of scrutiny of Iraq intelligence by the Republican-led Senate.

My apologies to Raw story for reprenting the whole dang post - why not go to that page to watch a video of Mr. Ford's testimony.

- rob 1:00 PM - [PermaLink] -

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Everyone agrees Team Bush's response to Katrina is a wonder.

'Breathtaking' Waste and Fraud in Hurricane Aid

WASHINGTON, June 26 — Among the many superlatives associated with Hurricane Katrina can now be added this one: it produced one of the most extraordinary displays of scams, schemes and stupefying bureaucratic bungles in modern history, costing taxpayers up to $2 billion.
...
There are the bureaucrats who ordered nearly half a billion dollars worth of mobile homes that are still empty, and renovations for a shelter at a former Alabama Army base that cost about $416,000 per evacuee.

And the way in which we aren't spending money is also dazzling to behold.

Tsunami relief workers shocked by 9th Ward tour, say they expected more signs of recovery

Two leaders of the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights who have spent the last 18-months helping victims of last year’s Tsunami took a walk through the Lower Ninth Ward Friday.

Their reaction was one of shock, because they said they expected to see more signs of recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

“We think of America as being this fabulous, powerful superpower, and it’s exactly like Third World situations,” said Tom Kerr.

“In my personal opinion, I think you should have done much, much faster. It should be much better than what I have seen today,” said Samsook Boonyabancha.

Criminal Negligence.

That sums up the Bush administration. As the joke goes Republicans say the government can not do anything and when they are elected they set about proving that.

Bush has systematically ruined our international standing, weakened our defenses in a needless war, plundered our national treasury, and turned our government into an unresponsive corrupt banana republic.

But isn't the way he talks just so folksy? And the nicknames - that's just so adorable.

- rob 11:52 AM - [PermaLink] -

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Ah what the hell - this quote works for the post below too:

"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree."
- James Madison

- rob 9:31 AM - [PermaLink] -

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"If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter."
- George Washington (you know the real George Double U)

Freedom of the press is in many ways an extension of Freedom of Speech in gives a louder voice to the cry of the citizenry while also providing structure enough to act as our watchdog against our government.

Which is why this attack on The NY Times by Bush is perhaps the most dangerous attack on the the foundation of our freedoms by this President yet.

Surveillance Disclosure Denounced
'Disgraceful,' Says Bush of Reports

The president used a White House appearance with supporters of troops in Iraq to lash out at newspapers that revealed the program, which has examined hundreds of thousands of private banking records from around the world. His remarks led off a broader White House assault later amplified by Vice President Cheney and Treasury Secretary John W. Snow.

Bush defends his viewing of international transactions without warrants or Congressional review was to yet again hide behind 9/11.

Bush denied overstepping his bounds by not seeking court or congressional approval for the program in the nearly five years since it was established following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "What we were doing was the right thing," he said. "Congress was aware of it, and we were within the law to do so."

Bush seems to think that Congress being aware of something is the same as permission. But a mugger announcing his intention to assault you is still committing a crime.

If he believed this was legal why not get warrants? Or was he not so sure.

Again Bush in the end believes that he can do what ever he wants to because "we are at war." Though no war has been declared and no end to the "war on terror" will ever be truly achieved.

Which brings me to another founder (and a quote I repeat ad nauseum on this site):


"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home."
- James Madison

- rob 9:29 AM - [PermaLink] -

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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American people."
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"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home."

"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree."
- James Madison



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"There's nothing wrong with America that can't be fixed by what's right with America." - Bill Clinton.