Slashdot Mirror
As of October, FBI To Allow Warrantless Investigations
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "Attorney General Michael Mukasey has agreed to allow Congressional hearings, but not to delay, the implementation of new FBI regulations that would allow them to spy on American citizens who are not suspected of any crime. As an editorial in the New York Times points out, this is a power that has a history of abuse. In times past, it was used to wiretap Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to spy on other civil rights and anti-war protesters."
As Dekortage points out, "Several senators have formally complained that citizens could be investigated 'without any basis for suspicion,' which the Justice Department denies."
And(*) "becuase" most people can't even spell, indicating that their thoughts don't go further than what's for dinner in the evening and if their favourite character in a soap opera gets laid.
(*) I know that starting a sentence with "and" is bad form, but I was just completing the parent post.
Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
It is insane to think that any lackey who hates his neighbor or gets cut off in traffic can open a case file and waste tax money and other opportunities cost. Those Army of God fanatics who are going to kill doctors, don't worry about them, we don't have the resources, all the agents are busy harassing this guy who whistled at my girlfriend.
I think that too many people just see this as a privacy issue. It is a chain of command issue, where we the people of the United states, grant certain powers to our federal government, and through the first amendment make sure that there is due process before the government can restrict our actions. This was an explicit effort to prevent King George from stealing all our money by spending it willy nilly on his prince. Unfortunately the new King George does not respect those restrictions, and like the Prince, feels that the purpose of the peasants to fund his and his friends extravagant lifestyle.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
I want Congress to impeach these motherfuckers and put them in the jail cells they so richly deserve.
That, of course, would require a competent, courageous, and non-corrupt Congress. Which in our case, we have not got.
So I want the voters to toss out the bums inhabiting Congress.
That, of course, would require an educated, informed, and engaged electorate. Which in our case, we have not got.
So, waiting for the whole thing to go to hell, "I want to get my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames", as the Lizard King put it. And if it comes down to violence - and it might - I want to take as many of those bastards responsible for the destruction of this fine nation out with me as I can when I go.
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
You cannot wash away blood with blood
international forum?
do you read /. in your native tongue, despite that being a strange form of English, huh? do ya mr kiwi?
They're using their grammar skills there.
Please, show me where in the Constitution Congress has the power to subpoena a member of the executive branch? What would happen if Bush tried to subpoena a member of Congress or his staff? They'd tell him to honk off. How and when did this idea that the White House staff answers to Congress ever become accepted? The Constitution is quite clear on the checks - it's called impeachment, and elections. That's it. I've read Article I pretty carefully, and I have never seen anything about calling a president's top advisor on the carpet and demanding that he explain himself. All of you supposed "but the Constitution!" advocates out there who decry the end of the Republic every time the Feds do something, suddenly play fast and loose with the Constitution when it comes to using the law the way you want.
Just as the Clinton Administration did repeatedly, Rove is right to assert executive privilege, and good for Bush to assert it, not just for himself but for future presidents. If a staffer can't advise the president privately and candidly, he won't be getting good advice, regardless of what you think of Rove.
Slashdot "libertarians": Small government for me, big government for those I disagree with. -1, I disagree with you
The democrats spine-less, shameless, frightened cowards who think Obama is their Jesus.
Led by the *literal* pussy Pelosi, they are a shell of their formidable prowess in 1970s.
This is why the Democrats deserve to lose. And not just lose narrowly: they deserve to lose EVERY seat they contest in November. Obama should lose so heavily to McCain that he leaves for Kenya permanently.
But i wonder even if such a defeat will make democrats realize what they are doing wrong.
They will make a few noises, but then go back to suckling from their corporate parents' teets to get a few dollars for their families.
The Democrats should be swift-boated as a whole.
If FDR were alive today, he would have had two heart attacks just watching the cowering dogs who call themselves democrats.
"Doing what i can, with what i have." ~ Burt Gummer
If you want to know where the "thug caste" is, just take a look at who's joining the military these days, or Blackwater.
Had no problem dropping nukes on civilians 6 Aug, 1945.
All that is necessary is for the targets to be dehumanised in some way - calling them 'terrorists' should work.
you had me at #!
The ICC is the venue that would give war criminals like Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld, and the rest of their collaborators a fair trial, which is more than they themselves grant captured citizens of other countries. Eventually, like in Nuremberg, they will be called to answer for all of this: a war of aggression, extraordinary rendition, war profiteering, civilian murders, manipulation and fabrication of intelligence, violating the Geneva Convention and countless other treaties...
Then perhaps they can be turned over to the American public to be ripped apart for the domestic betrayals. Just like Nixon! Uh wait... You guys don't really do accountability, do you?
you had me at #!