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US Government Monitoring Associated Press Phone Records
Picass0 writes with distressing news from the AP wire, about the AP: "The Justice Department secretly obtained two months of telephone records of reporters and editors for The Associated Press in what the news cooperative's top executive called a 'massive and unprecedented intrusion' into how news organizations gather the news."
They obtained call records from a number of desk phones, and the personal phones of many news editors. The DOJ has not commented, but it may be related to the possibility that the CIA director leaked information on a foiled terror plot in Yemen last year.
Laws are for plebeians, not patricians.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
It is time to fire the Attorney General. If he knew of this then he is a criminal. And if he didn't then he is an idiot. Neither are acceptable.
No one could be worse than Bush!
Hell yeah, if only we could impeach that Bush and get someone new (with promise of hope) instead.
Oh, wait...
As long as we all agree that "Good" is framed by ideology not behavior.
We're protecting everyone's freedom - by looking very closely at how everyone exercises it and categorising every result.
This is, because we all agree, that America was founded on the principle of Safety Assured - and we are guaranteed any freedom that promotes this.
Do not support terrorism and discuss the validity of these arguments. Your freedom is not a license to be unorthodox in civil or economic matters.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Because we need to have two classes of people: journalists and ordinary plebians. As if the mainstream media needs anything more to pump up their already stratospheric egos.
I'm just surprised the AP didn't turn over their records voluntarily. It's not like they investigate the current government - hell, the AP is simpatico with their political beliefs, so what advantage is to be gained by being antagonistic?
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
How is there no mention of if there was or was not a warrant for this in the summary? More over, how the hell does the TFA not even use the word once?
someone leaked classified info to the press which is a crime
DoJ is investigating
what's the problem?
Someone stole a car in your neighborhood.
The police wiretapped the phones of everyone in town, and record the license plates of all cars at every destination.
what's the problem?
If you don't get it yet, this is how they ran East Germany and Romania. "Laws" are not inherently moral dictates. Hitler had laws that made matters of public interest "classified", too.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Seriously, the press is all over things like wiretapping, political intrigues, what kind of corn was in the president's bowel movement today (was it GMO corn!?), etc, and seems to think that this kind of 'microscope up the ass' intrusiveness is not only 'news!' But also "the public has a right to KNOW!"
But, when somebody turns around and investigates one of THEM, "oh loaurd Jeezuz it's a fiar!".
What's good for the goose, is good for the gander AP. When you shamelessly cram the microscope up asses, don't act insensed or surprised when you get the microscope colonoscopy too. Simply because your shiny little badge says "news", does not make you immune to the law, and you are *not* people of priveledge.
Don't get me wrong, sunshine is good, and breaking stories about govt wrongdoing is healthy and good. Just don't foster an image of sweeping disregard for privacy, and due process while doing so, unless you want the same treatment for yourselves.
Enjoy your DoJ probing. You enjoyed probing others, so its surely right up your alley, AP.
We have specific problems right now with presidential overreach by Obama and Bush, and the solution is political change and discussion. Cynicism like yours is part of the problem, not part of a solution. The solution is to kick out politicians responsible for this.
Oh yeah. You have a "work within the system" and "hope and change" response. Because that works out, so very well.
See this: http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=3745845&cid=43715361
The system is corrupted beyond the imaginings of Eisenhower - with his famous warning.
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
someone leaked classified info to the press which is a crime
DoJ is investigating
what's the problem?
Maybe we should also be asking what compelled the director of one of the most powerful intelligence organizations in the country to feel he had to tell his fellow citizens something that was so important, he was willing to risk his career and his freedom to do.
And if we judge his actions to be on the side of justice, fairness, and the principles of democracy which we say are the foundation of our laws... then perhaps we should examine more closely how a man who did right by his people is being declared a criminal by his government.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
As a doctor I am allowed to do many things that you are not allowed to do. Does that make me into another "class" of citizen? A journalist who studied journalism should certainly have both the rights AND responsibilities that go with his earned degree.
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Actually, there are shorter cycles as well, kind of like harmonics.
Interesting comment you made there about harmonics.
Harmonics can be deadly: Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse "Gallopin' Gertie"
So, at the moment the Obama administration has the following scandals brewing:
Justice Department: Gov't obtains wide AP phone records in probe
IRS: The IRS’s Tea-Party Targeting
State Department and Office of President: The Benghazi Deception
There are a few other things brewing in the background as well.
It might be a hot summer for the Obama administration regardless of the weather.
much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
Some of us would love any kind of job we could get. Some of us have resumes that 10 years ago would have landed us a job in a week at almost any entry level position in the great capitalist machine.
Some of us had the ability to start our own businesses and run our own lives. Before the price became to great to compete.
(Sarcasm inc) We also owe society a permanent debt. Didn't you learn that in gradeschool?
But seriously when some are above the law. And most have no chance at controlling their fate. It's really fascist of you to demand we "kill off all the chaff". Especially when we have the means of providing everyone a clean and safe environment to live in with plenty of food. It doesn't matter if their oppressed. Unwilling to fight for themselves, or unable to. The better man will enlighten them and guide them on a path to success and liberty. You don't OWN this planet, and no one does. Maybe you should learn to share it?
But the technology and means of distribution has been suppressed by the rich dynastic few. Your entitled to not believe this. But I promise you are wrong. This is about the only thing I can know with a certainty any more.
Awww, the press is upset that someone checked over their phone records. At least they obtained a warrant. The FBI appears to think that no such thing is needed when it's a common citizen that they want records for. How come the press is upset when it happens to them but seems to ignore the FBI doing it to others?
Build it, Drive it, Improve it! Hybridz.org
I am very sad for all of you who have to mod -5 troll an argument for charity. What will it take to teach people to work together instead of against each other? I am not damning capitalism. I am just saying that abuses made by the rich and powerful affect us all. And the only way to combat such abuse is to unite together. Either under government or some other means.
What did people expect when Obama took Mayor Daley's goon and thug squad to DC?
I think you're mistaken on this, at least where it will end up.
The AP issue could easily flip the media to a much more adversarial stand against the Obama administration than they have taken to date. Rather than adversarial, they have actively covered for the administration - ignoring stories that they would have beat President Bush with all year long, minimizing others, asking friendly questions. If reporters come to understand that the administration came after them on a fishing expedition, which is what this was, they will not be happy.
The IRS scandal is one that many Americans will be concerned about. Most Americans understand that the IRS coming after people on a political basis is a very bad thing even if it is about a group that may not be their cup of tea, so to speak. This sort of thing hasn't been in the open like this since the Nixon administration. You may recall that didn't end well for President Nixon, and more than one commentator has referred to President Obamba as Nixonian at best.
But that is what makes the Tea Party aspect of this politically deadly is that there are many Americans that support many aspects of the Tea Party agenda even if they are not members.
Tea Party Supporters: Who They Are and What They Believe
You apparently also misunderstand the Tea Party - they oppose higher taxes and increasing spending, not the IRS or the collection of taxes. There is no legitimate reason for what the IRS did there. The IRS has admitted that it was wrong, completely inappropriate. (I admit a certain fascination in the fact that for some reason there are more than a few on Slashdot that try to defend what the IRS itself has condemned as being completely wrong. Why? It is absolute nonsense. I assume many, if not most are not Americans.)
As to Benghazi, we will see. There are important developments coming out. The Obama administration just held a private background briefing for key press members. Why? Americans were killed. The Ambassador was killed - a very rare event. The administration ignored their security needs before the attack, and then abandoned them during the attack when there were resources available to intervene and save them, and then lied multiple times at multiple levels after the fact. There is an old saying in politics that it isn't the crime but rather the cover up that does you in. There are people scurrying to cover their butt all over Washington on this, and it probably won't turn out well for the Administration.
You are entitled to your interests. I don't think most Americans will agree with you in the near future.
much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
Hell yeah, if only we could impeach that Bush and get someone new (with promise of hope) instead. Oh, wait...
You know what? Fuck your cynicism. (Not you, your cynicism.)
Speaking as someone who lives in a country with a history of consistently corrupt, dysfunctional governments, without any kind of police presence in the community, with disgustingly poor health and education services, this litany of complaint and hopelessness sounds to me like nothing more than childish whining.
It wasn't always this way, and frankly, I don't care what happened that reduced the Americans in this audience to such a useless bunch of wankers. But merciful god, could you please show at least a modicum of intelligence and - yes, I'll say it - hope?
You people really have no fucking clue what it's like to live in a broken society. But if you don't shut the fuck up, learn a civics lesson or two and start fixing things, you're going to find out. And before you tell me it's too late, I'm here to say that if you think that, you honestly don't have any fucking idea how bad things can get.
There are very definite steps you can take to curtail this kind of intrusion on press freedom, only the first of which is to shout loud and long to your representative not to stand for it. So get off your ass, shut the fuck up with the whining, and get to fucking work.
Hugs, from the developing world.
Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
You missed too big to jail, and everything is rigged. Nothing happened to the people responsible (more than becoming even richer). And it will keep happening.
Washington warned us that partisanism will be the downfall of American Politics. We haven't learned from the first Farewell Address, why would we have learned from a later one? At least Washington stood by his principles during his term. Eisenhower sold out, starting the Vietnam war before ducking out and blaming the military industrial complex. And we didn't listen to him either.
Learn to love Alaska
On a serious note though.
The most I ask is that people stop scoffing at those in need. Because sometimes bigger bullies on the playground beat up your friends, and "we are next (TM)". This is where my speech, hey, some of those guys asking for a hand out are not doing it because they are lazy or dumb or evil, or "less then you". Thats why we tried to create a society were we had the power to look after these people.
It use to be to some degree balanced by the fact that many people associated with a particular religion or creed and through this organization advanced the idea of philanthropy or charity. Now we are in a time of decreasing social aware ness. Less accountability. People far away you do not even know can dictate local policy and economics. There use to be a buffer between fiefdoms before the industrial revolution. So if Rome went down. The Pacific Islanders did not really notice.
That world is gone by the way.
I don't advocate violent solutions to social inequality.