Well I was absolutely dismayed to have received an E-mail from Patrick Leahy informing me about some details that have changed concerning the illegal surveillance program that dictator George W. Bush ordered the NSA to coordinate.
His E-mail dated September 13, 2006. (I tried to post it the evening of the 13th but strangely it said I had already posted for the day but I didn't.) Oh well, here it is a day later than expected.
Dear Rachel,
Today, the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee performed an amazing acrobatic feat: legislating in the dark. And like any other good circus trick, today's feat would have been entertaining to watch, too, if the issues being debated weren't so important.
Unfortunately, in a lock-step Republican vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would grant President Bush permission to continue his warrantless domestic wiretap program, and in addition, immunize officials who have violated federal law by authorizing such illegal activities.
Believe it or not, their bill would even make the Administration's future compliance with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) entirely optional. It would transform the FISA from a check on abusive Executive authority into a black check to the White House.
At a time when the civil rights of American citizens are already being arrogantly abridged at almost every turn in the name of national security, this new legislation empowering President Bush to circumvent the time-tested FISA court process for authorizing domestic wiretaps is the last thing we need.
And the process that got us here is pure legislating in the dark. For months we have been asking for information about the National Security Agency's domestic spying activities. But Congress -- a co-equal branch of government on par with the Executive Branch -- has been stonewalled at every turn.
How many Americans have had their conversations wiretapped? How many terrorists have been identified who would otherwise have escaped detection? Why did the Bush-Cheney Administration choose not to comply with the FISA? Why did officials refuse to come to Congress for authorization? Are there other domestic spying activities being conducted behind Congress's back, outside of the law and without court approval?
We don't have the answers to any of these critical questions. So how can this Republican Congress cram legislation through the Judiciary Committee expanding the use of warrantless domestic wiretaps?
This is ludicrous. And it is short-sighted. And it is wrong.
As the elected representatives of the American people, Congress needs to fully understand the supposed problems that this new Republican bill is intended to address, and what the legislation would enable the government to do that it cannot do now. We also need to know the extent to which these changes would sacrifice Americans' liberties. We should not wait to find out what the legislation means until the President's inevitable signing statement, after it is passed.
In the absence of any other information, this Republican legislation is a solution in search of a problem. After all, the former presiding judge of the FISA court, Judge Royce Lamberth, said on May 8th that the President's warrantless wiretapping program would "require some tweaking" to make it comport fully with FISA -- the existing process for approving domestic surveillance. And a federal judge last month ruled that the Bush program is unconstitutional and illegal.
So instead of Congress amending FISA to clean up after the President -- something that we're doing completely in the dark -- President Bush should "tweak" his own domestic spying program to comply with existing federal law.
That's what I will continue fighting for in the Judiciary Committee and on the floor of the Senate. I hope you'll stand with me.
Sincerely,
Patrick Leahy
U.S. Senator
We are in a sobering dilemma. I am not sure what else there is for us to do in order to stop this cabal of criminals. I do know that the peaceful protesting that has been done seems not to phase this totalitarian government one bit. The condescension they have and the way they attack those who speak out against the policy they want our America to stand behind is appalling and pure Machiavellian.
Go gently into the night...
These thugs are not going gently anywhere! 750 signing statements presents everyone in the world with the fact he is by definition a dictator. The media consolidation and propaganda that is so devastatingly destroying the American people only to keep the people conditioned to follow the empire they are building.
This is no game though. We have the future of our REAL FREEDOM at stake here. They have continually whittled away from our constitution over the years that they have been in power. I say they and I mean the NEO-cons. They exploit the fear from "terrorists" in order to keep the American people in check so that the American people will give up a little freedom here and a little freedom there for a sense of security. A false sense of security it is too! The government cannot protect you against every bad thing that might happen! Look at Montreal and how three people entered a college and shot it up.
The method this totalitarian group has used has worked brilliantly thus far. Step out of the bubbles PLEASE! I am begging you at this point to please start joining in some action if you have not done so already.
Please communicate with your communities and inform people about what rights they have under the constitution. Educate them about how wonderful this document is and how we have a system to change what we find wrong with it. Explain what has happened over the five years George W. Bush and his NEO-cons have been in control. Point out the laws that have been broken and how the courts have been circumvented! Educate them about PNAC and what the "Rebuilding America's Defenses" document ensues if accomplished. If you don't know about them yourself please go find out.
You have to help people realize that these thugs are using 9-11 as a tool to control the people. The official story itself has holes all thru it. A huge group of people just wants an independent investigation yet they get attacked from all sides. Why?
You have to remember how George W. Bush contested the investigation to begin with. Think about how long it took for him to cave in and allow an investigation to happen. Remember he wanted to have Kissinger on the panel? Wonder why huh? If you don't know the history of Kissinger during the Nixon era maybe you should go research that too. There is so much that isn't answered about that day and every time someone tries to get answers they are attacked maliciously! They are called "conspiracy theorists" or "radical left wingers". They are ridiculed and battered from the NEO-cons and those who have been conditioned by them.
9-11 was the start to the assault on our constitution people!! Without that they would not have been able to have the Patriot Act! They would not have gotten as far as they have with torture! They would not be getting away with ignoring due process rights for Americans detained. The thugs wouldn't be able to have people arrested for photographs they have taken, shirts they have decided to wear, or harassed and investigated over signs they chose to put in their front lawns! They would not be getting away with spying illegally! Nixon certainly did not, but I imagine if he would have had a 9-11 on his watch he would have gotten away with it too. What do you think?
So many things that can go wrong during the day I worry about. Maybe you are the same. I know that many of those things cannot be stopped. Terrorism isn't some new revelation in this world! Dictator George W. Bush seems to prance around preaching as if it is! So do his NEO-con minions. The things that can wrong during the day do not make me petrified in the way that George W. Bush and his regime does!
Checks and balances are gone in our system. Our votes are NOT being counted! They haven't been counted since 2000. Our news stations on the MSM (Mainstream Media) isn't news by majority, it is propaganda! Hollywood crap! People being arrested for peaceful protesting, being shot at for peaceful protesting, they are being detained without due process in some cases. Law officials and secret service for the political signs American citizens post in their front lawns all across America is harassing people. These sorts of things make me feel more threatened then some terrorist!
I done a BLOG on a man Martin Niemoller over at BLOGSPOT.
He was ordained a Lutheran pastor 1924. He was a part of a group that opposed Nazism in Germany. He and some fellow Lutheran followers formed a resistance movement that was called the "Confessional Church". The Confessional Church opposed the Hilter Nazi religious banter and the agenda to punish those who didn't walk the line.
The reason why I bring him up is I want to put up a statement here that came from that brilliantly brave man. It will hopefully make people realize, when they look over the last five years, what we might be dealing with when George W. Bush is mentioned.
"When Hitler attacked the Jews I was not a Jew, therefore I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the Catholics, I was not a Catholic, and therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the unions and the industrialists, I was not a member of the unions and I was not concerned. Then Hitler attacked me and the Protestant church -- and there was nobody left to be concerned."
That quote is from Martin Niemoller and it is one of the best quotes I know...
We can't depend on congress of the United States anymore. We can't count on our elections. They are not going to bring around change when we have diebold stealing our elections.
Please write your senator about this illegal domestic surveilance. WE ARE NOT THE ENEMY! They have made us into that though haven't they? War on the people is what we have going on...
The craziest thing is I am so displeased by George W. Bush and the conservative party I almost feel that they have made me turn liberal...not that I am saying that is a bad thing. I have quite a few liberal friends who are brilliant.
The more time that goes by the more I seem to stand with the liberal/democratic side. That is how far right George W. Bush has taken this conservative party!
I must end with a section taken from Machiavelli's book titled "The Prince"
Hence we may learn the lesson that on siezing a state, the usurper should make haste to inflict what injuries he must, at a stroke, that he may not have to renew them daily, but be enabled by their discontinuance to reassure mens' minds, and afterwards win them over by benefits. Whosoever, either through timidity or from following bad counsels, adopts a contrary course, must keep the sword always drawn, and can put no trust in his subjects, who suffering from continued and constantly renewed severities, will never yield him their confidence. Injuries, therefore, should be inflicted all at once, that their ill savour being less lasting may the less offend; whereas, benefits should be conferred little by little, that so they may more fully relished.
9-11 was an injury in one stroke. No attacks have happened because it doesn't need renewed daily. The Patriot Act was a reward to the American people they want us to believe. It has prevented attacks they have said time and time again. It has not though, it has however taken away our rights and made us all the constant enemy of the state! 9-11 was the one event that was enough for them and the discontinuance of attacks has put many minds to rest easier. They trust George is protecting us when he isn't protecting us at all! We have the Machiavelli playbook being orchestrated by the Bush cabal! This was only one section for me to reference. Maybe I'll do a BLOG entry solely about Machiavelli, "The Prince" and the way it is being used by the Bush cabal next.
Thanks for listening to my rant.