Pilot Sues to get off Terrorist Watch List [UPDATED]

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Friday August 22, 2008 · 3:38 PM PDT

2008/08/22 · 15:38

This is becoming a mainstream issue. It hit Yahoo for crying out loud. Here is the skinny....

A commercial airline pilot and convert to Islam who says his name is on the U.S. government's secret terrorist watch list has [filed] a federal lawsuit against the Homeland Security Department.

In fact the list is so flawed even the Wall Street Journal spoke up.

The government's main terrorist-watch-list system is hobbled by technology challenges, and the $500 million program designed to upgrade it is on the verge of collapse, according to a preliminary congressional investigation.

The database, which includes an estimated 400,000 people and as many as 1 million names, has been criticized for flagging ordinary Americans. Now, the congressional report finds that the system has problems identifying true potential terrorists, as well.

It's that bad.
PSST. We have a civil liberties google group. Join us!
Updates below...

BlueThunder

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Thursday August 21, 2008 · 3:14 PM PDT

2008/08/21 · 15:14

The gist courtesy of NYT...

WASHINGTON — A Justice Department plan would loosen restrictions on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to allow agents to open a national security or criminal investigation against someone without any clear basis for suspicion, Democratic lawmakers briefed on the details said Wednesday.

The right is like a shark--once it smells blood it does not stop. The Democratic Party seems to keep thinking that if they capitulate, or triangulate the Republicans was cease to salivate. Not true. Congress gave Bush the Patriot Act. Then Iraq. Then funding for Iraq. Then FISA. All the while they expected them to be satisfied and leave the Dems alone.

It won't happen. They must be stopped. More on the expanded powers below.

BlueThunder

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Wednesday August 20, 2008 · 4:58 PM PDT

2008/08/20 · 16:58

It is a forgone conclusion that even if every Democrat were to win this fall, they would have their hands full between pushing a progressive agenda and undoing Bush Damage.

One of the areas in which I expect them to drag their feet is in the area of civil liberties. However I have some thoughts on why this should be expected and what is being done, and more importantly what else we can do to move the conversation on Civil Liberties. The battle over civil liberties will be won in three particular arenas: the media, the courts (no getting around these), our voting booths, and the local level.

And the good news is--we already have groups working at each of these tiers.

Follow over the jump for more.

BlueThunder

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Tuesday August 19, 2008 · 5:08 PM PDT

2008/08/19 · 17:08

It is safe to assume the current Democrats and incoming Democrats will not do much to undo Bush's damage to the constitution without some serious poking and prodding. Hopefully the Ron Paul Republicans, our friends on this issue, will help them along a bit.

But I think we need to do everything we can to strategize and keep people informed about abuses to our civil liberties and about attempts to roll back the damage done to them during the last 8 years.

To help this effort along I started a Civil Liberties Google Group. Our brief agenda and link is below. Please join.

BlueThunder

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Wednesday August 13, 2008 · 6:45 PM PDT

2008/08/13 · 18:45

Given the state we are in--military tribunals, stripping of the fourth amendment, government secrecy it was nice to see the NYT editorial board come out swinging:

Last week was hardly the first time that we have found ourselves scratching our heads in anguished confusion about what, exactly, President Bush is trying to achieve by trashing the Constitution at Guantánamo Bay.

Thank-you. It would be nice to see the Democrats in office furious over the Republican's trampling of the constitution. Really. Why is this so hard? Republicans hammer Democrats for not being patriotic and for not inculcating American values. Here is what the democrats need to say....

Guantanamo Bay, torture, secret trials and permanent incarceration are not American. Terrorism is ugly. We must be tough but when we sacrifice the constitution and we sacrifice our American Values and the rights that the Revolution was fought for--we lose America, and we sacrifice America's standing in the world.

BlueThunder

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Wednesday August 06, 2008 · 5:57 PM PDT

2008/08/06 · 17:57

At work I occasionally check the internet headlines at work to see what is going on in the world. It is much like popping the window open for a breath of fresh air. Or in this case to get a whiff of the bullshit wafting through the air waves in the form of comments made by W. concerning China and human rights abuses.

I think this is tied to the concept of American Exceptionalism, the irrational belief that the U.S. is somehow better or different than other countries no matter what.

In short it is a sickness based on fucking arrogance.
More below.

Poll

21 votes Show Results

Are you down with the sickness?

21 votes Vote Now!

Are you down with the sickness?

Yes USA always and no matter what! More kool-aid please!

6 votes

No. The US is a great country, but only as great as its leaders.

15 votes

Another Nail in McCain's Political Coffin:Study questions US strategy against al-Qaida

BlueThunder

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Tuesday July 29, 2008 · 7:28 PM PDT

2008/07/29 · 19:28

So not only has Obama's plan for withdrawal been vindicated by Iraqi leaders, his argument that force alone can not quell terrorism has just been vindicated by a study done by the Rand Corporation. Not only this--but the Rand study suggests that the "War on terror" is not an optimal strategy for fighting terrorism, but we must rely more on policing and courts.

Here is the :

Based on an analysis of 648 terrorist groups that existed between 1968 and 2006, the report concluded that a transition to the political process is the most common way such groups end. But the process, found in 43 percent cases examined, is unlikely with al-Qaida, which has a broad, sweeping agenda, the report said.

The second most common way that terrorist groups end, seen in about 40 percent of the cases, is through police and intelligence services apprehending or killing key leaders, Jones said. Police are particularly effective because their permanent presence in cities helps them gather information, he said.

By contrast, the report said, military force was effective in only 7 percent of the cases.

More below

BlueThunder

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Monday July 21, 2008 · 6:12 PM PDT

2008/07/21 · 18:12

It seems that the FBI feels too constrained by current policies regulating who they can and can not investigate. Currently they need such things as evidence, or allegations that wrong doing has been committed.

The gist is this:

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department is considering letting the FBI investigate Americans without any evidence of wrongdoing, relying instead on a terrorist profile that could single out Muslims, Arabs or other racial and ethnic groups.

Law enforcement officials say the proposed policy would help them do exactly what Congress demanded after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: root out terrorists before they strike.

Preemptive investigations hmm? More below jump/with action.

BlueThunder

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Monday July 14, 2008 · 6:12 PM PDT

2008/07/14 · 18:12

Just a quick diary here. The DNC and Obama need our help. We know McCain's fundraising has been weak, and Obama's has been stellar, but currently McCain + RNC has about $100 million dollars. The RNC was quietly raising funds while we battled it out in our primary. So please give anything you can!

If you need more of a push remember:

Remember the DNC and Obama are NOT taking money from lobbyists and need small donors!

Remember the DNC and Obama and our friend Dean are running a 50 state strategy!

Remember Obama practically threw Lieberman against a wall after getting the nomination!

Remember Obama just promised no permanent bases in Iraq!

Remember Obama isn't afraid to attack McCain-- this is the year that our gloves come off!

Below the jump is a video from Obama's manager, David Plouffe detailing the situation I just described.

Before you watch the video, and recommend this diary (so everyone sees it and dumps money into the Democratic coffers) give your own donation. Whatever you can:

DNC
Obama

BlueThunder

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday July 13, 2008 · 2:39 PM PDT

2008/07/13 · 14:39

I am not surprised when FOX lumps anyone with whom they disagree into the dubious category, far left. We know they are simply a right-wing bull horn. However I a more surprised when the NYT tosses labels around without any connection to reality. While I do not think that the NYT is perfect by any means, I assume they will at least do their research. A mistaken assumption perhaps?

Today the NYT ran a story entitled Obama Supporters on the Far Left Cry Foul. It discusses recent frustration with Obama's move toward the so-called center, and suggests that this disillusion is occuring over on the far left. The article resorts to typical straw men and reductive categories rather than discussing the complex and nuanced positions of the American Voter.

Its claims that only the far left opposes the Iraq war, and only the far left opposes telecom immunity, and that only the far left supports gun control the are dubious at best, and at worst are outright contradicted by polls in the reality-based community.

Feel a little better?

54 votes Vote Now!

Feel a little better?

Yes- thank-you!

28 votes

No not really.

26 votes

What do Google, China, and Human Rights Abuse have in common?

BlueThunder

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday April 28, 2008 · 4:13 PM PDT

2008/04/28 · 16:13

There is a new law entering congress of which every woman, man, and blogger should take notice. Called the Global Online Freedom Act (H.R. 275) it will prevent U.S. companies from carrying out or facilitating the suppression of online speech in repressive countries. In short, GOFA will do the following, according to Amnesty International:

The Global Online Freedom Act of 2007 has been proposed in Congress to help stop U.S. companies from teaming up with foreign governments to violate human rights.

Now who wouldn't support that?
More over the jump.

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RSS

Pilot Sues to get off Terrorist Watch List [UPDATED]

Breaking: FBI Seeks Expanded Powers-again!

Moving the Debate on Civil Liberties

Announcing a Kos Civil Liberties Google group

Trashing the Constitution and the Anti-Antiterror Movement (Dueling Hamdan Editorials)

Bush in China: Irony is Palpable

Another Nail in McCain's Political Coffin:Study questions US strategy against al-Qaida

FBI Wants to Spy WITHOUT EVIDENCE/action item

DNC/Obama NEED Cash Influx -Give Now!

NYT Suffers from Delusions of 'The Far Left'

Good News (sortta) on FISA

What do Google, China, and Human Rights Abuse have in common?