A government of secrecy and fear -- why Edward Snowden deserves the thanks of every f

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by Max_Tab

Under direct supervision of Eric Holder?

Exactly what I was thinking as soon as I read it.

Funny that we already have "LAWS" in place for federal government agencies to follow, and when they break the laws nothing happens because they are government agencies.

And they are breaking LAWS because of the f***ing old motto: "Its a threat to National Security". The next F***tard that says that should be shot when he or she stands.

Of all the threats to "National Security" I've yet to see one that destroyed our national security.....

The only actual threat to national security comes from within......

[Box]

We already have laws that prevents ANY of this from happening.

...but no one cares. Think back to Bill Clinton. He WAS IMPEACHED on two counts by the house, one of perjury and one obstruction of justice. NO DEMOCRATS voted to remove him. Does that mean he was innocent of the charge or does that simply mean that party politics saved his ass since it would have taken all 55 Senate Republicans and 13 democrats to remove him from office?

Abuse of power mean nothing unless the House and Senate decide to act. It is my opinion that never in the history of this nation have we seen party politics as hostile, polarized, and as resistant to cooperation as we have seen it over the last 15 years.

Until people can be convinced that we are a republic not a democracy, we will continue to be governed by a 1% voter spread. Edward Snowden could have proven that the POTUS personally issued the orders to the NSA and IRS to do what they did, there could be a hand written receipt for every gun involved with fast and furious and an MSNCB news clip of the POTUS riding shotgun on Benghazi...
...none of that would matter one single bit since CLEARLY the current batch of folks serving in the House and Senate consist of folks that would refuse to vote across party lines if it meant voting AGAINST someone in their own party.


Get used to it folks, this is the new normal.

[dennisw]

It seems many general officers including Gen. Petraeus have been busted lately for fooling around. The administration alleged that the FBI somehow found out Petraeus was fooling around. Maybe general officers not friendly to the Obama administration have been targeted for removal. As TS previously mentioned, if the government can use its union workers at the IRS to target conservative groups, it would be pretty easy to target any individual for any reason at any time.

What is the limit in how this information will be used? How easy would it be to steal industry secrets? To intercept bid information and pass it on to a administration friendly competitor. Or reading emails related to strategies of the opposing party.

As I recall, during the Clinton administration, the Clintons unlawfully obtained FBI files on republicans and others they deemed as enemies. Apparently that was no big deal.

Lastly, the author asks,"where's the outrage?" Maybe a better question is, "where's the outrage in the mainstream media?" It's almost like there's a partnership or oligopoly in place. Big business, big government and big media. So who's behind this whole thing?
An individual? A group of individuals? To think it happens by itself is foolhardy.

Maybe Snowden did not know about everything. Is the government monitoring dropboxes? What about cloud security? Or folks who store their files offsite?

Maybe it's time for a thread about how to maintain personal security and privacy.

[Trapper John]

Originally Posted by Max_Tab

Under direct supervision of Eric Holder?

DOJ is part of the Executive Branch. The Judicial Branch consists of the Supreme Court and all of the Federal Courts.

[Trapper John]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Exactly what I was thinking as soon as I read it.

Funny that we already have "LAWS" in place for federal government agencies to follow, and when they break the laws nothing happens because they are government agencies.

And they are breaking LAWS because of the f***ing old motto: "Its a threat to National Security". The next F***tard that says that should be shot when he or she stands.

Of all the threats to "National Security" I've yet to see one that destroyed our national security.....

The only actual threat to national security comes from within......

IMO the Judicial Branch of the government is the last bastion to protect our freedoms and is so far untainted from the politics and political abuses/neglect of the dysfunctional Executive and Legislative branches.

[Max_Tab]

All right you got me, i was wrong about Holder by I hate that MF'er my head about explodes. As to the judicial branch being the last bastion... Look at the Supreme Courts ruling on the ACA, it's a tax, its not a tax.

The last bastion for the Republic is the productive citizens finally getting fed up. Look at Mark Levin's new book the Liberty Amendments.

[GratefulCitizen]

Originally Posted by Max_Tab

The last bastion for the Republic is the productive citizens finally getting fed up. Look at Mark Levin's new book the Liberty Amendments.

Concur.
The last peaceful bastion is an article V convention.

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Max_Tab

The last bastion for the Republic is the productive citizens finally getting fed up. Look at Mark Levin's new book the Liberty Amendments.

I second that suggestion! Of Levin's suggested amendments, I think we should start with repealing the 17th first. That would give control of Senators back to the states. The separation of the elections of members of congress was designed that way to avoid the very problems, in DC, that we have today. McCain and Flake are at odds with the AZ State Legislature and would lose their jobs if they didn't toe the line. Plus, it would perhaps have led to the conviction of Clinton and almost certainly to the impeachment and conviction of Obama. Although, Obama may well have decided against putting himself in that position and just accepted his place as a milestone in American history.

Pat

[Peregrino]

Originally Posted by Trapper John

IMO the Judicial Branch of the government is the last bastion to protect our freedoms and is so far untainted from the politics and political abuses/neglect of the dysfunctional Executive and Legislative branches.

"so far untainted"????????????? You obviously don't live in the 9th District nor have you paid much attention to the Supremes lately. I personally believe your faith is grossly misplaced. We are one "hiccup" from a totalitarian socialist state - and the Supreme Court will be leading the way with "the one's" newest nominee leading the reversal of every 5-4 decision of the last five years. NTM granting certiorari for every activist social case that comes their way. The judicial branch is at least as dysfunctional as the other branches - and because the appointments to the federal bench are for life, the damage this administration does with its appointments will outlive most if not all of us.

[tonyz]

Originally Posted by Broadsword2004

Who is NTM?

Not to mention would seem to work.

[Box]

Wrong is wrong...

It doesn't if its wiretapping a hotel or lying under oath or having the IRS hound your opponents

wrong is wrong and congress will not act because they all have dirt on their own hands, and they are afraid to get ousted

...and the judicial branch wont help either, they have been legislating from the bench for decades. In fact, I believe that they have more "legislative" power that the legislative branch.

just my opinion

[GratefulCitizen]

Originally Posted by Billy L-bach

congress will not act because they all have dirt on their own hands, and they are afraid to get ousted

Herein lies the power of domestic NSA surveillance.
Nobody's perfect.

Control the secrets of the powerful, control them.
Scandal is potentially even more damaging to a judge than a legislator.

[tinfoil on]
So, whatever became of the questioned legality of the Chief Justice adopting Irish children through Latin America?

[/tinfoil off]

[Peregrino]

Originally Posted by GratefulCitizen

Herein lies the power of domestic NSA surveillance.
Nobody's perfect.

Control the secrets of the powerful, control them.
Scandal is potentially even more damaging to a judge than a legislator.

[tinfoil on]
So, whatever became of the questioned legality of the Chief Justice adopting Irish children through Latin America?

[/tinfoil off]

Shades of J. Edgar Hoover anyone?

[TrapLine]

Originally Posted by Billy L-bach

Until people can be convinced that we are a republic not a democracy, we will continue to be governed by a 1% voter spread.

I explained this same thing to my wife today. I think there has been an ongoing effort by the left through educators and the media to hide the fact that we are a republic. I could be all wrong though...

[Scimitar]

Far from a constitutional scholar...

My understanding is that the fundamental flaw of a Democracy, is when the people realize they can suck at the government teet, thru a majority ruling. I am seeing this in our government where I live right now, where the very small minority has been able to hogtie our government into allowing them to rewrite our constitution to give them more wealth. It absolutely amazes me to watch this happen since 1984.

So, if the Founding Fathers wanted to avoid the democratic poison as we saw in Rome, was there an attempt to clearly limit what (how much) the people can ask of it's government?

S