Bush's Shrinking Safety Zone

[tw]

Take a nude picture of yourself and American businesses must now censure your photographs. This because right wing religious extremists have decided they must protect you from yourself. Their religion and morality must be imposed on you. Should your child use a condom, well, that too is evil. Using condoms violates moral beliefs - which must be imposed upon you and your child. Sex should only be for creating children. Even condom use in Africa is now discouraged in exchange for American aid. More righteous religion imposed on other people

Is not one of the commandments "Thou shalt not lie?" Of course. But more important is that a leader lie so as to impose religious extremist rhetoric. It was only a white lie that Bownie was doing a good job or that no one expected the levees to be breached. That the president said aid was coming – when none was coming while hundreds were drowning in their homes. And so they elected a mental midget president who will do anything - even a Spanish Inquisition and torture - to promote the religious extremist agenda.

Just another example of what he will do to promote that agenda. From ABC News of 14 Dec 2005:

Bob Novak Says President Knows Leak Source
Columnist Bob Novak, who first published the identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame, says he is confident that President Bush knows who leaked Plame's name.

Novak said that "I'd be amazed" if the president didn't know the source's identity and that the public should "bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is."

Is it evil for Wal-Mart to censure one's personal nude photographs? Not when their religion is more important than your rights. Is it evil to commit treason - out a CIA agent? Not when her husband exposed another presidental lie. This is the new moralty - what happens when religious beliefs - the Spanish Inquisition - are more important than American principles.

[tw]

From the president's own speech of 14 Dec 2005:

We removed Saddam Hussein from power because he was a threat to our security. He had pursued and used weapons of mass destruction. He sponsored terrorists. He ordered his military to shoot at American and British pilots patrolling the no-fly zones. He invaded his neighbors. He fought a war against the United States and a broad coalition. He had declared that the United States of America was his enemy.

1) Saddam was not a threat to US security. He was no longer a threat to his neighbors – as every adjacent nation said. It was Saddam's own wish to avoid all conflict with the US - even obtaining what he saw (and rightly so from his perspective) approval from the US for an invasion of Kuwait.

2) He pursued WMDs. And then we add the facts a mental midget president (who does not even read his memos) forgets to mention. Such as Saddam destroyed his WMDs in 1996 and began a program of deception so that others did not really know how toothless he was.

3) British and American warplanes were openly attacking Iraqi air defense sites long before the "Mission Accomplished" war. These attacks were preparation for an invasion many months later. George Jr just forgot to mention that part. In many if not most cases, the provocateurs were US and British warplanes - so that air defense facilities would 'light up' their radars - so that those radars could be located and destroyed. Some of those attacks were outside of the No Fly Zone. So why were American and British planes that far north?

4) Yes Saddam fought a war against a coalition. That was the Kuwait war - not the "Mission Accomplished" war. And he lost. But that Kuwait liberation was tarnished by Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfovitz, etc when they failed to define a political settlement of that war. They failed to perform their job. They drank champagne rather than provide Schwarzkopf with the necessary conditions of surrender. And so Saddam was permitted to attack and kill maybe 20,000 civilians in Basra as the American army sat only 5 miles away - and watched. Saddam remained in power because America's current leaders (from the George Sr administration) failed to perform their job. They even violated basic principles of war as even defined by Sze Tzu in 500 BC. Let’s not forget who desperately wanted a second Iraq war to correct their historical mistakes.

How convenient this president would distort facts - lie by telling half truths - so that you will think kindly of him. Are you so poorly educated as to not see through his half truths? Some are so politically biased as to deny these facts. Others realize why George Jr needs Rush Limbaugh and Fox News propaganda.

Twist and spin facts for those who blindly believed even lies about aluminum tubes - lies that even experts in America identified. Curious, when the president is a master of propaganda, then many never heard what those experts were saying. Does he still think he can lie and we will believe him? Yes.

Just one paragraph from today's presidential speech - notice how many lies.

[tw]

The same president who can be trusted to tell us that Saddam was using aluminum tubes for WMDs has routinely subverted other US laws and principles - to even approve of torture. But we need a Patriot Act since Americans cannot be trusted.

Good reasons exist to believe that the administration may have investigated me and so many like me. Is that a desire to make the George Jr Enemies List? I'm sure he has one computerized somewhere because he is like Nixon - demanding absolute loyalty. George Jr's disregard for the law and for American principles are so Nixonian. Why do we need more laws like the Patriot Act?

Bush Authorized Domestic Spying
President Bush signed a secret order in 2002 authorizing the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on U.S. citizens and foreign nationals in the United States, despite previous legal prohibitions against such domestic spying, sources with knowledge of the program said last night.

The super-secretive NSA, which has generally been barred from domestic spying except in narrow circumstances involving foreign nationals, has monitored the e-mail, telephone calls and other communications of hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of people under the program, the New York Times disclosed last night.

Did I start some kind of vendetta against a mental midget president? Not for a minute. Revelations about outright corruption and anti-American principles by George Jr are now leaking like the Taum Sauk Reservoir dam. Apparently things like the USS Bataan doing nothing for days as Americans died in New Orleans has made little people realize this president is not honest or patriotic. Apparently political attacks on Rep Murta are slowly turning even those with blind loyalty against a lying president. Maybe another levee that George Jr thought would not be breached? Stories of corruption and incompetence by the George Jr administration are leaking daily.

The president authorized electronic monitoring even of American citizens by the NSA. The same NSA that was spying on allied leaders and nations on the UN Security Council only because our allies would not help George Jr to 'Pearl Harbor' Iraq. How many laws can this president disregard? Hundred? Thousands? When does too many become an impeachable crime; more illegal than a White House blow job? Where is Ken Starr when real laws are violated?

Well, if W has an enemies list, I wanna be on it, too. You call W a mental midget, I call him a sociopath. There's no other rational explanation for W's actions and attitudes other than something seriously wrong with his so-called brain - be it stupidity, pre-senile dementia, or emotional illness.

But W is just a puppet, anyhow. Other players behind the scenes have taken advantage of W's stupidity and/or pathology and use him for their own ends. The rest of us turn a blind eye, wave our flags (burning or no), demand that English Only become a state sanctioned holy sacrament, and burn at the stake anyone who says the word "evolution" in the presence of a child aged 5 - 18.

We soothe ourself to sleep at night by mouthing the words of "America the beautiful" to ourselves and recite the Bill of Rights like a priest chanting latin invocations to ward off evil spirits. Latin is a dead language, and the Bill of Rights is dying of gangrene. At least Latin has the advantage of being useful to pre-med students. Might as well burn the Bill of Rights along with your flag. Its a dreary, shameful period in US history, and I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel as anything but an on-rushing train.

[tw]

Did George Jr approve of torture? Of course.

In an Awkward Dance, the President Is Forced to Follow
Nearly five months ago, President Bush issued a formal threat to veto legislation barring torture, and for the past five months he has been trying to find a way to avoid doing just that. The price: giving Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) the upper hand.

Once again the awkward, freighted Bush-McCain relationship with all its history of rivalry and resentment took center stage in American politics yesterday, as the second-place finisher in the 2000 Republican presidential primaries forced the first-place finisher to swallow something he once opposed. ...

In hindsight, it may have been Vice President Cheney, more than Bush, who provoked the confrontation that led to yesterday's truce. When McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and other Republican senators proposed outlawing the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of detainees, Cheney launched a personal lobbying campaign to block it on the grounds that it could diminish the U.S. campaign against terrorists.

The McCain bill simply quotes US Army training manuals. IOW George Jr even opposes military doctrine on torture. He is that sadistic. Or maybe he never learned that doctrine while AWOL?

Senate voted 90 to 9 against a president who so hates the military as to openly advocate torture. House weighed in with a 308 to 122 vote. Can you believe 122 people in the House actually approve of torture? Not that you need be informed of what is right or wrong. Clearly any decent American knew George Jr was wrong - that torture is that obviously wrong. But it suggests how many potential nazis get elected to Congress.

So why did this president take confrontation so far? It says so much about his morality and integrity. So typical of those who would impose their religion upon others.

The House/Senate vote was 398 to 131 - a three to one landslide against George Jr approved torture. Unfortuately we still have 131 Congressmen who approved of torture. The House vote is provided in ROLL CALL 630 . Does your Congressman, like George Jr, approve of torture?

[richlevy]

From here.

In a stinging defeat for President Bush, Senate Democrats blocked passage Friday of a new Patriot Act to combat terrorism at home, depicting the measure as a threat to the constitutional liberties of innocent Americans.

Republicans spurned calls for a short-term measure to prevent the year-end expiration of law enforcement powers first enacted in the anxious days after Sept. 11, 2001. "The president will not sign such an extension," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and lawmakers on each side of the issue blamed the other for congressional gridlock on the issue.

The Senate voted 52-47 to advance a House-passed bill to a final vote, eight short of the 60 needed to overcome the filibuster backed by nearly all Senate Democrats and a handful of the 45 Republicans.

There was a chance for agreement on a short extension, something that makes sense for an list of items that are esentially emergency measures and not necessary or justifiable in a future peacetime, but Sen. Frist said the White House wanted all or nothing.

So they got nothing.

I'm all for security, but permanent means forever. It's bad enough my grandchildren will have to inherit a mountain of debt from this adminstration. Should they have to worry about their freedom too?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Should they have to worry about their freedom too?

I'm afraid this minor setback won't assuage their fears much.

[tw]

Richard Nixon once claimed before the Supreme Court that he was exempt from laws - citing British common law as precedent. George Jr made a similar claim in his radio address. George Jr said he need not comply with laws; some made specifically because Richard Nixon and his plumbers were doing same. From ABC News of 18 Dec 2005:

Bush Defends Secret Spying in the U.S.
Often appearing angry in an eight-minute address, the president made clear he has no intention of halting his authorizations of the monitoring activities and said public disclosure of the program by the news media had endangered Americans.

Bush's willingness to publicly acknowledge a highly classified spying program was a stunning development for a president known to dislike disclosure of even the most mundane inner workings of his White House. Just a day earlier he had refused to talk about it.

Since October 2001, the super-secret National Security Agency has eavesdropped on the international phone calls and e-mails of people inside the United States without court-approved warrants. Bush said steps like these would help fight terrorists like those who involved in the Sept. 11 plot.

"Mr. Bush had secretly instructed the security agency to intercept the communications of Americans and terrorist suspects inside the United States, without first obtaining warrants from a secret court that oversees intelligence matters." That from the NY Times.

Why is the US kidnapping people on streets of other nations? Why is "rendition" transporting abductees (not prisoners) to third countries for activities such as torture - where the Supreme Court can say nothing? Why was Guantanamo Camp Xray established to evade US courts, international law, and to subvert basic human rights?

Nobody expects a Spanish Inquisition. George Jr today admitted to open violation of US law as acceptable, legal, and appropriate. He said the courts need not approve of wiretapping. He said his judgement alone is sufficient to wiretap anyone. Somehow, Eisenhower's U-2 flights over Cuba justify his actions. He also needs a Patriot Act so that other violations of constitutional privacy can be exercised without judicial restraint. Don't take my word for it. His Speech of 17 Dec 2005

A silent response from most Cellar dwellars. Many were not congnizant during Watergate. This is how Watergate started. Most Americans were in denial of Watergate even when Nixon ordered the Saturday Night massacre. Back then, Richard Nixon also acted as if above the law - and most Americans paid little attention. Today, George Jr must be careful to not alienate religious right extremists when he does similar. Nixon made that mistake.

Before 11 September, at least four seperate FBI field offices could have prevented the attack. In at least three cases, George Jr administration halted or hindered investigations. George Jr claims to need extraordinary presidental powers to stop what he all but let happen on 11 September. Can you really trust a man who is told by god what to do? Who subverts 'rule of law' because he knows better? That is essentially what he said in his speech. "Trust me."

Terrorism is a threat to American laws and principles. That terrorist is George Jr. What will he do tomorrow to top this string of anti-American declarations and revelations?

Why does George Jr fear disclosure of "mudane inner workings of his White House"? Terrorists and criminals fear public exposure of their actions and intents. Is there a difference?

[Griff]

Every generation gets fed this special case nonsense, but our generation is so much more comfortable with the state intruding into our daily lives that what should be the beginning of impeachment procedings doesn't even stay on the front page.

[Happy Monkey]

Bush's willingness to publicly acknowledge a highly classified spying program was a stunning development for a president known to dislike disclosure of even the most mundane inner workings of his White House. Just a day earlier he had refused to talk about it.

This is not a stunning development. This is pure SOP for the administration. Do something wrong, keep it secret as long as posible, and when it comes out they scream that it was the right thing to do, justified by 9-11, and they only kept it secret because of the liberal media. The media, in its pathetic obsession with not seeming liberal, treats that position as if it were just as legitimate as the position that the action should never have been done in the first place, and should never have been keps secret in the second.

[Undertoad]

By late 2005 standards it is treason, but by 2002 standards it is what is expected. If he had not signed the order in 2002, the American public would have asked for his head.

FDR rounded up ordinary Americans on the basis of their race and put them in internment camps. People thought that was the right thing to do. By 2005 standards it is treason. You behave differently in times of war.

[Happy Monkey]

The President becomes a King in wartime.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

The President becomes a King in wartime.

Only if the courts allow it. The Supreme Court allowed the internment of Americans during WWII. In this case, the Bush White House did not seek the approval of Congress or the courts.

The reason every soldier (and almost everyone else in Government) takes an oath to support and defend the Constitution is that the document, in setting up a three branch government, provides the checks and balances necessary to insure freedom from an authoritarian goverment.

GWB ignored the other two branches to 'protect' us. In doing so, he came closer to becoming more like Hussein, the junta in Myanmar, and many other tyrants who seized power during crisises in otherwise democratic countries by promising security.

Is this hyperbole? Not really. The principle is the same, it's just a matter of degree. I doubt that it could happen here. But I refuse to say 'never'. People think that Germany or Iraq became dictatorships overnight, that in a week or a month they went from democracies to countries dotted with death camps or detention and torture facilities. The reality is that a frightened demoralized people gave away more and more of their authority to a regime and at some point stopped asking questions.

GWB did what he did and got caught. He did not accept any oversight and so could essentially order eavesdropping on anyone. I wonder if he shredded Kerry's file yet?

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

By late 2005 standards it is treason, but by 2002 standards it is what is expected. If he had not signed the order in 2002, the American public would have asked for his head.

He's reauthorized it at least 30 times since then.

[Undertoad]

He has still been in 2002 mode.