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Who's Watching the Spies?

The civil liberties board goes dark under Bush.

 
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  • Posted By: mts881 @ 08/07/2008 8:52:23 AM

    Comment: If you do not want civil liberties, you should support government agencies to oversee it. If you want to destroy something, then you appoint a bunch of people to have authority over it, and then buy them off, pressure them, reward them for doing your will, etc.

    If we have rights, then we do not need a board to enforce them. We should simply ignore actions that violate them, or fight back against them.

  • Posted By: Mr.Eyes @ 08/03/2008 11:15:56 AM

    Comment: Amazing,Bush continues to use the policy put in place by T.Delay using only republicans to positions, guess they truly believe there is safety in numbers.
    Interesting in this memo is the name of Henry Kissenger,Halperin once worked for him,our ambassador to Iraq when the war was over was a Kissinger gofer, we all saw how that turned, out this guy could not walk and chew bubble gum at the same time and was it not Kissenger who was offered a position by Bush but,bolted when he was advised that he would have to show his portfolio of people he dealt with?
    This person continues to play in the shadows of our govt.and a favorite of the Bush family,Why?

  • Posted By: Mr.Eyes @ 08/03/2008 11:01:32 AM

    Comment: Bush will never change the Delay doctrine of hiring only Republicans is and has been ingrained into this group far too long for it to be trashed now.
    The person that continues to work and play in the shadows is none other the Henry Kissenger,please note that Halperin's name was dropped from this group as it not also interesting that the person who was chosen to be our ambassador to Iraq after the war was also a Kissenger gofer?
    Vince

  • Posted By: SharedThought @ 07/25/2008 1:00:16 PM

    Comment: If a federal law creates a board that does not actually engage in executive-branch activity, but simply has the authority to be present & observe, and report back to Congress (as part of checks & balances in government), then why shouldn't the law allow Congress to unilaterally appoint persons to such an oversight board (both when the White House is controlled by a Republican president while the Congress has a Democratic majority, AND vice-versa).

  • Posted By: Larry-OK @ 07/15/2008 2:34:18 PM

    Comment: I find it interesting that with uproar about listening to communications going out and coming into this country, no one has mentioned the project under former President Clinton, Echelon. It was found out that the Echelon was used for domestic eavesdropping (what the Times stated as being ???a necessity???), using allies to go around the constitutional restrictions, and to sell some of the secret intelligence for political donations. And that was BEFORE 11 September 2001! Where were the outcries condemning the Clinton administration for actually spying on the US citizens? Why were there no lawsuits filed by the ACLU stating that civil rights were being violated? If you did not complain then, then don???t complain now.

  • Posted By: Otto207 @ 07/14/2008 2:03:24 PM

    Comment: I ask myself time and time again. why do I even read about this garbage,the things that the Bush Administration is doing to this country in the name of security is outrageous and what it is worst is that we the people are the one giving him this power by even considering the nonsenses that came out of his mouth. if we think that congress or any one in Washington is going to do something,we are dreaming full to even considering such action migth came by anytime soon.

  • Posted By: farneyblakeley @ 07/10/2008 8:30:31 PM

    Comment: Why can't any of these Congressmen put Bush on his ass once and for all?

  • Posted By: JohnGaltlaketahoe @ 07/10/2008 2:18:57 PM

    Comment: Furthermore, the Denver City police were told by someone to arrest a 60 year old librarian standing outside a John McCain fund raiser. She was holding a sign that stated McCain=Bush. The silencing of political voice in America is rampant while both parties in Congress are failing to honor their oath to office to serve, protect and defend the Constitution. The 4rth Amendment was gutted in Congress with no reaction from the American electorate. The American electorate is drugged, asleep and defeated without a proper action against those in our government, IN CONGRESS, who would subvert our land, water and freedom.

    BOSTON OIL PARTY NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Posted By: JohnGaltlaketahoe @ 07/10/2008 2:13:32 PM

    Comment: The Bush Administration has much in common with the Italian Fascist Dictator regime of WWII Italy.

    Benito Mussolini was finally caught in the streets of Italy and hung by the neck until dead. What will be the fate of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney? Vincent Bugliosi, the famous Prosecuting Attorney has written a good book titled "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder". I can only agree. John Monbiot of Wales attempted a citizen arrest upon John Bolton. The criminals of this Bush Administration are facing a very uncertain and unsafe future on the streets of America once they leave office. Americans have witnessed them wage an economic war against the American electorate and the natives are restless.

  • Posted By: david-fahey @ 07/10/2008 2:11:20 PM

    Comment: just wondering while you are talking of security - who will be watching the bushies white house computers and files as they leave office? this gang has a record for "misplacing" records and files by the thousands. exactly who will be safeguarding white house computers? in the name of national security should not some neutral agency(and not justice)be tending them to make sure the records are safe? gosh in this time of war i would think bush and cheney would insist on secutity since we are at war. including all dept.'s and of course the v.p.'s systems and maybe that mansize safe where he keeps bush until he needs him.

  • Posted By: C. MacLean @ 07/09/2008 8:28:30 PM

    Comment: Putting the words "George Bush" and "Civil Liberties" in the same sentence is what the late, great George Carlin would call an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp, or military intelligence.

    Bush hasn't given a damn about civil liberties, other than his own, since he was elected in 2000. In fact, even his election was based on depriving people in Florida of their civil liberties. He is nothing if not consistent.

    TheBroker has given us two wonderful quotes by Franklin and Jefferson. But the quote that truly sums up the Bush administration's approach to civil liberties is one by James Thurber: "Government of the chickens, by the chickens, and for the foxes, cannot long endure."

    We have allowed the fox to guard the henhouse far too long, but a Civil Liberties Board with some real teeth in it will have to wait for the next president - this one has put too much energy into depriving people of their civil liberties instead of protecting them.

  • Posted By: TheBroker @ 07/09/2008 6:12:11 PM

    Comment: "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." ~ Benjamin Franklin

    I'm sick to my stomach over Americas complacency over this issue. If you look at the history of United States policy, you'll see that when we lose freedoms, we never regain them. A little here and a little there adds up to a lot!! The founding fathers dreamed of a society run "by the people for the people". The federal government is supposed to have one sole purpose.. To protect our freedom!! Since when does widdling away our personal freedoms achieve this goal? I suggest that some of you people who take this situation with a grain of salt log on to youtube.com and search for "Chalmers Johnson".

    "Nor is it conceived needful or safe that a standing army should be kept up in time of peace for [defense against invasion]." ~ Thomas Jefferson

  • Posted By: Ben Stroked @ 07/09/2008 5:09:48 PM

    Comment: I hope that big brother warches little brother (state Pigs) ***!

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/09/2008 5:08:06 PM

    Comment: He should have had to stand up in a constitutional law course for three hours in a row once a month and submit to a good grilling by a good constitutional law professor on what that document provides. Yale should be ashamed of itself for giving him one of its diplomas. He is barely "mail order degree" quality and the whole nation has suffered for eight years from it.

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/09/2008 5:05:13 PM

    Comment: It is so ironic that he claims that he is the "education" president and has no idea what an education is.

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/09/2008 5:03:26 PM

    Comment: Never again vote a president into office who is so ignorant of how our constitution works to protect its citizens not only from each other, but from their government itself. Bush thinks that he is a king who has all of the law of the land in his hands and that the constitution is just something that the "A" students studied while he got drunk and sniffed cocaine. We must at least have a constitutional amendment that prohibits anyone to occupy the office if he cannot properly pronounce the word "nuclear". If he is that stupid, then there is a whole lot else that he should know before he is allowed to use the awesome power of the office.

  • Posted By: wjlakner @ 07/09/2008 4:25:06 PM

    Comment: Watch out for the black helicopters. We don't need to know everything that the government is doing to protect us. Disclosure to those that don't have a need to know leads invariably to leaks and giving the enemy (yes the terrorists that want to kill us) free intelligence to be used against us. Speaking of civil liberties, how about the left attempting to regulate free speech through the Fairness Doctrine and Hate Crimes Legistation? I am more worried about not knowing what congress is up to than some conversation overseas that is being screened for key words.

    • Posted By: raddave @ 07/12/2008 18:52:34

      Comment: If that Government is breaking the law to "protect us" then we do have a right not know. The Government is not above the law. The fainess doctrine and hate crimes legislation did not and do not regulate freedom of speach. Hateful speach is not regulated under hate crime laws.

  • Posted By: thompsonHS @ 07/09/2008 2:17:00 PM

    Comment: "Every generation needs a new revolution."
    "Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people. "
    "One man with courage is a majority. "
    "Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual."
    "The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive."
    "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Just a few more words from TJ

  • Posted By: thompsonHS @ 07/09/2008 2:01:51 PM

    Comment: Maybe we should be our own civil liberty board again...

    "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."- Thomas Jefferson

    civil liberties get taken away and we just sit back and hand them over. Stop relying on the government to protect your rights, thats your job

  • Posted By: harperc @ 07/09/2008 12:36:07 PM

    Comment: A civil liberties board would be great under a president that would actually honor its rulings but the Bush administration operates behind closed doors and answers to no one. They break any law that gets in the way of their agenda without offering explanations or suffering consequences. They would step right over a civil liberties board just like they do to anyone else that gets in their way. Hopefully something like this can be successful under our next president.

    • Posted By: Lee Holmes @ 07/09/2008 14:53:42

      Comment: This of course is nonsense. Libby was made to answer for his indiscretions with a criminal sentance .Bush was held to account in HAMDAN,HAMDI,and the newest BONHOUMIE decisions laid out by the USSC regarding the prisoners at GTMO. Democrats use the formation of a ''civili liberties board''as a political football,with no-one taking account of what a similar board belonging to our northern neighbor,Canada,their ''Human Rights Commission'',ended up becoming. From it's ballyhooed introduction as a ''defender''of ''human rights and civil liberties''it turned into a partisan,fascist organ whose hounding of voices deemed ''intolerant' caused it to become viewed as one of the most dangerous government entities in western civilization,with the focus of the entire world riveted on its drumhead trial aimed at a conservative author who wrote of the dangers surrounding radical Islam,the defendant later vindicated,and the ''commission''[made up of liberals solely],the subject of ridicule and derision.
      If governments cannot become laws unto themselves,neither can such boards as these apply to Americans,as the decisions of such boards are conducted through partisan prisms. Such boards must not act as mere defenders of a chief executive simply because he belongs to the same party,and such boards,to achieve balance,should not be made up of either Republicans OR Democrats,as the mess known as the ''9/11 Commission''acknowlaged,with Ben Veneste using it as a grandstanding platform,and Jamie Gorelick,who actually created many of the problems leading to 9/11,actually serving on the commission itself. As we saw with the US Civil Rights Commission,it too often becomes a plaything for partisans,which Americans neither want nor need,as they are footing the bill for their salaries and their lodgements.

  • Posted By: harperc @ 07/09/2008 12:30:08 PM

    Comment: A civil liberties board would be great under any other president but the Bush administration only opperates behind closed doors and they answer to no one. It's ridiculous how they break laws without explanations and without consequences. I don't think they would have any trouble stomping all over a civil liberties board just like they do to everyone else who questions their actions.

  • Posted By: pigfox @ 07/09/2008 12:08:18 PM

    Comment: I don't need a civil liberties board to look out for me. More bureaucracy that doesn't work? Get real! -Tony C.

 
 
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