The US Senate just decided to legalize the warrantless surveillance of American citizens as a reward for the President having broken the existing law which had been passed as a result of Congress having uncovered grave civil liberties violations resulting from warrantless surveillance of American citizens, not least of which being the FBI attempting to blackmail Martin Luther King Jr into committing suicide. Also, the Senate gave retroactive immunity to telecom companies - companies whose lobbyists poured money into the "debate" that civil rights groups like the ACLU are unable to match - for assisting the government in spying on US citizens in violation of the law.
Not surprisingly, Michelle Malkin, defender of placing American citizens in concentration camps, is thrilled. "America wins" she cheers - the Leader will not have to be bothered by such hindrances as the 4th amendment or the rule of law.
When a commenter asked why anyone would be proud of retroactive immunity for illegal surveillance of US citizens another commenter replied:
Because I have nothing to hide or of which I should be ashamed that I do or have done on my phone. Do you?
In other words, the commenter is being accused of being a terrorist because he thinks that America should be a Constitutional republic and not a Leader-cult banana republic.
That comment reveals a stupidity that is staggering. Did Martin Luther King jr. have something to hide? Should he have had reason to be bothered by the gov't spying on him?
The other option is that the commenter isn't stupid and understands that warrantless surveillance is bound to be abused, but supports such abuse since he believes it will be used against people whom he considers to be anti-American, aka the Liberals.
2 comments:
It would a poetic irony (or perhaps justice) if John McCain were to win the White House and turn around and use his newly minted executive powers to spy on the American public against those right wing radio personalities who are currently bashing him.
Wonder what they would think of FISA then?
Alan
Dick Morris on Neal Boortz said that if Hillary was president she would abuse the expanded presidential powers. Unlike Bush. Bush hasn't abused his unilateral powers, but 100% certainty Clinton would.
That sort of unprincipled partisan horseshit is why I hate the conservative movement so much.
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