Daniel Ellsberg On Nixon: "All The Crimes He Committed Against Me Are Now Legal"

[Hissyspit]

http://www.juancole.com/2011/06/ellsberg-all-nixons-crimes-against-me-now-legal.html

http://inthearena.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/07/daniel-ellsberg-all-the-crimes-richard-nixon-committed-against-me-are-now-legal

Ellsberg: All Nixon’s Crimes Against me now Legal

Posted on 06/08/2011 by Juan
Daniel Ellsberg (Website here) interviewed on CNN’s “In the Arena”:

These days, when you find yourself thinking about Richard Nixon, what comes to mind?

: “Richard Nixon, if he were alive today, might take bittersweet satisfaction to know that he was not the last smart president to prolong unjustifiably a senseless, unwinnable war, at great cost in human life. (And his aide Henry Kissinger was not the last American official to win an undeserved Nobel Peace Prize.)

He would probably also feel vindicated (and envious) that ALL the crimes he committed against me–which forced his resignation facing impeachment–are now legal.

That includes burglarizing my former psychoanalyst’s office (for material to blackmail me into silence), warrantless wiretapping, using the CIA against an American citizen in the US, and authorizing a White House hit squad to “incapacitate me totally” (on the steps of the Capitol on May 3, 1971). All the above were to prevent me from exposing guilty secrets of his own administration that went beyond the Pentagon Papers. But under George W. Bush and Barack Obama,with the PATRIOT Act, the FISA Amendment Act, and (for the hit squad) President Obama’s executive orders. they have all become legal.

There is no further need for present or future presidents to commit obstructions of justice (like Nixon’s bribes to potential witnesses) to conceal such acts. Under the new laws, Nixon would have stayed in office, and the Vietnam War would have continued at least several more years.

MORE

[redwitch]

1. or the war would have ended with a nuclear event.

Nixon thought about that. Dear God.

[defendandprotect]

41. Yep ... he wanted Kissinger to "think big ... !" Yikes!!

[LiberalAndProud]

2. I

surrender.

[myrna minx]

3. K&R - I give up.

:-(

[Safetykitten]

4. Those good old liberal Nixon years. Who woulda thunk?

[nichomachus]

11. Nixon, for all his faults, was to the left of the current administration

He started the EPA
He proposed a health-care plan that was more "socialist" than the Obama plan -- it was scuttled by the Democrats
He opened relations with China
He signed an affirmative action bill
and many many more

I'm not saying he was a good guy, just that the current "left" is pretty right-wing.

[IndyPragmatist]

14. I don't think the left is "pretty right-wing"

I think politics have just gotten more bitter and juvenile. Bush could have pushed a bill exactly like the healthcare reform act and it would be voted down by democrats, just like Obama could have wanted to extend the Patriot Act and democrats would support it, while republicans didnt....oh wait, that last one did happen.

[liberation]

23. Yeah, because the business plot to kill FDR in the 30s, the McCarthy purges of the 50s,

the Civil Rights struggles in the 60s, Watergate in the 70s, and the Vietnam saga, just to name a few were so much more "sweet" and "adult."

It has nothing to do with the so-called left being right-wing, that is for sure, since for all intents and purposes there is no left (or a significant one) in this country.

It has a hell of a lot to do with how much the political discourse in this country has been moved rightwards. So much so, that Dem administrations like Clinton and Obama are for all intents and purposes to the right of Nixon. Also let's not forget that a lot of the major actors in the Bush administration: from Cheney and Rumsfeld to a big number of neo-cons got cut their teeth under Nixon. That is frightening, due to the implications.

[defendandprotect]

42. Actually, US is a liberal nation -- 80% of public wants end to the wars ...

76% and more want MEDICARE FOR ALL --

what we have had for more than a half century is corporate money flooding

our elections and buying politicians --

much as Nixon sold himself to Prescott Bush and his fellow GOP elites --

for $50,000 a year over his Congressional salary.

Nixon did everything he could to move the nation to the right -- every vile

and criminal thing he could do at the time --

And, remember the words of his AG John Mitchell as he spit it out to us ...

"This nation is going to go so far to the right it will make your head spin!"

How would he know that unless it was an organized rw conspiracy?


The nation has always been liberal -- and true the rightwing propaganda does

confuse them from time to time but Americans aren't idiots.

Noam Chomsky often talks about this and the polls that elites have to run to

find out exactly where the nation is and how they are kept from the public.

Also ask yourself why it was so necessary for the rightwing to control ALL of

our media -- our now corporate press -- our publishing houses -- the news

gathering agencies -- shut down libraries -- ?

Because any bit of truth is a threat to rightwing myths --

Truth is like a pebble hitting a mirrow and shattering it --

Keep on tossin' those pebbles!!


And after the political assassinations came the ocmputers -- !!

I'd question every election back to Nixon/Humphrey!

[fascisthunter]

45. yup... when you ask about issues, most side with the left

[defendandprotect]

49. The biggest betrayal . . .

by Obama has been on MEDICARE FOR ALL --

Amazed that he has gotten away with that --

and his back room deals with Big Pharma and the private H/C industry!!

Well -- considering 2010 -- maybe he didn't?

Guess we'll find out in 2012 --

[Hippo_Tron]

56. Yet all you have to do is start calling it "SOCIALIZED MEDICINE"...

And suddenly the American people are overwhelmingly against it. In other words, the American people often don't have the slightest fucking clue what they actually want. And if they do, they are easily manipulated out of wanting it.

[defendandprotect]

63. They're being manipulated by "red baiters" who still exist believe it or not--!!

Most of the world, however, respects social remedies --

In fact, the original NAZI party was socialist and supported women's right,

abortion, labor, unions, preventil medical care -- etal --

It was only AFTER Hitler took it over that he turned it upside down --


Menawhile, this is also true of USSR -- J. Edgar Hoover always made it a point

to refer to the USSR as "totalitarian communism" -- something completely

different from communism.

[Hippo_Tron]

64. Which is why Democrats don't pursue actual universal health care

It's not all about big money. It's about the fact that five minutes after they propose it, American for Prosperity will start running TV Ads calling it "socialized medicine" and countless ignorant people will be calling their congressmen opposing it. Universal health care is only going to happen when either voters become informed enough to not be manipulated, or we stop allowing Americans for Prosperity to run TV commercials manipulating them.

[defendandprotect]

65. Wow ... no -- 76% of Americans want MEDICARE FOR ALL ... and they understand quite well

what it is --

In fact, if you recall the BS during the "talks" about Stupak and abortion --

and the US Catholic Bishops meeting twice with Pelosi and Pelosi having a call

from Rome -- that was all about the fear of the RCC that the government would be

making reproductive freedom official -- including it in health plans both by

government and even when privately paid for!!


Whereas, the truth of the matter is that even larger percentages of Catholics

wanted the government run health care -- and the right to reproductive health care --

from neonatal care to abortion -- from HIV/condoms to CHOICE based on medical need

and simply CHOICE based on the female's decision.

The numbers are 83% when Catholic Latinos and Latinas are included!!
************************************************************************

Additionally, just as many Catholic women as any other women have abortions -- !!


So -- what all of that is telling us is that females and families are disregarding

the RCC and following their own conscience --

BUT THAT THE RCC NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO SHUT DOWN ALL REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM IN ORDER TO

REGAIN CONTROL OVER REPRODUCTION -- WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

[Hippo_Tron]

66. You just stated that red baiting works and now you say that it doesn't

Yes 76% support Medicare for all. But they overwhelmingly don't support "socialized medicine". When the Koch brothers start flooding the airwaves calling Medicare for All "Socialized Medicine", what do you think is going to happen?

[defendandprotect]

69. Evidently you only read the subject -- ?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1263269&mesg_id=1279102

Additionally -- America knows very little still about the Koch Bros. who funded

the DLC - and Democrats don't seem to be educating the public about them, either!


Yep, Koch/DLC was harbored within the Dem Party for 20 years or more --

and presume much of their "values"/influence/candidates remain --


I have no concerns about the public and MEDICARE FOR ALL --- only Obama and the

private h/c industry had concerns -- that's why they made back room deals together!


Had Obama given the nation MEDICARE FOR ALL, Dems would have been elected for the

next 40 years --



Yes -- rw propaganda works for a time -- but it's not really capable of brainwashing the public!


:evilgrin:

[a2liberal]

39. Huh?

IIRC they needed (and got) quite a few Republican votes for the Patriot Act extension... or am I remembering incorrectly?

[Bandit]

47. That is not really true

Bush* did push a Medicare reform bill and with the help of Democrats it passed. Bush* did take us to War for riches and not security and did so with the help of Democrats.. Patriot Act was passed with help from Democrats. Torture was done in our name with the help of Democrats..Tax cuts for the wealthy was passed and then extended with the help of Democrats.. Almost everything I mentioned goes against everything Democrats supposedly stand for but yet enough of them went along with the Republicans to allow it all to happen...In fact except for Privatizing Social Security I can not think of a single thing Democrats did not allow Bush* to have...

[hifiguy]

22. That is very true

and I am old enough to remember cheering when the Trickster resigned. I was 17 at the time. The current administration's policies are largely to the right of Nixon's.

It must be remembered that, in his day, Nixon was a generally a moderate Repig, policy-wise.

[zacherystaylor]

48. Only under pressure

The good things he did were only because he was under pressure from the public and he had to to avoid repercussions. If he had the choice he would have done anything he could get away with; which is actually what he tried to do and why he had to resign.

The current system doesn't elect people that actually do what the public wants unless the public is very vocal and united about one limited issue.

In order to change this the public has to control the election process and the job applicants, now refereed to as candidates need to be required to fill out an application and participate in interviews controlled by the public.

[NYC Liberal]

61. Bullshit. Nixon wasn't a liberal even by the standards of

his time, let alone those of today.

[Waiting For Everyman]

5. That is a really important statement.

The RW and ConservaDems have been busily legalizing crimes for the last 30+ years. The Godfather would be proud of them.

[PhillySane]

6. In Egypt

they took over a square and held on until their "Nixon" resigned. Nothing changes until it gets a little messy.

[Hissyspit]

8. To paraphrase Dear Abby or Ann Landers (can't remember which)

"Nobody can continue to abuse you without your permission." Or something like that.

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. Ya can't be a doormat if you are not lying on the floor.

Is the way I have heard the same idea.

[road2000]

24. Probably paraphrased from Eleanor Roosevelt

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt, 'This Is My Story,' 1937

[AtheistCrusader]

32. Frederick Douglas?

"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue till they have resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they suppress."


From that sentiment, I think, springs Tahir Square.

[defendandprotect]

50. True -- but you have to be prepared for one hell of a disruption of your life and society!!

Loved what the Egyptians did -- Libyans should have been as successful but

Kadaffi is much crazier than Mubarak was -- and better armed and prepared to

kill his own people in every way possible!!

Once committed to an uprising, Kadaffi was so violent with his people that they

had no choice but to defend themselves.

[KansDem]

7. And yet, 6 out of 10 Americans won't vote for an atheist!

:rofl:

Gotta have that belief in a higher power to make those moral decisions!

[AtheistCrusader]

33. Well, after all, I am completely without morals.

Er, wait.

:crazy:

[KansDem]

43. Well, you gotta have morals...

...so you can invade other countries for no reason and murder their citizens with God's blessing!

I don't understand it myself...

[defendandprotect]

52. Amazing how many will follow "morals" set by

male priests representing male-supremacist religions which have abused so much

of humanity over millennia --

[defendandprotect]

51. Do we really know that ... ? Sure we hear from the "red necks" and those milking religion for $$...

but I think the people would be thrilled to have a humanist in the White

House -- you know, someone like Bobby Kennedy -- someone who will actually

tell you that war is a scam -- and mention the homeless and the poor!!

[KansDem]

57. This statistic was cited on DU a few days ago.

But here is an article that says the same thing...

http://scienceblogs.com/tfk/2011/06/six_in_10_americans_wouldnt_vo.php

[defendandprotect]

60. Thanks -- glanced at it when it appeared ... but ...

In other words, we might have been able to look for some sort of signal in people switching from theism to atheism, or vice versa, but there's too much going on in the survey to parse out a simple answer.

Every poll deserves at least a little challenge I guess ... so --

Let's try this -- Do they ever ask how many of us would vote for a CIA-president?

And I can think of a lot of other questions along those lines --

Like "How many would vote for a man or woman who supports male-supremacist religion?"

"How many would vote for someone who would be considered a MIC-president?"

"How many would vote for someone who would say US couldn't afford MEDICARE FOR ALL?"

"or for someone who's goal would be to preserve the private health care system?"

"for someone who would support taxpayer subsidies for faith-based religious orgs?"

"or for a candidate who would support new generations of nuclear reactors in US?"


Do you think Pew ever asked a question about NATIONALIZING the oil industry?

Or how many Americans today think that capitalism is a fair system?



We're always hearing stuff like this -- but would Americans today vote for Pat Robertson?

:evilgrin:


Might also be helpful to ask "do you know any atheists or humanists?"


We should also remind ourselves that 15 years or more ago, the RCC wrote off US, Western

Europe and America -- basically because democracy protects the right to free thought and

freedom of conscience which works against the interests and structure of organized patriarchal

religion -- as they've always understood. Male supremacist religions don't support

"Equality for All" -- why would we vote for any president who supports those notions with

his money and his presence?


And maybe a final question which would ask, "do you know any politicians who claim to be

"Christians" who act like it?"


And, no, I don't think that Atheists are turning off anyone -- rather I think the noise

we hear about it is the fear of the few who understand what a threat to organized patriarchal

religion atheism actually is -- and want it SHUT UP as quickly as possible!


This is also humorous ....

First, I don't think the reach of New Atheism has become so wide that it would necessarily have any dramatic (outside the margin of error) impact on broad surveys of public opinion.

because when you push systems of domination -- that is: "Introducing the Cross with the Sword"

then you pretty much judge your progress by territory -- length and width --

but things like Atheism and feminism and democracy and freedom of thought which are liberal

concepts naturally occur to people -- and don't need Crusades to spread -- simply an

atmosphere where freedom of thought can flourish!


We should also remember that those who give up their childhood religion -- "recovering Catholics"

for instance -- don't necessarily then describe themselves as "atheists" or anything else.

However, they have removed another support from the male-supremacist membership lists.


Even further, consider those who remain in religions -- technically -- continuing to identify

themselves as "Catholic" let's say -- but who completely disregard most of the Vatican's

teachings -- here's one example: Just as many Catholic women as any other women have abortions.


I'd also challenge the numbers on those who support Creationism -- people who actually think

the world began 2,000 years ago in the Garden of Eden?


And how about Pew asking how many Americans know that the GOP gave start up funding for the

Christian Coalition -- that Richard Scaife funded Dobson's group -- and other rw wealthy

financed Bauer's group? We here are beginning to understand the whole rw movement as Kabuki

or a Hollywood Sound Stage that needs breaking thru!

We know that the same funding has probably pushed Creationism just as the oil industry/

ExxonMobil has pushed lies about Global Warming.

In fact, THE ABSOLUTE QUIETNESS FROM WORLD SCIENTISTS ON FUKUSHIMA AND GLOBAL WARMING

CATASTROPHES building up all over the planet is a question in itself --

Perhaps partially answered by this weeks' news from Austrialia that Global Warming scientists

have been under severe threat for their lives! Any reason to think that isn't happening with

ALL of our scientists on every issue? And most especially re evolution?


This is a liberal nation -- why wouldn't its citizens question and challenge organized

patriarchal religion?







Re Pew Survey --

http://scienceblogs.com/tfk/2011/06/six_in_10_americans_wouldnt_vo.php

[KansDem]

67. Good questions!

We are living under the canard that religious folks beget moralists and we only want moralists in government to make the "right decisions." But we've learned from recent "moralists" that they can be lying, thieving, murderous scum not worthy of the office they're elected to, thusly undesirable for admittance to the human race.

It's all about power and the wealth generated from it. There's a reason the Renaissance and Enlightenment were met with such disdain by the political/religious elites.

Kicking for visibility...

[defendandprotect]

68. Thanks -- actually ....

I mainly wrote it for my journal -- but glad you pretty much agree --



Good questions!
We are living under the canard that religious folks beget moralists and we only want moralists in government to make the "right decisions." But we've learned from recent "moralists" that they can be lying, thieving, murderous scum not worthy of the office they're elected to, thusly undesirable for admittance to the human race.

It's all about power and the wealth generated from it. There's a reason the Renaissance and Enlightenment were met with such disdain by the political/religious elites.

Kicking for visibility...


Think if anyone pays any attention to the history of the RCC, for one -- and it's most

recent scandals re pedophile priests abusing children-- what you're saying couldn't be true.


But, also keep in mind that W gave them a big hand up out of the scandal when he began the

subsiding of "faith-based" religious orgs -- most of which belong to the RCC.

Until then, Catholics were out in the street protesting the chuch, its scandals and the

selling off of church property -- schools, churches and other real estate -- because they

needed the money to pay off their pedophile lawsuits. W solved that for them.


And isn't Pew funded by the oil industry?

[Gregorian]

9. The people are not being represented. And the government has grown out of control.

I see this as an internal revolution. I don't know how significant Karl Rove is, but there are many like him who signed the PNAC, for example, who are working to alter the country to fit their schemes.



There is a big difference between a teabagger saying they hate big government, and what I said about how our government has grown out of control.

There are bureaucrats sitting in offices right now with the desire to keep their jobs. And others making new ones. It's not all bad. And then there is the agenda to change the country from within.

[defendandprotect]

53. They assassinated to take away our "people's" government ...

This is the only way the right wing can rise -- by violence.

[gratuitous]

10. But, but, but, it's all okay now

Because there's a Democrat in the Oval Office, and everybody feels really, really good about these transgressions against the Constitution. Why do you have to be such a buzzkill, Daniel? We only kill people that everyone agrees are very bad. Didn't you see "True Lies"?

[xiamiam]

12. not everyone feels really really good..only a few very vocal here..nt

[gratuitous]

17. I dunno

The polls all seem to indicate that our extra-legal assassinations enjoy a great deal of public approval, and anyone who cavils at mob-style hits needs to be reminded of horrible events in the past that the dead person may or mey not have had a hand in, but close enough.

[SusanaMontana41]

30. Then I, too, am happy to be out of step. n/t

[defendandprotect]

54. Agree ...

the bandwagon only occasionally rides by any more --

and generally heavily fired upon!!

[kenny blankenship]

13. We have arrived

[Uncle Joe]

15. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Hissyspit.

[TheKentuckian]

16. It is interesting that our national response to Nixon's actions was to legalize them

as to avoid further corrective steps and enforce limits on power.

Doubly so now that Democrats accept such law.

[femrap]

19. We have fallen so far....

we'll never be able to get up. lol.

[AntiFascist]

20. So what we need to do is..

expose all of those "guilty secrets of his own administration that went beyond the Pentagon Papers"

[defendandprotect]

55. Right wing has ensured so far that there is no shift in power to the left ...

to permit us to properly investigate and hold those involved accountable!!

[idrahaje]

21. and of course forcing people out

who haven't had sex... oh Tricky Dick must be laughing his ass off below ground

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1418 double check to see if his feet are kicking out....

[Hubert Flottz]

25. All this couldn't have "Become Legal" if the SCOTUS wasn't...

a farce.

[liberation]

28. In this case, it takes 3 to tango: the Judicial, the Executive, and of course the Legislative

[defendandprotect]

62. The farce of W in 2000 was the doing of the Gang of 5 Supremes ...

Keep in mind one of the first things the rw did was fight to restore

Capital Punishment setting another plank in the "violent" America theme --

Cost plenty state by state, as well!!

So was the Citizens United -- corporate campaign $$ decision -- wasn't it?

[russspeakeasy]

26. Thanks Hissy...

[girl gone mad]

27. Disturbing.

[Fuddnik]

29. Who would have thunk it?

In Jan. 1973, we threw dead rats at his motorcade during his second inauguration.

You never could have convinced me then, that a day would come when I'd miss him.

His Attorney General, John Mitchell made a prophetic statement as he was going to prison. "This country is going to move so far to the right, you won't recognize it". He was right.

[SusanaMontana41]

31. K&R. Thanks, Hissy!

I've watched "The Most Dangerous Man in America" every time it's been shown on PBS. Cannot get enough of this American hero.

I believe Ellsberg would have gone to a black ops site to end the Vietnam War. Would any of us do the same to end the wars today? Would we change places with Bradley Manning if we could end the wars today?

[snot]

34. K&R'd!!!

[Synnical]

35. Thanks for posting this!

K&R

Ellsberg speaks out again! THAT is a Patriot!

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[snagglepuss]

36. K & R .

[Synnical]

37. Wow Drilling Down Thru the Links - The OFF CAMERA interview is only on CNN Blog

ONLY ON THE BLOG: Answering today's OFF-SET questions is Daniel Ellsberg, author, defense analyst and prominent whistleblower.

http://inthearena.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/07/daniel-ellsberg-all-the-crimes-richard-nixon-committed-against-me-are-now-legal/

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[whatchamacallit]

38. Stunning when you think about it. K&R n/t

[suffragette]

40. Never thought this would be the direction we would take

as a nation.

Thanks for posting this powerful article, Hissyspit.

[raouldukelives]

44. K&R

[DirkGently]

46. Nixon at least acted like he knew he was a criminal. Now he'd be a "Patriot" in the "War on Terror."

...like, the "terror" of NSA whistleblowers.

[Uncle Joe]

58. The phrase "I am not a crook" would be flipped to I am a patriot." n/t

[DirkGently]

59. Can't you just see him, jowls flapping madly?