|
"Everything is on the table." They fail to acknowledge that human rights and a clean environment should be held sacred and not compromised for any reason.
However, this iteration of executive office mainly seems interested in enshrining further power to impinge on human rights with Patriot Act extensions which makes this Libyan adventure such obvious hypocrisy.
*A secret court, known as the FISA court, may grant “roving wiretaps” without the government identifying the target. Generally, the authorities must assert that the target is an agent of a foreign power and/or a suspected terrorist. The government said Tuesday that 22 such warrants — which allow the monitoring of any communication device — have been granted annually.
*The FISA court may grant warrants for “business records,” from banking to library to medical records. Generally, the government must assert that the records are relevant to foreign intelligence gathering and/or a terrorism investigation. The government said Tuesday that 220 of these warrants had been granted between 2004 and 2007. It said 2004 was the first year those powers were used.
*A so-called “lone wolf” provision, enacted in 2004, allows FISA court warrants for the electronic monitoring of an individual even without showing that the person is an agent of a foreign power or a suspected terrorist. The government said Tuesday it has never invoked that provision, but said it wants to keep the authority to do so.
Also according to the ACLU:
"The bill also fails to amend other portions of the Patriot Act in dire need of reform, most notably those relating to the issuance and use of national security letters (NSLs). NSLs permit the government to obtain the communication, financial and credit records of anyone deemed relevant to a terrorism investigation even if that person is not suspected of unlawful behavior. Numerous Department of Justice Inspector General reports have confirmed that tens of thousands of these letters are issued every year and they are used to collect information on people two and three times removed from a terrorism suspect. NSLs also come with a nondisclosure requirement that precludes a court from determining whether the gag is necessary to protect national security. The NSL provisions should be amended so that they collect information only on suspected terrorists and the gag should be modified to permit meaningful court review for those who wish to challenge nondisclosure orders."
It should be noted that there is no judicial oversight to National Security Letters.
Under the provisions of the unconstitutional Military Commissions Act of 2006, the President has the power to declare anyone at all to be an enemy combatant. Anyone so declared can be imprisoned indefinitely without charges and without the right of habeas corpus. This is not a wrong that has been righted, in fact, the White House chooses to keep this. The Obama administration also has adopted the Bush policy of targeting selected American citizens for assassination if they are deemed (by the Executive Branch) to be Terrorists-- no need for evidence or a court date.
See Glenn Greenwald:
"In last week's post, I wrote about all the reasons why it's so dangerous -- as well as both legally and Consitutionally dubious -- to allow the President to kill American citizens not on an active battlefield during combat, but while they are sleeping, sitting with their families in their home, walking on the street, etc. That's basically giving the President the power to impose death sentences on his own citizens without any charges or trial. Who could possibly support that?"
Now, I ask you (the collective you at DU) Why would the President continue this policy. I'm sure most do not believe that Obama would use his "powers" for evil. Does no one see the danger to civil rights if we end up with a Scott Brown or Rick Scott equivalent in the White House in the future? One could make the arguement we need it while we are at war but honestly, we have been at war now since 2001. It is now 10 years and no sign of stopping. Instead, we enter more wars. The People are Tired of the Wars. Does the White House listen?
It is becoming a theory of mine that the White House and those in the Pentagon are JUST FINE with what is happening in the states. Their wealthy friends are taken care of. Keeping us unsettled, taking away our rights and our savings, allowing mass homelessness, keeping us ignorant etc. all help to feed the gaping brutal maw of the military. They rely on volunteers. Call it a "jobs" program. One of the few that still offer health benefits.
But then, they can always reinstate the draft. How many communities will protest if it gets the idle unemployed, disenfranchised and uneducated young men and women off the streets?
|