This isn't just about the media. It's about a growing corporate-authoritarian state.

[woo me with science]

It is time to have a long overdue national conversation about the Patriot Act and the steady destruction of our civil liberties and protections under Bush and now Obama. It is time to talk about government surveillance and intimidation of not only the press, but private citizens and groups like Occupy.

I wish I could find a graphic that someone posted here a while back. It proclaimed that information by and about private citizens and the government *should* be asymmetrical: The people should have privacy, and the government should be transparent.

We are seeing a disturbing line of argument by the very same group that reliably defends every corporate outrage by Democrats. We are told that, because Republicans did not protest when Bush implemented the Patriot Act and its police state measures, that we should be offended that people are expressing outrage over government surveillance of the media now.

Someone actually wrote in a thread here,

"It's that old thing, when they came for my neighbor I said nothing but now hey....they are coming for me and I don't like it!"...."I find if offensive that people suddenly care about surveillance."

Well, I find it offensive that it has taken so long for people to *begin* to care about surveillance.

The fact that Republicans were partisan bootlickers who accepted the unconscionable is no excuse for Democrats to do the same now. This is an opportunity to have a national conversation about what has been done to our civil protections under Bush and now Obama. How dare anyone use Republican bootlicking and apologism then as an excuse for Democrats to become partisan apologists and bootlickers now. This is how the One Percent continue their agenda: by making sure that half of us will always circle the partisan wagons around the unconscionable.

This is about much, much more than the media. It is about our growing police state and the right of all Americans to be free from government surveillance and intimidation. It is about what has been and is being made "legal," that shouldn't be. It's well past time for a conversation about the rights and protections and privacies our Constitution is supposed to guarantee, and for some 99 percent pushback against a growing corporate, authoritarian state.

[Puzzledtraveller]

1. Great post

I logged back in just to k&r this

[woo me with science]

20. Thank you.

[bvar22]

2. DURec,

& a Kick,
from someone who cared when Bush did it,
and still cares now.

[rhett o rick]

3. Well said woo. It's bad enough that we have to awaken the masses

but worse when we have to awaken Democrats like right here in RiverCity.

I was in a discussion yesterday and a poster was trying to rationalize the need for increased surveillance under Pres Obama.

This is how I interpreted the rationalization: "When Bush/Cheney threatened to come for me, I was outraged. But if Pres Obama comes for me, I will go willingly." FTS

IMHO things will have to get a lot worse before the lazy, average American will wake up. And by then there will be no recourse but open rebellion. I do not favor revolution, but I see it in our future.

The Revolution is awaiting the spark.

[woo me with science]

19. +10000

[woo me with science]

4. kick

[suffragette]

5. " The people should have privacy, and the government should be transparent. "

It bears repeating.
Seems all too much the opposite these days.
K&R.

[woo me with science]

9. Thank you. nt

[ProSense]

6. Here is

The fact that Republicans were partisan bootlickers who accepted the unconscionable is no excuse for Democrats to do the same now. This is an opportunity to have a national conversation about what has been done to our civil protections under Bush and now Obama. How dare anyone use Republican bootlicking and apologism then as an excuse for Democrats to become partisan apologists and bootlickers now. This is how the One Percent continue their agenda: by making sure that half of us will always circle the partisan wagons around the unconscionable.

...something you should be able to support.

WHOA! WH Asks Sen. Schumer to Re-Introduce 'Media Shield Law' Bill
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022846992

GOP helped kill legislation sponsored by Obama (in 2007) that would have protected the AP
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022842924

SPJ supports shield law compromise

11/4/2009

Leaders of the Society of Professional Journalists welcome the compromise the Obama administration, senators and news organizations reached on a federal shield law that would protect journalists, their sources and the public’s right to know. Although SPJ does not believe S. 448 is a perfect bill, the Society’s leaders carefully examined the proposed legislation, and on behalf of its more than 8,000 members, have decided to support the protections granted to journalists.

<...>

Although SPJ leaders are pleased with many of the revisions in the latest compromise, such as a broader definition of who will be covered, they are disappointed that the new bill does not cover “non-confidential” information...However, SPJ is pleased that the revised legislation provides a shield for journalists protecting their confidential sources in criminal and civil proceedings. The bill covers subpoenas issued by grand juries and special prosecutors, in addition to prosecutors, civil litigants and criminal defendants. This revision requires that the party seeking confidential information first exhausts alternative sources; proves that there is a high need for the information; and conducts a public-interest balancing test before a federal court will compel disclosure of source information.

In criminal cases, reporters may be forced to demonstrate that there is clear, convincing evidence that the public’s right to know is more important than disclosure of requested information. However, in civil proceedings, the legislation provides more protection, including in cases regarding the Privacy Act. The legislation also states that federal judges may overturn subpoenas for reporters’ testimony if the judges determine that the public’s right to know outweighs the need for the government to know the source.

Another change in the legislation that is attracting attention is the inclusion of bloggers, freelance journalists and student journalists to the definition of protected individuals. To define a journalist, a test is applied to assess if the person is regularly gathering information for public dissemination, instead of by whether or not the journalist is paid by a news organization -- a definition that was included in previous drafts of the bill.

- more -

http://www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=936

In 2009, the House had passed the bill, but it died in the Senate.

SPJ encouraged after Shield Law passes House, shifts focus to less-certain Senate
http://www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=869

SPJ president to senators: pass the shield law
http://spj.org/news.asp?ref=987

Hypocrisy: "Republicans accused the administration of deliberately leaking classified information"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022840983

As for using "Republican bootlicking," those fuckers need to be called out in every instance.

[TheKentuckian]

7. K&R and thank you

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. "Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are"

[woo me with science]

11. Benjamin Franklin. Thank you.

[kentuck]

10. The IRS would be a good place to start fixing it...

But I fear you speak the truth.

[KoKo]

13. Well good luck with that..The latest just got fired for going after TeaParty when

as far as I've read...he had nothing to do with the Bush Appointee who did the dirty deed of investigating Tea Party.

And, there's big cut in staff to the IRS because of the Sequester. I'd say the Repugs won this one...but, we Dems also have some stuff going on with the 501 (c) 3,4 whatever they call them to hide case.

Hands are dirty on both sides. Plus IRS short staffed isn't going to be able to go after the Offshoring Wall Street Dudes who've hidden their money.

I'd think it was timely that this came out just when those Wall Street and International Big Money Hiders were coming under fire for storing money away from their "Home Countries" to hide their "ill gotten gains." But then...I guess that's just "CT" these days that this coincidence occurs where the new Head of IRS is punished for the Bush Appointee.

And...we know Obama won't be able to get a PICK that will satisfy the RW'ers ...so it will be another Government Office that doesn't have a Dem Pick...but goes empy to the Deputy who is probably a Bush Plant left in there to be the MOLE.

Whatever. It's all such a convenient circumstance that it causes inquiring minds to wonder "WHY NOW?" Why should the guy who didn't oversee the Tea Party investigations have to resign along with his aide. I guess it's possible that the new head and aide were Repugs and the Moles...and Obama pressured them...but, still. We don't know..

[DirkGently]

12. We elected an administration that ran on "transparency" in government. This

... is not that. Where we've landed is at a ferocious government policy of leaking favorable information (drone strikes that kill terrorists) and gruesome prosecution and punishment for unfavorable information (Manning, Thomas Drake).

This is exactly what all of our principles of free speech and free press were supposed to avoid. We supposedly believe that government does NOT have the right to protect itself from embarrassing disclosures, or to propagandize the public with false or distorted information.

Bush started it, and we were against it then. There is no honest basis to accept it now.

Great post.

[Junkdrawer]

14. Taking bets: Which defender will be the first to call The President a Socialist....

and mean it as a bad thing?

BTW: I joke, don't answer that. Calling out and all.

[Fire Walk With Me]

15. Kick!

[Taverner]

16. That would be correct.

[Egalitarian Thug]

17. K&R for trying to rouse the rabble. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. The Patriot Act puts the lie to "land of the free and home of the brave".

[woo me with science]

21. I feel sick.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014485013

We are in deep, deep trouble in this country.

[historylovr]

22. K & R.