Holy CRAP, We ARE a Dictatorship! Re: No Oversight of Bush Spying

[Dr. Jones]

This is CRITICAL...everyone get on your phones NOW and demand that Congress go forward with the probe of Bush's spying. Karl Rove has obviously had a field day BLACKMAILING members of Congress that if they probe into this, they will no longer have the backing of the White House and may lose their seats in Congress. It is truly disgusting, the HALLMARK of a dictatorship - strongarming the opposition into submission and using the dirtiest of political tricks to quelch dissent.

If you truly care about our Democracy, which of course you do, please call members of Congress and demand they go foward with the probe into Bush's illegal spying on American citizens. Tell Congress that they may has well pack their bags and officially hand the country over to the Executive Branch if they are unwilling to stand up for our liberties anymore. We CANNOT let this one slide - if we do, it's one step further into dictatorship with NO more checks and balances!!

1-800-426-8073 Call today!!


Congressional Probe of NSA Spying Is in Doubt
White House Sways Some GOP Lawmakers

By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 15, 2006; Page A03
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/14/AR2006021401812.html

Congress appeared ready to launch an investigation into the Bush administration's warrantless domestic surveillance program last week, but an all-out White House lobbying campaign has dramatically slowed the effort and may kill it, key Republican and Democratic sources said yesterday.

The Senate intelligence committee is scheduled to vote tomorrow on a Democratic-sponsored motion to start an inquiry into the recently revealed program in which the National Security Agency eavesdrops on an undisclosed number of phone calls and e-mails involving U.S. residents without obtaining warrants from a secret court. Two committee Democrats said the panel -- made up of eight Republicans and seven Democrats -- was clearly leaning in favor of the motion last week but now is closely divided and possibly inclined against it.

They attributed the shift to last week's closed briefings given by top administration officials to the full House and Senate intelligence committees, and to private appeals to wavering GOP senators by officials, including Vice President Cheney. "It's been a full-court press," said a top Senate Republican aide who asked to speak only on background -- as did several others for this story -- because of the classified nature of the intelligence committees' work.

<snip>

[mdmc]

1. welcome to DU

peace and low stress! Hope our reps don't cave, but that is the PATRIOTic thing to do. Yes, we are in grave danger.

[Wind Dancer]

2. This is typical of the Republican controlled Congress.

These politicians have been threatened by King Rove, we need to continue to demand this matter be investigated by both parties.

[babylonsister]

3. I'm an optimist and choose to think most thinking pols

won't support the spying. I know Conyers is fighting it tooth and nail, as are others.
So too are organizations, like ACLU.

[acmejack]

4. It is fait accompli.

My Senators both strongly support the Terrorist Surveillance Program and believe the President is acting within his Constitutional authority. That is the word form their offices. Of course my Senators are John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, both of whom, as we know, are complete fools.

God help us all, I am old and my time has past, but we must do something for the sake of our young. We simply cannot leave a world in this state as our legacy. Were these our dreams at Woodstock?

[Wind Dancer]

7. I know the feeling, acmejack.

My Senators have sent the usual form letters claiming we need to use every tool available to protect us from the "terrorists". It seems like a major waste of my time to keep calling, sending letters, etc. but what the hell.

I'm old and it's heartbreaking to watch this country being run by uptight conservative RWers. It's been an orchestrated effort for the last 40 years to destroy any progressive change. I fear things will only get worse.

[peacebird]

30. I sent Warner's letter re: anti-torture amendment - touting great success

Right back to him. Asked him if he really thought his "magnificent" piece of legistation mattered at all since bush issued a signing statement essentially stating he was above the law. I asked Warner if he thought that no one outside the Beltway happened to NOTICE that.

Then I asked how it felt to be so utterly powerless and impotent in the path of the presidents imperial powers.

It won't matter but I have all my reps numbers in my bag and I call them almost weekly.....

Bastards.

[Wind Dancer]

32. Warner is from my home-state.

I've noticed it getting even more conservative, if that's possible, over the past few years. It certainly didn't help to have the new governor pass legislation denying gays their civil right or equal protection under the law of others states. GRRRRR.

I like your idea of sending back the "standard letter" with a powerful statement on presidential imperial power. There must be a pile of those somewhere in my stacks of papers, Burr responds to every complaint but Dole only graces my mailbox occasionally.

[Dr. Jones]

9. I'm with you Acme,

those are my Senators as well. I've only lived in TX for a few years, but already regretting having moved to a state where corruption and dirty politics abounds. Try calling Kay Bailey Hutchinson's office and demand impeachment - it's a real HOOT!!

[mmonk]

5. Yes, that is correct.

[helderheid]

6. welcome to DU! Help us out with the ACLU action

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=416095&mesg_id=416095

[Dr. Jones]

11. Signed it -

and encourage EVERYONE HERE to sign it as well.

[helderheid]

18. Thank you!!!

[giant_robot]

8. This is a very important matter.

Please sight the ACLU petition.

Here's one thing I don't understand: What possible leverage could Rove have left over members of congress? In an earlier thread I read that the White House wouldn't provide contributions or endosement for the re-election campaigns of anyone who supports the investigation, but, a) do campaign contributions from the White House really amount to all that much? Even with Abramof out of the picture? and, b) Bush is so toxic right now that many wouldn't even WANT him to campaign for them. So what leverage does Rove have?

[Dr. Jones]

10. The backing of the White House provides significant

political clout. Why do you think John McCain was eating cake with Bush while people in New Orleans were drowning? It's about WHO you know, not WHAT you know - and if you are cushy with the top dog, well you pretty much have it made in the shade.

But the biggest fear of GOP Congressmen is that they will lose their jobs and they will suffer retribution from the Bush gang for not towing the line. Remember, like Hitler - like Stalin - like Saddam Hussein - this Administration STRONGLY uses fear, intimidation, and blackmail to achieve their ends. They reward those who are loyal - and PUNISH THOSE WHO DISSENT.

Pure evil.

[Wind Dancer]

12. They use many different methods to blackmail opposition.

Here is a quote from an excellent article that answers some of your questions regarding the power of Rove and others. It's written by Paul Craig Roberts, the former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration.

"The years of illegal spying have given the Bush administration power over the media and the opposition. Journalists and Democratic politicians don't want to have their adulterous affairs broadcast over television or to see their favorite online porn sites revealed in headlines in the local press with their names attached. Only people willing to risk such disclosures can stand up for the country."

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts02062006.html


John Perkins also discusses it at length in his interviews and book, "Confessions of an Economic Hitman".

Democracy Now has an interview with him today, you can hear it online. http://www.democracynow.org/

[giant_robot]

15. Thanks for the links.

It's hard to believe that our country has sunk to that level, but it certainly answers some questions, doesn't it?

[Dr. Jones]

17. Thank you for this...

Bolsters the argument of many that warantless wiretaps don't have as much to do with terrorists as they do with spying on American citizens. Imagine the godlike power one could wield if one knew of the thoughts, intentions, and indescretions of members of Congress, reporters, and state and local politicians.

I continue to say this - the war is not so much on the terrorists as it is on the American People. Sad though it may be.

[Wind Dancer]

19. I think the entire program is based on gaining political power.

This administration with modern technology has the ability to know everything about your activities. It would explain the reasons many Dems have not been more vocal or a true opposition party. Look at what has happened to those who dare speak out against this cabal?

John Perkins discusses the assassinations of American politicians and dissenters on DN, it's meant to send a message to those that dare speak out against the "powers that be".

BTW, welcome to DU.
:hi:

[EVDebs]

24. TIA and RFIDs and they still couldn't locate OBL...but can track YOU

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2025401

TIA is now located offshore with Global Information Group Ltd. in the Bahamas. Google it and its ceo Ben H. Bell III, a 'former' intelligence officer.

[Wind Dancer]

28. Thanks for that information.

I can't get the Mother Jones article from the link in other thread, do you have it saved?

These people have unlimited access to our every move. The background checks with false information on individuals are ruining their careers and lives yet there doesn't seem to be any legal recourse.

[EVDebs]

31. Hmmm. Google up this or ....

try this
http://www.motherjones.com/interview/2005/12/albrecht.html

or google the article's title and motherjones:
'total surveillance motherjones.com'

I've noticed that google will put spaces (automatically ?) into some links, so you sometimes have to go back and view them once posted and take out the spaces. Hmmm.

Also, see here book website
http://www.spychips.com

for more info

[Wind Dancer]

33. Great, I appreciate all of this info.

I'll remember that glitch (?) regarding Google links for future reference.

If this information doesn't scare a sane person, I honestly don't know what will. :wow:

These are excellent resources for information on the dangers we face. From the Mother Jones article:

"MJ: How might the government use this technology for homeland security?

KA: Depending on your politics, you may attend a peace rally or a gun show or a talk by a Muslim cleric or a union meeting or a particular political rally, all of which are protected by the First Amendment. But in the RFID world, federal agents could attend that meeting with a hand-held reader hidden in a backpack, mill around long enough to capture a couple thousand RFID numbers associated with the people at the meeting, upload all of that to a central database, cross-reference it, and figure out everybody who was there.

Also, once you’ve got the private sector wielding all of this technology, they are at liberty to sell that information to the federal government. At that point, the government does not run a foul of Constitution restrictions for essentially spying on its own citizens. There are a lot of private sector-government partnerships in sharing of this information once it’s been gathered, and we anticipate that there will be more and more of that in coming years."


RFID site:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1347022/000119312505250388/ds1.htm

[O.M.B.inOhio]

14. The GOP threatens careers of dissenters and their families' careers

Even at the university I'm at, a conservative student organization wanted to distance themselves from the GOP, which of course is not really conservative, and call themselves a "libertarian" group. (The students I'm acquainted with are philosophically right-leaning but generally principled folk and are aware of the hypocrisy of the GOP.) They were threatened (by an arm of the national GOP itself, I believe) that they would be "blacklisted" if they ceased to be a "Republican" group. Who knows if the threats were real, but what matters is that the students felt that they were credible. Now certainly Rove is not involved personally at this local level. But it does appear that the MO of the GOP does involve threats at all levels, from Plame/Wilson to Senators to college students. Prominent members of the business community must also know that their personal donations to candidates & parties, or absence thereof, is under scrutiny. So the question isn't about Rove personally or the legitimate influence of White House endorsements or funds; it's a broader threat, I'd expect.

[Dr. Jones]

16. Whoah...

Bigger than I thought. These guys run a real tight ship!

[Norquist Nemesis]

13. I'm sure my GOP Shill will get "Right" on it!

Biggert does everything that's "Right".

Thanks for the heads up! *dialing Durbin instead*

[Dr. Jones]

20. Focus on REPUBLICAN members of Congress...

THEY are the ones who need to hear from us that the American people won't stand for the unchecked power of the Executive Branch. THEY are the ones who need to hear that they might has well pack up and leave DC because their power has been usurped by the Executive Branch.

People, I know Cheney has become an obsession of late, but PLEASE pick up your phone and call today...the vote is tomorrow. I can't express how critical this is for our democracy. If this fails and Bush's power to wiretap is unchecked, you can officially kiss our democracy goodbye as the message is clearly given that the President has unlimited powers to do whatever he wants.

[Dr. Jones]

21. If somebody could give this topic

another Recommendation or two, we could get this on the main page.

It's important - please consider, thanks. :)

[Dr. Jones]

22. Phoebe Loosinhouse

also has a topic on this at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x425963. Check it out - it also includes information on Intelligence Committee members.

[EVDebs]

23. Read about the NSA's Inspector General and see who needs investigation

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2461635&mesg_id=2461635

Gimble is covering up for HIS lack of oversight on DoD spending (going after Neva Rogers) and now covering up for BushCo's Plamegate (whistleblower Joe Wilson) retaliation. The entire lack of oversight and sane policies lead up to the stovepiping of phony intel by treasonous Chalabi (and his neocon sell-outs, Cheney and Chimpy).

Blow the whistle on this administration acting under the 'color of authority'.

[Maru Kitteh]

25. K&R + WELCOME TO DU

Seldom do we have someone so new post something so vitally important.

Good to have you here!

[Dr. Jones]

27. thanks!

:pals:

[FreedomAngel82]

26. We've been in one since 2000

[yellowdogmi]

29. I am so happy that people are still talking about this.

I would be happier if we had a concerted effort to stop it. Like we did with Alito. Not knocking anyone but it seems like everyone was very focused then. Once we lost the battle all the air went out of our fight. Below is a link to Russ Fiengolds petition to stop the NSA program. Please sign it and pass it on. Thanks everyone.

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/page/invite/nsa