FIENGOLD CALLS FOR CENSURE WITH CLAIM OF, "NON-POLITICAL".....YEAH RIGHT !
Senator Russ Fiengold (D WI), has proposed on the Senate floor a measure seeking censure of President Bush over the NSA wiretap program that the President authorized to intercept calls from terrorists into the United States. Falsely calling the NSA program a, "domestic spying," program and claiming that the program is aimed at U.S. citizens, Fiengold stated that , "The President has broken the law and, in some way, he must be held accountable." It has been argued in many circles as to the legality of the NSA program and this writer has presented the sub-chapters within the FISA act that gives the President the authority as well as his powers as Commander in Chief and those given by the Congressional authorization for military force after 9/11. This post is not to argue the merits of Fiengold's claim for there are none. The hypocrisy of his charge and his claim to be a Constitutional expert concerning this situation is an affront to the very core of the Constitution. First this so called Constitutional scholar is seeking censure for a President. The Constitution does not have a provision for Presidential censure but only censure of a member of the House or the Senate. Second, Fiengold is the , "pot calling the kettle black," so to speak. This Senator teamed up with Senator John McCain to pass the, McCain/Fiengold Campaign Finance Bill which tramples the first amendment right of free speech. The bill prevents advertising for a candidate by private groups 60 days prior to a general election and 30 days prior to a primary which is a clear violation of free speech. Thankfully not even the majority of the members of his own Democratic Party are siding with Fiengold. He claims that this is not a political act but the Wisconsin Senator has made his wishes to run for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination and if this is NOT a political ploy to once again get his 15 minutes of fame and free campaign spots then the sky is falling and Chicken Little was right !
Ken Taylor
Ken Taylor
posted by The Liberal Lie The Conservative Truth | 6:43 PM
19 Comments:
Feingold screaming? Not likely.
First let me say that there is no way this is going to happen - not enough support. However, I commend Feingold for standing up for the American people and the Constitution. The President overstepped his authority and his legal arguments simply do not make any sense (see http://www.npr.org/news/specials/nsawiretap/legality.html).
If President Bush's warrantless wiretapping is not illegal, why do you have so many Republicans jumping over themselves to make it legal?
This is not a partisan issue for many of us. I don't want any President to have such broad ranging, unchecked power. If a Democrat becomes president - which is certainly a realistic possibility given the unpopularity of the current President and the Republican congress - I will continue to hold my position on this as will many who view this as a dangerous extension of presidential power.
Great post. You've got to hand it to Bill Frist for being quick with the roll call vote as well. There's a link to coverage back on my blog -- www.digitalright.blogspot.com
The NSA was spying on Quaker peace groups in Vermont. The core issue is the fact that many american intelligence agencies are doing more than just spying on al aqeda or potential al qaeda operatives. No sane people have been saying it's bad to spy on al qaeda. Everybody has been saying the president and the NSA stepped way out of bounds. Spying on average citizens is only part of the story.
american operatives have described for years the brutal black ops games always being played out all around the globe. The zealotry of this administration is obscene. The campaign of psychological terror your intelligence agencies play on the rest of the evil world you also play on americans unrelated to al qaeda entirely. The level of this campaign of psychological terror and black operations is unprecendented. After 911 you must admit to this simple fact. There is so much going on behind the scenes you have no clue. The attacks on the NSA are worded very carefully, american security is at stake but american intelligence has gone MAD, a combination of caligula and ghengis khan. They can't come right out and say exactly what american intelligence has been up to but you'll find out about it eventually. american intelligence has been up to some really grotesquely deviant dehumanizing stuff. There are many many witnesses. It really is bizarre because so many people know but the media and the politicians have been gagged on the topic. Initially there are going to be some americans in total and absolute disbelief and many americans disgusted to the point of illness. More along the lines of the Abu Gharib sandal yet to be broken in the news. Lots of big names in the current administration involved and have knowledge of that which I refer to. Eventually you'll see.
christianarchisti
The NSA was spying on Quaker peace groups in Vermont. The core issue is the fact that many american intelligence agencies are doing more than just spying on al aqeda or potential al qaeda operatives. No sane people have been saying it's bad to spy on al qaeda. Everybody has been saying the president and the NSA stepped way out of bounds. Spying on average citizens is only part of the story.
american operatives have described for years the brutal black ops games always being played out all around the globe. The zealotry of this administration is obscene. The campaign of psychological terror your intelligence agencies play on the rest of the evil world you also play on americans unrelated to al qaeda entirely. The level of this campaign of psychological terror and black operations is unprecendented. After 911 you must admit to this simple fact. There is so much going on behind the scenes you have no clue. The attacks on the NSA are worded very carefully, american security is at stake but american intelligence has gone MAD, a combination of caligula and ghengis khan. They can't come right out and say exactly what american intelligence has been up to but you'll find out about it eventually. american intelligence has been up to some really grotesquely deviant dehumanizing stuff. There are many many witnesses. It really is bizarre because so many people know but the media and the politicians have been gagged on the topic. Initially there are going to be some americans in total and absolute disbelief and many americans disgusted to the point of illness. More along the lines of the Abu Gharib sandal yet to be broken in the news. Lots of big names in the current administration involved and have knowledge of that which I refer to. Eventually you'll see.
christianarchisti
lol . . . non-political . . . BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, right!
www.ravingconservative.com
"Clearly, Russ Feingold has cheese for brains." ~ Laura Ingraham.
Mark Levin calls him "purported" Senator Russ Foolsgold.
I think Mr. Feingold has sealed his doom with this move. Nobody but nuts like him will ever vote for him for president, unless he moves drastically to the right.
As Iraq and the federal debt, budget deficit, and trade deficit, and economy worsen over the next couple of years, Bush is likely to become even more unpopular. Given public opinion about Bush and the likelihood that his numbers will continue to slide, being a leader in attempting to censure the President may very well boost Feingold's standing and greatly improve his chances for higher office. It is not like people even know who Feingold is right now.
I believe it is appropriate to rebuke the President on warrantless wiretapping because he violated the law. That is not a political statement, that is an opinion based on legal facts. At the very least, Bush's legal argument for why he did it are dubious at best. Even if you support the President you have to agree that there are serious legal questions about the program. That is why Republicans are trying to make warrantless wiretapping legal by changing the law.
"The campaign of psychological terror your intelligence agencies play on the rest of the evil world you also play on americans unrelated to al qaeda entirely."
I don't understand why people in OTHER countries have such concern over why we are legally providing defense for OUR nation. Yes the NSA program is legal. If you want to take President Bush to task over it in the criminal sense, then you better take President Clinton too. Not a lawyer, but I would imagine that this pretend offense the left and weak right has come up with has pretty long statute of limitations.
All the demand to protect the country, in the end you want to get rid of programs. What are we going to fight the war with? No bullets, no NSA, I guess if we shout loud enough at terrorists they will stop. What world are you in?
First, we don't even know what Bush is doing with his warrantless wiretaps because no operational details can ever be discussed.
Second, Clinton is not the president. "Clinton did it" is not a valid legal argument.
Third, you are mistaken when you imply that Clinton actually did the same thing as Bush. We don't even know the extent of Bush's program so how can you say it is the same as Clinton's? Here are two links that may help:
http://www.thinkprogress.org/2005/12/20/drudge-fact-check/
http://www.thinkprogress.org/2005/12/20/the-echelon-myth/
If you want to show me where Clinton conducted warrantless wiretapping, that's fine, I'll be happy to look. However, it really doesn't matter because as I said before "Clinton did it" is not a legal justification.
Under FISA the government can wiretap without a warrant for up to 72 hours. The President's rationale for dispensing with FISA is that there was too much paperwork. If that was the case, then why not go to Congress and change the law? We do live in a country of laws the last I checked.
Bush has not demonstrated any competence on any major initiative, so I am not inclined to just give him the benefit of the doubt, and say that he knows bette than everyone else.
Good old mdconservative supporting the plutocratic fascists to the bitter end. Scared of some Quaker peace activists, you are paranoid. Wake up and smell the lemming dung, you americans are evil and lovin it. If you think the rest of the world is going to give up it's freedoms so a few nutcase deviant americans can try and play lets rule the globe you are sadly mistaken. I like the way mdconsevative cheers on his satan like patriots. The world is not yours. The american intelligence activity is obscene and it has been passed on from president to president from Clinton and expanded by Bush.
Even if you can't start armageddon the Chinese and Indians are going to race past you yanks econmically. The rest of the world is stuck with the strategy of waiting you yanks out. Your country is a mass of bubbles all waiting to burst. You've been watching it for years. My guess is that none of the people who read this crappy little blog understand much about economics but lots about behaving like satan, lots about how to kill, steal, lie and cheat. They are after all american traditions.
That was sure neat the way you bombed the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia I believe and then claimed it was old maps, integral neo conservative strategy. You rednecks must have started salivating after that one. The great satan hard at work killing and lying as usual.
I am going to love seeing whatever is left of americans whine as they slip from a dominant hegemony. You are all truly delusional and lovin it if you think america has any moral high ground.
I can't decide if I'd prefer to see GOD pitch a rock at Kansas and extinguish the evil america biblically or watch you yanks continue to shoot yourself in the feet and bleed to death.
Throw the rock
Throw the rock
Throw the rock
Come on GOD
Give the world some real peace for a change and no more of these evil american lies.
Rob,
Yes, you don't know what the NSA is doing.
As for testimony, you want to go back to how the FBI, CIA, and NSA were functioning prior to 9/11?
You MUST be kidding.
No. I want to hold Bush responsible for unprecedented warrantless wiretapping and an illegal expansion of executive authority.
So you admit to not knowing what is going on, yet you call it "unprecedented." Why is it that across the board every single person (R's & D's) that has had detailed briefings and visited us at Ft. Meade says it is professional and needed, they follow with their support.
All the talk about FISA, and yet everything placed before the eyes of FISA is classified. I mean there are people that think the FISA court is just like a court room, just right down there on Main Street.
You've got your chance for Democrats to jump on the ship. No one is, well 3. Apparently in your eyes the rest of your party is not willing to stand up for the "American people and the Constitution."
Only a handful of folks truly knows what is going on, but by what little if out there, I don't think it is a stretch to say it is unprecedented. Give me any example of widespread warrantless wiretapping that occurred in the past.
You are right, I do think the Dems are weak and cowardly for not standing up on this issue. I also think Republicans who think Bush is wrong - and I believe there are many of them - are too scared to stand up also.
If a president is allowed to do whatever he/she wants because we are in a "time of war" then basically what we are saying is that the president is no longer subject to congressional oversight and answers to no one. Given the nature of the "war on terror" we will always be at war - it is unwinnable in the sense of an enemy ever surrendering. I don't want any president - Republican of Democrat - to have such power.
Only a handful of folks in Congress have been briefed on the program - any other Senator or member of Congress who supports the program is basically doing so blindly.
But let's be clear about what what is going on. Republicans want to make warrantless wiretapping legal without fully knowing what the program does. Democrats want to know the extent of the program - they are not arguing for immediately shut it down. If it is a valuable program that is yielding high value targets, and current FISA law is unworkable, then the law should be changed. However, I do not see the logic of Republicans who have not even been fully briefed on the program wanting to change the law to accommodate the President.
So am I correct that you feel that every detail of classified information should be brought before the Congress? Every detail should be availible?
No, I believe in following the law. There are oversight mechanisms that do not require disclosure to the full Congress. For example the FISA court was specifically set up to provide a system of checks and balances on sensitive national security issues. Under FISA, courts review executive branch activities. Then, the Attorney General must then brief the full intelligence committees in both houses of Congress of executive branch activities. That allows for oversight and a system of checks and balances that ensures rights of citizens are not being trampled on.
Am I to understand that you do not believe in the fundamental principle laid out in the Constitution of governmental checks and balances? You would rather allow presidents now in the future to unilaterally decide what information to disclose to congress and the courts?
"In times of emergency, the president can override congress and issue executive orders with almost limitless power. Abraham Lincoln used an executive order in order to fight the Civil War, Woodrow Wilson issued one in order to arm the United States just before it entered World War I, and Franklin Roosevelt approved Japanese internment camps during World War II with an executive order. Many other executive orders are on file and could be enacted at any time."
Executive Power described by Cornell Law School WEX.
EO 13301
POTUS added another member to the Intelligence Oversight Board.
"The President's Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB) was established by President Gerald Ford in 1976 as a White House entity with oversight responsibility for the legality and propriety of intelligence activities. The Board, which reports to the President, is charged primarily with preparing reports "of intelligence activities that the IOB believes may be unlawful or contrary to Executive order or Presidential directive." The Board may also refer such reports to the Attorney General. This standard assists the President in ensuring that highly sensitive intelligence activities comply with law and Presidential directive."
NISP 2-208
The Congress does not determine what is allowed to be disclosed and to whom. It is determined what to tell them. In addition the information may or may not be classified through a variety of agencies. Explicitly waived is the DoE.
EO 13392
President Bush has reinforced and is trying to improve the FOIA. (Which I strongly disagree with.)
Believe what you want. I have detailed very clear FISA violations by this President in past posts. You have all the Democrats and a good number of Republicans who do not believe warrantless wiretapping is legal. I say let's hold hearings and ask constitutional experts. More than likely at some point this will end up before the Supreme Court.
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