Politics

<div> <font face="Arial" size="2">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<br /> THE GREAT CONSTITUTIONAL AND MORAL DEBATE OVER PROTECTING AMERICA FROM TERRORISM.<br /> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">OBAMA V. CHENEY ------ MAY 21, 2009</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">ALICE --- --------EXCUSED ME, COULD YOU ++++ PLEASE ++++ TELL ME WHICH WAY I SHOULD GO FROM HERE ?<br /> THE RABBIT -- THAT DEPENDS A GREAT DEAL ON WHERE YOU WANT TO GET TO.<br /> ALICE -- ---------OH, IT DOESN&#39;T MATTER WHERE I GET TO, SO LONG AS I GET SOMEWHERE.<br /> THE RABBIT -- OH, YOUR SURE TO DO THAT, IF YOU ONLY TRAVEL FAR ENOUGH.</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">------------------------------------------</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">QUOTE FROM LOUIS CARROL&#39;S ------- ALICE IN WONDERLAND</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">Almost every day, across America, we see a victim mother, father, OR PERHAPS EVEN an entire family appear on TV, BEGGING criminals to return an abducted child. They even say ++++ PLEASE !!!</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">And how many have been returned because the family took the MORAL HIGH GROUND ???</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">---------------------------------------<br /> ZERO -- ABSOLUTELY NONE<br /> ----------------------------------------</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">WE THUS REVIEW THE &#39;DEBATE&#39; OF OBAMA v. CHENEY.</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">OBAMA, WHO TAKES THE &#39;MORAL HIGH GROUND&#39; AND CHENEY, WHO KEPT ANOTHER TERRORIST ATTACK FROM OCCURRING ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, OUR HOMELAND, FOR OVER 7 YEARS -- EVER SINCE 9-11-2001.<br /> --------------<br /> NOTE --------------- SPELL CHECK --- EVERYWHERE --- PLEASE PUT BOTH OBAMA AND NETANYAHU IN YOUR DICTIONARIES !!!</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">++++++++++ THE LACK OF A MODERN UNDERSTANDING OF &#39;TORTURE,&#39; WITHIN OUR OWN NATION OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS. ++++++++</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">We are expected to establish standards and hold to them, whereas, Islam allows, indeed encourages, deceit in dealing with infidels [all non-Muslims, where Islam is arguably benefited therefrom.] But often we bring deceit upon ourselves, which reminds me of our TV homicide detective Colombo, who never carried a gun -- try that in REAL life as a homicide detective. These &#39;mythical ideals&#39; then replace reality for many decent and compassionate TV watching people in our society today. The need for &#39;guns&#39; at all in a civilized society then becomes the next myth. Even in England, police carry guns when necessary, even if they don&#39;t while merely &#39;walking a beat,&#39; or directing traffic. SURPRISE ???</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">In America today, parents that &#39;spank their children&#39; risk being charged with child abuse, but when I grew up [in America] the rule was &#39;spare the rod and spoil the child.&#39;</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">Within America alone, our laws and traditions have, over time&#39; become &#39;sissified&#39; -- the physical discipline of children by their parents, now carries GREAT RISK, where 30 to 50 years ago it didn&#39;t, unless it was CLEARLY extreme.</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">Today, for a father to spank his child with a wash line [say 20 lashes] avoiding the face and genital area of the child would be considered TORTURE. NO WONDER WE, AS A NATION, ARE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES TORTURE.</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">OUR &#39;COMMON SENSE&#39; UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CONSTITUTES TORTURE, AS OPPOSED TO DISCIPLINE OR HARASSMENT, HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY SKEWED.</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">This point about what is and what isn&#39;t TORTURE brings us to today&#39;s &#39;DEBATE&#39; between President Obama and former Vice President Cheney.<br /> ----------------------------------------------------------</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">TERRORISM IS TORTURE, BUT TORTURE IS NOT TERRORISM</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">----------------------------------------------------------<br /> THE LEGAL BASIS FOR &#39;ENHANCED INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES.&#39;</font> </div> <div> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"><br /> Vice President Cheney CORRECTLY STATED that the legal basis for &#39;enhanced interrogation techniques&#39; is found in Article 2 of the US Constitution and in a Joint Resolution of Congress that was passed after 9-11-2001.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">The DISTINCTION between TORTURE and ENHANCED INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES is NOT subjective in nature, as many Americana&#39;s apparently believe it to be.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">Some Examples are initially instructive here.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"><br /> Amputation, mutilation or the INTENDED infliction of PERMANENT injury clearly constitutes TORTURE.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">A classic example used by sail powered navies thruout the world is known as keelhauling, where a sailor is dragged by ropes under the sailing craft, where attached barnacles will shred any flesh they come in contact with.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">Many died from being eaten by sharks in the process, some drowned and those that didn&#39;t sustained serious lifelong scars and injuries. CLEARLY TORTURE SINCE THE INJURIES WERE WELL KNOWN AND INTENDED AS PUNISHMENT. This practice was not used as interrogation.<br /> ------------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">COMPARE TO MILITARY HAZING -- An officer or NCO cadet was forced to stand on on a pipe toilet [as seen today in office buildings] for from 12 to 24 hours without falling off and saying gurgle, gurgle, gurgle each time the toilet was used. Wearing a gas mask was not allowed.<br /> -----------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">COMPARE TO FRATERNITY INITIATION HAZING -- A prospective frat BROTHER was cross dressed as an ugly woman and made to ride a public bus from one end of the line to the other [Howard U. in Washington, DC]<br /> -----------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">COMPARED TO TORTURE -- Amputation, eye or genital gouging, rape, vivisection [used by Japan against a B-29 crew shot down in WWII] breaking of bones or dragging a person behind a moving vehicle.<br /> ------------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">+++++++++++ TERRORIST RECRUITMENT ++++++++</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">PRESIDENT OBAMA ADVANCED THE ARGUMENT THAT DUE TO AMERICA&#39;S FAILURE TO ADHERE TO ITS TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND PERHAPS &#39;TRADITIONAL AMERICAN VALUES&#39; [like African-American Presidents maybe] THAT TERRORIST RECRUITMENT HAS SORED.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">CHENEY, ON THE OTHER HAND, NOTED THAT IT IS WHAT AMERICA HAS ALWAYS STOOD FOR, THAT IS WHY TERRORIST RESENT AMERICA AND THAT NOTHING WILL LIKELY MEANINGFULLY CHANGE THAT.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">CHENEY NOTED [CORRECTLY] THAT THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND ON TERRORISM AND THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION&#39;S APPROACH PREVENTED ANOTHER DOMESTIC 9-11.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">AND NOW THAT SUCCESSFUL APPROACH MANY &#39;LIBERALS&#39; WANT TO CRIMINALIZE [EX POST FACTO -- UGH]</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">I have already addressed the issue of &#39;lying, allegedly for the benefit of Islam,&#39; and while perhaps all Muslims do not agree with that concept, that the MORE RADICAL MUSLIMS do.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">Witness that only today a group in New York [Brooklyn] was arrested [without apparent overseas connections] for planning to blow up a Synagogue AND planning to shoot down an aircraft using a stinger missile. THE STINGER GOT STUNG IT SEEMS.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">+++++++++ VERBIAGE USED IN RECRUITING ++++++++++++++++++</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">UNCLE SAM NEEDS YOU has been used for longer than I have been alive to recruit into the US Military.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">MAKE AMERICA &#39;SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY&#39; has likewise been used since WWII.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">JUST WHAT DOES THIS LAST SENTENCE MEAN ??? LOL</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">THAT IS DISCUSSED IN POLITICAL SCIENCE 101 CLASS --- IT MEANS WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO MEAN, DOESN&#39;T IT !!!<br /> ------------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"><br /> WE HAVE, UNFORTUNATELY, LEARNED AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT BEING NICE [PRETTY PLEASE] TO TERRORISTS DOESN&#39;T WORK.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"><br /> ---------------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">HAVE BUDGET ISSUES -- THAT&#39;S ONE THING.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">BEING A FOOL, HOWEVER, IS QUITE ANOTHER.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">BEING &#39;WELL INTENDED&#39; IS EVEN WORSE WHEN DEALING WITH TERRORISM.</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">JUST ASK NETANYAHU !!!<br /> BUT</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">CRIMINALIZING THE LAST ADMINISTRATIONS ACTIONS IS, SIMPLY PUT:</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, BUT YOU, NOT THE ENEMY, ARE GETTING SCREWED !!!<br /> ------------------------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">--------------------------------------------------------------------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"><br /> REMEMBER ------</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">JESUS SAVES, MOSES INVEST AND TERRORISTS WIPE EVERYTHING OUT --- IF THEY CAN</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">UPON RETURNING FROM NAZI GERMANY, LORD CHAMBERLAIN HELD UP A PEACE TREATY SIGNED BY HITLER, PROCLAIMING PEACE IN &#39;OUR TIME..&#39;</font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2"> </font> </div> <div> <font face="Arial" size="2">EVEN JESUS WASN&#39;T SO STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</font> </div>

<h1> White House moves to restrict criticism of stimulus projects </h1> <h3> By: <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/bios/26406784.html">Mark Tapscott</a><br /> Editorial Page Editor<br /> <span class="date">05/30/09</span> </h3> <p> <a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/TapscottsCopyDesk/White-House-moves-to-restrict-criticism-of-stimulus-projects--46540777.html">http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/TapscottsCopyDesk/White-House-moves-to-restrict-criticism-of-stimulus-projects--46540777.html</a> </p> <p> A new White House policy on permissible lobbying on economic recovery and stimulus projects has taken a decidedly anti-First Amendment turn. It&#39;s a classic illustration of Big Government trying to control every aspect of a particular activity and in the process running up against civil liberty. </p> <p> Check out this passage from a post on the White House blog by Norm Eisen, Special Counsel to the President on Ethics and Government Reform (emphasis added): </p> <p> &quot;First,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists. <em>For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.</em> </p> <p> &quot;Second,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>we will focus the restriction on oral communications to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>target the scenario where concerns about merit-based decision-making are greatest -after competitive grant applications are submitted and before awards are made. Once such applications are on file, the competition should be strictly on the merits. To that end, comments (unless initiated by an agency official) must be in writing and will be posted on the Internet for every American to see. </p> <p> &quot;Third, we will continue to require immediate internet disclosure of all other communications with registered lobbyists. If registered lobbyists have conversations or meetings before an application is filed, a form must be completed and posted to each agency&#39;s website documenting the contact.&quot; </p> <p> For the full blog post by Eisen, go <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Update-on-Recovery-Act-Lobbying-Rules-New-Limits-on-Special-Interest-Influence/">here</a>. </p> <p> The key passage is the reference to expanding regulation from registered lobbyists to &quot;anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.&quot; </p> <p> This is the Camel&#39;s nose under the tent, being poked because of special circumstances. Let government restrict political expression - i.e. lobbying of government officials regarding policy - in one small, supposedly specialized area and not long after the specialized area starts expanding. Eventually, all political expression regarding all policy will become subject to government regulation. </p> <p> More on this as it develops. And trust me, it will develop. </p> <p> <u><strong>UPDATE:Great minds thinking alike</strong></u> </p> <p> Carter Wood at <a href="http://www.shopfloor.org/2009/05/30/how-dare-you-petition-the-government-expanded/">Shopfloor</a> sees the same threat to the First Amendment: </p> <div> &quot;Lobbyists and organizations that lobby complained that the White House&#39;s restrictions on lobbying on stimulus fund projects were discriminatory and unfair because the same restrictions didn&#39;t apply to people like corporate executives or officials. So these memorandumly noted changes address that fairness issue by expanding the ban on orally petitioning the government or expressing one&#39;s views through speech. In the interests of transparency the First Amendment must be sacrificed. </div> <div> </div> <div> &quot;The restrictions are also ambiguous enough that a lobbyist or other petitioner won&#39;t be sure how to fully comply. So if someone runs afoul of White House officials, a phone call to a news outlet or a friendly </div>

<p> American capitalism gone with a whimper<br /> Pravda<br /> 4/27/2009<br /> <br /> <!-- m --><a class="postlink" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false" href="http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/107459-0/">http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/107459-0/</a><!-- m --><br /> <br /> <br /> It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.<br /> <br /> True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.<br /> <br /> Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.<br /> <br /> First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their &quot;right&quot; to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our &quot;democracy&quot;. Pride blind the foolish.<br /> <br /> Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different &quot;branches and denominations&quot; were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the &quot;winning&quot; side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the &quot;winning&quot; side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.<br /> <br /> The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America&#39;s short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.<br /> <br /> These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them? </p>

<p> Can anyone elaborate on the Ricci v DeStefano case that conservatives have used to criticize Sotomayor? The case involves the New Haven firefighters who were denied a promotion. </p>