No More Incumbents Blog

Fear politics took a boring turn this week.  John McCain proclaimed his fear that Al Qaeda in Iraq would probably try to increase attacks more such that John McCain would lose the election. 

The inference is that if Al Qaeda in Iraq doesn’t like John McCain, then we Americans should like what they don’t like.  Its not exactly a George W Bush style of fear politics, but it is close.  It gives John McCain an escape if the fit hits the shan in Iraq post surge.

That does appear to be exactly what is going to happen next in Iraq as General Patraeus and many other people on the ground in Iraq are starting to publicly state that things are not getting better there.  The race for the White House has gone global and the headlines are not just on papers and the evening news, but coming across internet headlines, feed readers and lcd monitors around the world.  Fear politics has worked for many politicians for millennia, but it will be a new test if fear politics overcome information and knowledge as it spreads across the internet.

If you haven’t heard about this already, listen up (or that is read closely - depending on if you are listening or reading).

The Senate voted today to extend Spy Powers of the United States and strip your civil liberties for 6 years.  They also in the same piece of legislation voted to give amnesty to three major telecommunication companies for illegally allowing the Executive Branch of the government to listen in on your conversations, read your email and review the websites you look at.

This is all under the false guise of protecting you from terrorists. 

It is also a big fat farce.

I’m calling out the Senators that voted for this bill and will encourage everyone to vote against these Senators when they come up for re-election next, regardless of which party they are in. 

Note John McCain specifically flew back to Washington to vote for this legislation.  Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton did not even stop by to register a protest vote against the vote.  They stayed on the campaign trail.

Well I have a wake up call for all three of them.  None of them are worthy of support in the 2008 election if they are willing to either vote to remove our civil liberties or if they are too busy to stop fighting for a political office to come back to Washington and fight for the people they are serving today.

All three Presidential candidates failed the American people today on February 12.

This Bill will next go to the House of Representatives.  Please contact your Representative and also the other Representatives in your state and let them know that you do not support amnesty for the telecomms that will spy on YOU for the next 6 years if this passes.  Let them know that you do not want them to sell your civil liberties down the river. 

The argument that they are protecting us from terrorists with this measure is complete BS.  I worked in intelligence and we do not need to spy on Americans to protect Americans from terrorists.  This is bad legislation that is getting pushed heavily by a very bad administration and a visibly corrupt group of Senators in the US Congress. 

Contact your Representative to stop this Legislation!

The Despicable Senators that Supported this Legislation and sold your privacy to the highest Bidder

YEAs —68

Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Barrasso (R-WY) Baucus (D-MT) Bayh (D-IN) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burr (R-NC) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Chambliss (R-GA) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Craig (R-ID)

Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC) Dole (R-NC) Domenici (R-NM) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hagel (R-NE) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Inouye (D-HI) Isakson (R-GA) Johnson (D-SD) Kohl (D-WI) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lincoln (D-AR) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ)

McCaskill (D-MO) McConnell (R-KY) Mikulski (D-MD) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Roberts (R-KS) Rockefeller (D-WV) Salazar (D-CO) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stevens (R-AK) Sununu (R-NH) Thune (R-SD) Vitter (R-LA) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA) Webb (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wicker (R-MS)

Summary of What Just Happened with FISA

the Senate handed the White House a major victory on Tuesday by voting to broaden the government’s spy powers and to give legal protection to phone companies that cooperated in President Bush’s program of eavesdropping without warrants.

One by one, the Senate rejected amendments that would have imposed greater civil liberties checks on the government’s surveillance powers. Finally, the Senate voted 68 to 29 to approve legislation that the White House had been pushing for months. Mr. Bush hailed the vote and urged the House to move quickly in following the Senate’s lead.

The outcome in the Senate amounted, in effect, to a broader proxy vote in support of Mr. Bush’s wiretapping program.

…

Among the presidential contenders, Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, voted in favor of the final measure, while the two Democrats, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, did not vote.

…

The measure extends, for at least six years, many of the broad new surveillance powers that Congress hastily approved last August just before its summer recess.

Senate Votes for Expansion of Spy Powers - New York Times

The Text of the  FISA legislation in the Senate Bill More Info

SUMMARY AS OF:
11/16/2007–Reported to Senate amended.    (There are 2 other summaries)

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2007 or FISA Amendments Act of 2007 - Title I: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance - (Sec. 101) Amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) to add a new title concerning additional procedures for targeting (acquiring) communications of certain persons outside the United States.

Authorizes the Attorney General (AG) and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to jointly authorize, for periods up to one year, the targeting (electronic surveillance) of persons located outside the United States in order to acquire foreign intelligence information, under specified limitations, including prohibiting an acquisition intentionally targeting a person reasonably believed to be outside the United States with the significant purpose of acquiring the communications of a specific person reasonably believed to be located in the United States, unless done in accordance with title I of FISA. Requires: (1) certain targeting and minimization procedures to be followed; and (2) Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (Court) review of such procedures. Allows the AG to authorize the emergency employment of an acquisition of foreign intelligence if the AG: (1) determines that an emergency situation exists with respect to the acquisition; (2) informs a Court judge of such determination; (3) submits to the Court, within 72 hours, a request authorizing such acquisition; and (4) follows appropriate minimization procedures. Requires such emergency acquisition to terminate within 72 hours, unless the Court determines that the person outside the United States is a foreign power or agent. Provides transition procedures with respect to the targeting of U.S. persons located overseas.

Requires the AG and DNI, prior to any non-emergency acquisition, to certify to the Court that: (1) the acquisition is targeted at persons believed to be outside the United States and that the targeting and minimization procedures have been or will be approved by the Court; (2) such procedures are consistent with requirements of the fourth amendment to the U.S. Constitution; (3) a significant purpose of the acquisition is to obtain foreign intelligence information; (4) the minimization procedures meet FISA requirements and have been or will be approved by the Court; (5) the acquisition involves obtaining the information with the assistance of an electronic communication service provider; and (6) the acquisition is limited to communications to which at least one party is reasonably believed to be located outside the United States.

Outlines legal procedures with respect to directives issued to communication service providers to provide necessary assistance to accomplish the acquisition, including directive challenges, failure to comply, standards for review, and appeals.

Requires the AG and DNI, at least every six months, to: (1) assess compliance with required targeting and minimization procedures; and (2) submit assessment results to the Court and the congressional intelligence committees. Authorizes inspectors general of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and elements of the intelligence community (IC) to review their agency’s compliance with such procedures. Requires the head of any IC element conducting an acquisition of foreign intelligence information to annually review such acquisitions and report review results to the Court. Directs the AG to report semiannually to the intelligence and judiciary committees concerning the implementation of acquisition requirements.

(Sec. 102) States that: (1) FISA shall be the exclusive means for targeting U.S. persons in order to acquire foreign intelligence, whether such persons are inside or outside the United States, except in cases where specific statutory authorization exists to obtain such communications without an order under FISA; and (2) chapters 119 (Wire and Electronic Communications Interception and Interception of Oral Communications) and 121 (Stored Wire and Electronic Communications and Transactional Records Access) of the federal criminal code and FISA shall be the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance and interception of domestic communications may be conducted.

(Sec. 103) Requires the AG to submit semiannually to the intelligence committees copies of any orders of the Court or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review that include significant construction or interpretation of FISA, including any such orders issued during the five-year period before the enactment of this Act.

(Sec. 104) Revises provisions concerning the application for, and issue of, Court orders, including provisions concerning paperwork requirements and government officials who may authorize FISA actions.

(Sec. 105) Allows the AG to authorize the emergency employment of electronic surveillance under certain circumstances, including: (1) determining that an emergency exists; (2) informing a Court judge of such determination; and (3) applying for a Court order authorizing such surveillance.

(Sec. 107) Provides similar revisions and outlines similar procedures as in sections 104 and 105 above for the emergency employment of a physical search.

(Sec. 108) Requires the AG, after authorizing the installation and use of a pen register or trap and trace device on an emergency basis, to apply to the Court for an authorization order within 168 (current law requires 48) hours after the emergency installation and use.

(Sec. 109) Authorizes the Court to sit en banc when: (1) necessary to secure or maintain uniformity of Court decisions; or (2) the proceeding involves a question of exceptional importance.

(Sec. 110) Directs the inspectors general of DOJ and relevant IC elements to: (1) complete a comprehensive audit of the Terrorist Surveillance Program and any closely related intelligence activities; and (2) report audit results to the intelligence and judiciary committees. Authorizes necessary legal and other personnel to complete such activities.

The war in the middle east took a step towards escalation this weekend and most news organizations are completely asleep or in denial.

Turkey bombed Kurdish militants and then followed up that bombing raid with artillery strikes.  Reports indicate that the US actually sanctioned this Turkish attack against Iraq that is supposed to be sovereign but is obviously not.

Turkish fighter jets struck targets in the Zap, Avashin and Hakurk regions, in Dohuk Province along the border with Iraq, and troops followed up with artillery strikes, the Turkish military said on its Web site.  Turkey Bombs Kurdish Militants in Northern Iraq

In essence if the US did sanction the strikes, then we have symbolically just weakened Iraq by not only allowing attacks on Iraq but by giving permission.  Both actions indicate that the US is in charge of Iraq and not the government of Iraq.  In many ways our post invasion strategies have only served to round up the pool balls on the Iraqi table into pool ball racks and now we are giving free easy shots to Iraq’s neighbors from the terrorists that invaded first, to Iran and now Turkey.

Iraq’s neighbors and enemies are essentially running the table, and the US is simply calling out their shots for them. 

I have played a lot of pool over the years.  My grandfather taught me how to play when I was about 9 years old.  I played regularly when I was in the military studying warfare strategies.  I learned that there is one important thing to consider in strategy and pool.  Always set yourself up for the next shot, plan not only what you are doing now but what you will leave yourself for your next shot when you do it.  And never set up your opponent(s). 

In Iraq we are not setting ourselves up for a good follow through shot after the surge, and we are leaving our opponents with some very easy shots to clear the table before we ever have a chance to play.

People sometimes ask me why we are working to promote non-incumbents.  This week two Democrats came out to defend a Republican Attorney General Nominee that would not take a stand on the constitutionality of Water Boarding, an ancient form of torture.  Senator Schumer (d) and Senator Feinstein came out Friday and said that they would support the nominee who couldn’t recognize torture if  . . . if he were being tortured himself. 

For the record Senator Schumer actually suggested the nominee to Republicans himself offering up what he thought was an example of a Judge that could pass through the nomination process easily. 

That’s just great by my book.  We really need more acquiescence by the parties.  Democrats just do not give in to Republicans enough.  Furthermore, we really need more acquiescence by Congress to the President.  Republican Congress men and women should stop working to hold power from George Bush.  How is George Bush supposed to lock up power and assume full control over the government if members of his own party block him in Congress?

Senator McCain, I’m speaking to you on that one.  You were originally a foe of George Bush and then for several years you became the acquiescent lap dog of the President, offering up a few ‘I wouldn’t do it quite that way’ protests.  But now that the President has found a second potential Justice Department leader that supports torture (by not setting a line in the sand to define known examples of torture) you are finally getting a little concerned.  You were tortured, held prisoner and you of all people should be doing something to stop our country from becoming everything that you despised and everything that enabled you to be tortured yourself. 

Get off your complacent protective rear end and start actually doing something to protect people.  Hell, I supported you for your bid going into 2000, but you have been locked up in a cell or something for the last 7 years.  You need to get out of your self imposed prison and start exhibiting some of the strength and leadership that you appeared to have back then.  If you can’t, if the religious right has some dirt on you somewhere that has kept you bridled, well then just get out of the way, because you are doing more harm than good right now.

In Your Defense (Your own words)

YouTube - John McCain on Waterboarding

However, Why are you not doing anything to follow up.  The Administration ignored you, ignored Congress and tortured people anyway.  Why is the Congress not holding the administration accountable for torture?  For breaking the Geneva Convention?  For not following the rules set by Congress?

Any parent knows that if you tell a child they can not do something and you do not hold them accountable, they will often times do it.  After they do it, if you still do not hold them accountable, they will do it again if they so choose.

By failing to hold the Administration accountable, you are just as guilty of allowing torture to continue as the people that gave the orders. 

You have not punished the people that gave the orders. 

You enable the people to continue giving those orders. 

You CAN do something now to start fixing this problem.  HOLD Bush, accountable, HOLD Cheney accountable, HOLD Gonzales accountable (losing his job removes him from power, but does not set an example for the next AG).

So now it looks like this new nominee, will be pushed towards confirmation thanks to Democrats that protest but really give in.  The incumbents in Congress need to go.  If Congress can not recognize a Judge too stupid and ignorant to understand what torture is, then they are too stupid to keep their own jobs and need to be voted out of Congress post haste.

THE ENDS DO NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS

There are two very fundamental problems with the concept that the ends of torturing people justify the means of getting that information.

1.  Its wrong.  If you have to do something evil to stop evil, then you have not stopped evil at all.  You have just made greater evil.  Anyone that actually studied the teachings of religion would understand that the concepts or constructs that embody evil (for Christian types, I’m talking about the devil here) will always try and set up a checkmate situation where evil happens almost no matter what.  So if you are a Christian Conservative or an Islamic Fundamentalist or believe in good and evil, then you eventually have to learn that evil wins when you commit evil to stop evil.  You can only stop evil and do good by finding a non-evil solution to the problem.

What Would (Jesus/Buddha/Allah) Do? 

They sure as shit would not water board someone to get answers!

2.  The history of torture (we humans have a very long history of torture and a very recent history as well) has taught us that when you torture someone, they will tell you anything.  Anything to end the torture, anything to get a break from the torture.  They won’t even remember some of the things they tell you themselves because they are at the breaking point.  They become delusional, they see things, they hear things, they hallucinate, they start putting the words in your questions into statements spoken back to you.  The information is useless. 

To follow up from the first point, if you torture someone for information, you essentially become evil, do evil, and get no benefit to actually stop evil.

Why the AG Nominee should no that Water Boarding is Torture

1. He is an educated person.
2. He is a Federal Judge.
3. He is a person.

That should be enough but in the crazy twists that are destroying our country, rotting it from the inside out, that seems to not be enough.

Well here are some descriptions and images of the practice.  Maybe this will shed some light on it for the people in the cheap seats.  If it doesn’t then I suggest that anyone that doesn’t believe in water boarding as torture should get together and volunteer to be subjected to water boarding.  Just drop by your local FBI office, tell them that you might be a terrorist and will not tell them any more until they subject you to water boarding.

I know a number of very good FBI agents and they will not torture you for information.  Most of the non-political professionals at the FBI and Justice Department are not any where near that stupid.  But obviously, unfortunately, some of the people in our Government like our VP Cheney, look at things differently and this is why they have enabled clandestine groups to take people out of the US, Canada, Europe and other areas and take them to places like Syria of all places where torture techniques such as water boarding are apparently more acceptable to the police and enforcers of justice.  If that doesn’t tell you something about whether water boarding is torture or not, then well again just go get your self water boarded.

Here’s some Water Boarding Images to Help Prepare a few of you pin heads for your future Experience

You and Your Grandchildren are Next!

By the way, the history of torture has taught us after many centuries that people empowered to torture eventually start torturing all peoples for almost any reason.  Today they torture suspect terrorists.  Tomorrow they may torture you or your children or grand children or all of you together.  You can put a stop to it now, before this sickness in our society gets worse.

Humans are not chia pets, if you harm them they feel pain.  If you scare them they react.  Torturing people has negative consequences. Enabling torture is evil and begets more evil.  Enabling people that give the order to torture people for information, is evil.  If you voted for someone that enables people to torture, they have committed evil in your name.  We have to put a stop to torture.  Its very simple.  Allowing it to continue is evil, and is dangerous for all of us.