Judges Popping Bush Bubble on Surveillance

Picture Courtesy of the White House

President Bush may think that his double top secret members only surveillance program on Americans is out of the courts hands but technically I don’t think the Judges of those courts think so. Frankly, I can’t blame them. Lawyers for the administration are defending the President’s actions by simply saying in court that it is a state secret.

What is really a pain in the Bush royal behind is the simple fact that the very liberal 9th Circuit Court is reviewing the terminology of “State Secret” as far as the governments case goes regarding fifty legal cases pending. George, you aren’t in Crawford anymore and clicking your heals three times is not going to appease this court. Three of the Judges on the court are pissed and they are letting the attorneys for the government know it.

Over at the Washington Post they have this outstanding must read piece regarding this story…

Judges Skeptical of State-Secrets Claim

By Karl Vick
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 16, 2007; Page A04

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15 -- Lawyers for the Bush administration encountered a federal appeals court Wednesday that appeared deeply skeptical of a blanket claim that the government's surveillance efforts cannot be challenged in court because the litigation might reveal state secrets.

"The bottom line here is the government declares something is a state secret, that's the end of it. No cases. . . . The king can do no wrong," said Judge Harry Pregerson, one of three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit who grilled administration lawyers at length over whether a pair of lawsuits against the government should go forward.

Deputy Solicitor General Gregory G. Garre was forced to mount a public argument that almost nothing about the substance of the government's conduct could be talked about in court because doing so might expose either the methods used in gathering intelligence or gaps in those methods.

"This seems to put us in the 'trust us' category," Judge M. Margaret McKeown said about the government's assertions that its surveillance activities did not violate the law. " 'We don't do it. Trust us. And don't ask us about it.' "

At one point, Garre argued that courts are not the right forum for complaints about government surveillance, and that "other avenues" are available. "What is that? Impeachment?" Pregerson shot back. - Washington Post

I’m thinking the recipe for Coke is a secret, Betty Crocker has a ton of recipes in her apron that are a secret. Industries across America have trade secrets that don’t destroy peoples lives. Our government and our President is hiding behind a wall of secrecy and that is unacceptable to me as an American citizen when they use the “State Secret“ defense. Then they have the audacity to request that the cases be dismissed due to “State Secret” reasons.

Our courts are there for a reason. They are charged with upholding the laws of our nation. If the courts are confused over the laws as our President cares to adhere to them or stray past the gray area and play in the pitch black area then where is the checks and balance that the courts are supposed to uphold. Public statements from the President does not define the law. Laws that he sees fit to use and abuse to fight his made up war in Iraq on his own people!

While the President and his crew is busy covering up the truth, it’s a simple fact of life that the truth never really goes away. He can pave over the truth, color it with multiple brush strokes and even try to hide it away in the darkest corner of the closet of American history. It’s still there, the pavement will crack from the heat, the colored paint will chip and peal and everyone always has to eventually clean out the closets. Time is what will give up the truth and George Bush is biding his time.

Papamoka

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Cross posted at Bring IT ON!

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An Indecisive American People

In America today there is a strong and growing movement of people that once thought their voices did not count when it came to the policies of our government. There is some truth to the message that if you do not vote then you do not count but it is not the entire truth. Being an American does not mean that you have to vote, it simply helps the process of putting like minds in the offices you vote for.

Even if you do not vote, your government is still your government as a citizen. Your voice is still very important. Your life and your opinions matter. You are in fact a very important person in the ongoing experiment that is the United States of America. There is only one downfall to our form of government and that is when people believe that our government is not about them. That is the beginning of the end to our democratically elected servants to our republic. Or dare I say the beginning of an elitist government and society led by the needs of the few at the cost of the many.

As Richard Nixon tore down the respect of the political office of the Presidency, so has George W. Bush. Past lessons have been forgotten and the future of being respected as an American President will be up to future office holders to defend. Deciding what laws apply to the President alone when signing laws into effect is wrong and elitist at best. No American is above the law and never should be. We are a land of laws and rules that apply to all. Without them, we have anarchy and that is not a part of the American experiment.

In my mind, the office of President is not just about the power that comes with it. Being the President is about all of the people and sometimes it is about what the people want that is not to your personal liking. Yet it is the people that own the office and not the individual sitting behind the desk. If that was not the case then the descendants of George Washington would be a living and ruling Monarchy today. Am I wrong?

Get off the damn cell phone, computer, email or whatever seems more important and write or email your Representative in Congress on issues you care about. Tell them how you feel about any given issue. Be heard and wash, rinse and repeat.

Not doing that, then yes, special interest will walk away with our nation of laws that only apply to you. They get a waiver and walk away clean as a new born baby.

As an American you need to decide what you want from your leaders and more importantly what you do not want.

Papamoka

Paris is Better Than YOU?

Paris Hilton is all over the news and in some respects I truly feel sorry for this young kid. As a real parent I would not interfere with what is going on in her life because she honestly needs to learn the hard way that life is all about laws. Mom and Dad no matter how rich they are or you are apply to all!

Spoiled brats that think that Mummy and Daddy can get them out of any self induced dilemma will never happen. I applaude the judge in this case for stomping his foot down and letting it be known that a ruling on a case is in fact a ruling on the crime.

Paris Hilton is a train wreck waiting to happen and she has no clear idea what the laws of the land are. Reality for the people that call themselves celebrities is the same for all.

Down the road she might appreciate the strong arm of a judge over the soft wrist slap from parents that think a check written out to a lawyer will make everything better.

Face the facts and pay the price for your own stupidity. If I am not above the law then not one soul on this earth is. Face your demons and pay the price for your ignorance.

Government Corruption by any Party is Still Corruption

Picture Courtesy of the United States Congress

I don’t care what party you are affiliated with politically when it comes to being a corrupt elected leader of the people. Corruption knows no better friend than greed and self preservation. With that in mind it does not take a genius to figure out somebody might just be hiding something if they have to stash almost a hundred grand in their freezer.

Corruption is not just a Republican Party problem and they do not have the monopoly on it as much as most people would love to think. Democrats or Independents can be just a quick to reach for the forbidden fruit. It’s when they all get caught that you just have to laugh or cry. How stupid or for that matter just out right ignorant to think as a public servant that somebody down the road will rat you out for being on the take.

When the Sopranos ends its eight year run on HBO next weekend we can all look to the good fellas in the Congress for our fix of drama and deception when it comes to who will whack whom next. It won’t win any awards but the Congress is always full of people that think that they are untouchable and have a certain way around the laws of the land.

Reality steps in over the clicker of the television and over at the New York Times they have this to say about just one more alleged thief in the Congress…

Democratic Lawmaker Indicted

By DAVID JOHNSTON and JEFF ZELENY
Published: June 4, 2007

WASHINGTON, June 4 — Representative William J. Jefferson of Louisiana was indicted today on corruption charges in connection with an inquiry that has yielded reports of cash stuffed into home freezers and murky financial transactions with several African countries in what Justice Department officials called a sordid episode of corruption that touched two continents..

A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Va., handed up the 16-count indictment against Mr. Jefferson, which was announced this afternoon by officials at the Justice Department in Washington. The charges include bribery, racketeering, money-laundering and obstruction of justice.
Mr. Jefferson, 60, whose New Orleans constituents elected him to a ninth term last year despite accusations of corruption, has denied wrongdoing. He is to be arraigned Friday morning in Alexandra.

On paper, Mr. Jefferson could be sentenced to up to 235 years in prison if convicted on all charges, although prosecutors acknowledged today that it is impossible to gauge at this point what his actual sentence would be — assuming he is convicted — because of the various sentencing guidelines that must be weighed.

Mr. Jefferson has been under suspicion in connection with his efforts to promote contracts in Africa for iGate, a small digital-technology company based in Louisville, Ky. The congressman has been influential on African issues in his years in the House. - New York Times

Mr. Jefferson could have been a man and stepped aside but he thinks he is above the law as a Congressman. He could have been a decent upstanding individual and steeped aside for the sake of his political party. Instead he has chosen the path of endless excuses and a trail of deception to cover the alleged deception he is accused of.

When a thief is caught they always run the avenue of excuses till the end. Somebody grab an orange jump suit for the Congressman. Even if he thinks he is innocent the appearance of guilt is what damns him in public opinion. That is the court of law that comes with being a public servant. Guilty till proven innocent does not exist in this arena and frankly it should not.

Anyone in the government that is corrupt in service to our nations government should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and that includes the President of the United States. Not one person in this nation can be above the law or the law is for not and that ends with anarchy.

Papamoka

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