Speaking of Big Government and privacy...

[Virtual Scott]

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/google_doj;_ylt=Ap5ravPdNh4B0BRhQ1S6RNKs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

The Government vs. Google.

I think the White House is still pissed about that link controversy last year (when you clicked on the "I'm feeling lucky" Google link after you typed "corrupt" into the search box, and the White House homepage came up) if you ask me... :-)

Anyhow, I think the Government nogooders are up to no good. Interesting how this comes down the pike during the illegal NSA spying scandal, though

If Big Brother isn't watching you enough, he also wants to look over your back when you are surfing the web during the wee hours...

[Shark Black]

Go Google!

Oh. one clarification...
The NSA program listening to the enemy is not illegal.
If it was, people would be being arrested as we speak. just keep perpetuating the exaggerations. #chatterbox#
Oh and one fact. No terrorist attacks in th US since 911.
Just stop tallking to Osama Scott and you'll be OK.

[Virtual Scott]

A strong case CAN be made He broke the law and violated the constitution, though. Conducting warrantless wiretapping is indeed violating the law (the FISA), though, regardless of the administrations excuse of "terrorism" and something tells me they were violating the rights of The Sierra Club, a known terrorist group of heavilly armed militiafolk.

Unfortunately Congress are a bunch of pussies and greedy milksops. They complain constantly about the executive power grab, but when the line is crossed, nothing but outraged lip service.

This "investigation" is going to become a shutout similar to the Energy Task Force investigation by GAO a few years back of Cheney and Ken Lay... more a coverup than an investigation, if you ask me.

Semantics hard at work.

And the Google trial is more proof of the continued attempt to violate the rights of citizens.

[SethFWF]

I'm actually a bit on the fence about
this wire-tapping thing, it's never anything
but bad when a freedom or privacy
is taken away from us. But, when it comes
to the terrorism thing...more info about
potential attacks is a good thing. If someone
doesn't have anything to hide, they
shouldn't be worried about it...at least
that's one way to look at it. It's still
not a great arguement though, very tough
call on that one.

But the google thing is BS, and I know most
of the hardliners on the issue are also trying
to eliminate porn from the net...either by
making it available only by payment(no more
freebees... ) or making it illegal. Yet another
cencorship issue. Of course eliminating child
porn and those who distribute it is another story,
but they need to do it the way they have been
rather than having access to everyone's every
move on the net. Far as I know, they already
do anyway...

Seth

[Shark Black]

virtualscott said:

A strong case CAN be made He broke the law and violated the constitution, though. Conducting warrantless wiretapping is indeed violating the law (the FISA), though, regardless of the administrations excuse of "terrorism" and something tells me they were violating the rights of The Sierra Club, a known terrorist group of heavilly armed militiafolk.

Unfortunately Congress are a bunch of pussies and greedy milksops. They complain constantly about the executive power grab, but when the line is crossed, nothing but outraged lip service.

This "investigation" is going to become a shutout similar to the Energy Task Force investigation by GAO a few years back of Cheney and Ken Lay... more a coverup than an investigation, if you ask me.

Semantics hard at work.

And the Google trial is more proof of the continued attempt to violate the rights of citizens.

As Senator Lieberman said about the program after Feingolds call for censure..."I don't know one congressman that is against it?"

Then Feingold walks out when Frist wanted to discuss it in chambers. He brings it up then bails hehe!

How you can call this administration any more "corrupt" than any other is beyond me.
You must have forgotten Whitewater - OR when Clinton's Commerce secretary Ron Brown was about to be indicted and his plane mysteriously goes down in Bosnia (the ultimate way to shut somebody up).

Or Sandy Berger, former U.S. President Bill Clinton's national security adviser, who was under criminal investigation by the Justice Department after highly classified terrorism documents disappeared while he was reviewing what should be turned over to the Sept. 11 commission.

And speaking of Whitewater.... One might remember this too...a subpoena was issued for some billing records from the Rose Law Firm in Little Rock, Arkansas. These are records that would shed some light on how much work attorney Hillary Clinton did on a particular real estate deal, and for whom she did that work. For two years, those records could not be found. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, they turned up. Carolyn Huber found the documents. What turned that into a major story was that she worked at the White House, and that she said she found the billing records in the private quarters of the first family - found them, in fact, right outside Mrs Clinton's private office - didn't know what they were, packed them up, didn't realize what they were until a later when she was tidying up her own office.

Now the fact is this..... Everyone one makes a big deal out the littlest of shit that Bush does and cries fowl.

But when these obviously huge offenses took place the media glazed right over them....

Amazing.

[BenMech]

Your memory of Whitewater is selective, Brett. Quite selective.

I remember endless coverage about the shenanigans of the case.

I also remember how all the attacks in the 8 years of Clinton's presidency were partisan

[Virtual Scott]

I couldn't possible considering violating the Constitution and the Law, minute, miniscule or "little shit" though, bro. The great (and continuous) coverup begins.

Seems to me though, this is a far more impeachable, and criminal, offense, than, say getting a blowjob in the Oral Office and lying about it, was, though. And considering the audacious manner in which the Bush cronies continue to flagrantly break the law and cover it up with their buddies in congress is, well, telling.

I'm utterly disgusted and apathetic at the same time.

I'm sure if people discover THEY are being surveilled (illegally) by the Government, and many are (hey Google, don't break down) and more info is ALLOWED to come to light, the outcry will be greater. My expectations from a partisian political playing Congress are nil.

Now let's stick to THIS administration as the list of crimes and misdemeanors and lies and decptions grows... :-)

[BenMech]

Unlike the most of you, I actually WRITE AND PHONE my congressional representatives to change things.

[Virtual Scott]

Hey, so do I! Now we have something else in common... If I didn't have a girlfriend, BBB, I'd think I have a chance... :-)

[Shark Black]

benmech said:

Your memory of Whitewater is selective, Brett. Quite selective.

I remember endless coverage about the shenanigans of the case.

I also remember how all the attacks in the 8 years of Clinton's presidency were partisan

Well much of the Whitewater stuff was very partisan. And the press made sure to tell you that it was partisan. But when it's Bush no mention to the partisan nature of the info.

As with Hillary, the documents showing up 2 years later in the first ladies quarters was quite interesting. And it was a very small blip on the media radar that the press let slide very quickly.

Look how they played up this pre-Katrina tape. I saw it and it showed nothing substantial, but they played it up like Bush got caught with his pant's down. (Sorry Bill, I didn't mean you )
All I saw was that Bush was being briefed on the situation.


And Sandy Berger was caught red handed.. He even admitted it. And what media coverage did that get... almost no coverage. No investigation. Look at ol' Scooter Duder.. Dude's gettin the shaft for an offense that seems rather minor in comparison, if you ask me.

It's like anything though, we'll just continued to be biased ourselves because of our predilection. But even so, I just think the coverage isn't equal.