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Aim of the Surveilance State
view link From Salon.com
...... The NYT article explored similarities between Swartz and Bradley Manning, another young activist being severely punished for alleged acts of freeing information without any profit to himself; the article quoted me as follows:
For Glenn Greenwald . . . it also makes sense that a young generation would view the Internet in political terms.
"How information is able to be distributed over the Internet, it is the free speech battle of our times," he said in interview. "It can seem a technical, legalistic movement if you don't think about it that way."
He said that point was illustrated by his experience with WikiLeaks -- and by how the Internet became a battleground as the site was attacked by hackers and as large companies tried to isolate WikiLeaks. Looking at that experience and the Swartz case, he said, "clearly the government knows that this is the prime battle, the front line for political control."......
...... The NYT article explored similarities between Swartz and Bradley Manning, another young activist being severely punished for alleged acts of freeing information without any profit to himself; the article quoted me as follows:
For Glenn Greenwald . . . it also makes sense that a young generation would view the Internet in political terms.
"How information is able to be distributed over the Internet, it is the free speech battle of our times," he said in interview. "It can seem a technical, legalistic movement if you don't think about it that way."
He said that point was illustrated by his experience with WikiLeaks -- and by how the Internet became a battleground as the site was attacked by hackers and as large companies tried to isolate WikiLeaks. Looking at that experience and the Swartz case, he said, "clearly the government knows that this is the prime battle, the front line for political control."......
The Promised Land
Over 5000 years ago, Moses said to Israel, "Pick up your shovels, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the Promised Land."When Welfare was introduced, Roosevelt said, "Lay down your shovels, siton your asses, and light up a Camel, this is the Promised Land." Today, the government has stolen your shovel, taxed your asses, raised the price of Camels and mortgaged the Promised Land to China
A common sense time out for Democrats
" The market fundamentalists in the GOP with their dreams of feudalism and the Christianist fundamentalists in the GOP with their dreams of theocracy are the clear and unambiguous enemy.
Like it or not, in the world we live in, in a winner-take-all election system, if you are on the side of equity-in-diversity and sustainability, it is the Democratic Party that is only available vehicle to take you where we want to go.
More, and better, Democrats is the only way to go.
Posted by Dale Carrico at 9:49 AM"
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Like it or not, in the world we live in, in a winner-take-all election system, if you are on the side of equity-in-diversity and sustainability, it is the Democratic Party that is only available vehicle to take you where we want to go.
More, and better, Democrats is the only way to go.
Posted by Dale Carrico at 9:49 AM"
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The tea party not doing so good.
Tea party gets boost from straw poll results, but takeover isn’t imminent
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" Tea party fortunes are fading even as its star Michele Bachmann shines
A new poll finds favorable views of 'the tea party movement' have slumped to a new low. But that hasn't dimmed the star of Michele Bachmann, seen by many as a winner of the televised GOP debate."
view link
view link
" Tea party fortunes are fading even as its star Michele Bachmann shines
A new poll finds favorable views of 'the tea party movement' have slumped to a new low. But that hasn't dimmed the star of Michele Bachmann, seen by many as a winner of the televised GOP debate."
view link
Standing Tall - A Prayer Circle
Still Standing Tall for What's Right for All...
Black Churches around the country will create a prayer circle Sunday for President Obama.
The level of mean-spiritedness, poison and evil directed toward him is pretty near dangerous levels. Dangerous in that this kind of evilness can't sustain itself. It'll implode.
President Obama needs as much protection as possible.
I'm not religious, but I'll go to Church this Sunday.
A variation of the Prayer of Protection is in 1st reply.
##
Black Churches around the country will create a prayer circle Sunday for President Obama.
The level of mean-spiritedness, poison and evil directed toward him is pretty near dangerous levels. Dangerous in that this kind of evilness can't sustain itself. It'll implode.
President Obama needs as much protection as possible.
I'm not religious, but I'll go to Church this Sunday.
A variation of the Prayer of Protection is in 1st reply.
##
Budget Fight
A government big enough to give you everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything that you have...."
Have you noticed that Social security and Veterans benefits might be held up if a budget is not passed? Have you also noticed that payroll, and retirement benefits for elected officials will not be touched?
Have you noticed that Social security and Veterans benefits might be held up if a budget is not passed? Have you also noticed that payroll, and retirement benefits for elected officials will not be touched?
Progress
I'm re-reading Howard Zinn's A People's History and I found this passage from Hans Koning from his book Columbus: His Enterprise:
"For all the gold and silver stolen and shipped to Spain did not make the Spanish people richer. It gave their kings an edge in the balance of power for a time, a chance to hire more mercenary soldiers for their wars. They ended up losing those wars anyway, and all that was left was a deadly inflation, a starving population, the rich richer, the poor poorer, and a ruined peasant class."
Do you think this bears any relevance to what is happening in the US right now?
"For all the gold and silver stolen and shipped to Spain did not make the Spanish people richer. It gave their kings an edge in the balance of power for a time, a chance to hire more mercenary soldiers for their wars. They ended up losing those wars anyway, and all that was left was a deadly inflation, a starving population, the rich richer, the poor poorer, and a ruined peasant class."
Do you think this bears any relevance to what is happening in the US right now?
Obama & civil rights channeling Bush?
I have often said that once in the executive branch only one president has consciously made the decision not to accrue more power to the branch. It was not Obama.
Next 2 paragraphs a paste from article Sunday NY times.
“The Obama administration has long been bumbling along in the footsteps of its predecessor when it comes to sacrificing Americans’ basic rights and liberties under the false flag of fighting terrorism. Now the Obama team seems ready to lurch even farther down that dismal road than George W. Bush did.
Instead of tightening the relaxed rules for F.B.I. investigations — not just of terrorism suspects but of pretty much anyone — that were put in place in the Bush years, President Obama’s Justice Department is getting ready to push the proper bounds of privacy even further. There is a new category of rules lowest level “Assessments’ that allows agents to us surveillance against individual “proactively even if there is no evidence or history of any wrong doing. FBI agents can decide to investigate interrogate, Use covert infiltrations of law abiding group such as the PTA or what ever. To gather information
Attorney General John Ashcroft began weakening rights protections after 9/11. Three years ago, his successor, Michael Mukasey, issued rules changes that permit agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use highly intrusive methods — including lengthy physical surveillance and covert infiltration of lawful groups — even when there is no firm basis for suspecting any wrongdoing. The new revised guidelines let the bureau go after people identified in part by race or religion, which only raises the danger of government spying on law-abiding Americans based on their political activity or ethnic background.
Just a question what is Obama thinking?
Next 2 paragraphs a paste from article Sunday NY times.
“The Obama administration has long been bumbling along in the footsteps of its predecessor when it comes to sacrificing Americans’ basic rights and liberties under the false flag of fighting terrorism. Now the Obama team seems ready to lurch even farther down that dismal road than George W. Bush did.
Instead of tightening the relaxed rules for F.B.I. investigations — not just of terrorism suspects but of pretty much anyone — that were put in place in the Bush years, President Obama’s Justice Department is getting ready to push the proper bounds of privacy even further. There is a new category of rules lowest level “Assessments’ that allows agents to us surveillance against individual “proactively even if there is no evidence or history of any wrong doing. FBI agents can decide to investigate interrogate, Use covert infiltrations of law abiding group such as the PTA or what ever. To gather information
Attorney General John Ashcroft began weakening rights protections after 9/11. Three years ago, his successor, Michael Mukasey, issued rules changes that permit agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use highly intrusive methods — including lengthy physical surveillance and covert infiltration of lawful groups — even when there is no firm basis for suspecting any wrongdoing. The new revised guidelines let the bureau go after people identified in part by race or religion, which only raises the danger of government spying on law-abiding Americans based on their political activity or ethnic background.
Just a question what is Obama thinking?
