Exactly.

Posted at July 16, 2008 2:09 PM in response to Obama Campaign Criticizes New York Times Story On Poll

Wasn't "Aimey May" a supposed Hillary supporter? lol. Sure... Who just happens to be spouting every Faux News and RNC talking point, all day, every day.

It's always been obvious they're just Freepers and winger trolls trying to drive wedges. They pop up in large numbers every campaign season. Some have no life and actually think they're being clever. Others are paid to stealth troll online, much like telemarketers.

What's amazing is they're actually stupid enough to think we don't know!

Posted at July 11, 2008 5:47 PM in response to New Obama Radio Ad Hits McCain As "Shameful" For "Makin' Stuff Up"

It's the Doubletalk Express.

Posted at July 10, 2008 10:36 PM in response to Obama, McCain Skirmish Over Gramm's "Nation Of Whiners" Comment

No, he's actually correct.

Posted at July 9, 2008 10:25 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

You don't know what you're talking about and just repeating some nonsense you heard from someone else probably.

First of all, FISA was de facto not in effect because the Admin was interpreting it not to apply, and most of Congress didn't care or even supported th Admin, and the majority of people didn't/don't know or care either. So yes, it absolutely did need to be reasserted and redefined to make clear the consensus view of the law going forward.

Secondly, there is no way this FISA bill with 69% in Congress could be blocked. If Dem leadership refused to bring it to the floor, there would have beena walkout or such poltical theatre to force it to a vote, and Dems would have suffered a huge legislative loss. Additionally the legislation would have been revised to be even worse as they'd no longer have any incentive to compromise and had the political upper hand.

Lastly, the courts were never going to reveal facts through discovery or otherwise resolve this issue against the will of the Admin and Congress. That was a complete delusion. All the Admin would have to do is classify everything as National Security. And if a future Admin and Congress wants to redress this issue and open the facts to the public and media, they'll do so regardless.

Posted at July 9, 2008 10:21 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

Because this isn't a civics textbook, it's the real world. In the real world, government breaks laws all the time and gets away with it with the consent of Congress and the people.

If you actually want government to change and hold to a course you agree with, then change the culture and get more people elected who you agree with.

But expecting Government to do what you like because the law is on your side, even when most people and most of government doesn't agree or care with you, or want to enforce that law, is an incredibly naive notion of government and humanity.

Posted at July 9, 2008 10:05 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

Actually, you're the one being exceedingly idiotic with your incredibly shallow notion of how government works.

I agree FISA always applied and the law was broken. That and $1.50 will get you coffee.

The fact is the Admin was getting away with wiretapping and data mining because much of the public didn't know or care, and much of Congress didn't care. If the people and 3/4 of Congress don't care, what magical authority do you expect will enforce your interpretation of the law? Not the courts, because all of this can easily be classified under national security.

So, yes, it absolutely did need to be clarified and reasserted in regards to electronic surveillance. To clarify the law for Congress and the Administration, and define what will be allowed going forward. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's how government actually works in the real world as opposed to civics textbooks.

Also, there was enough wiggle room on FISA regarding data mining, as opposed to straight up wire tapping, that litigating these cases towards any sort of win would be exceedingly difficult. Furthermore, the idea there would be "discovery" in civil cases is a bit absurd, because all the Administration would have to do is declare everything "classified." And if a future Admin wants to declassify what happened, it will do so regardless.

Posted at July 9, 2008 9:40 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

I'm responding to Feingold and your parroting him.

I agree collection should be more restricted, better defined, and that protections are insufficient. However, this is a step in the right direction to define digital surveillance and place this stuff squarely under FISA. Previously the Admin was using wiggle room and the public technology ignorance to get away with it.

However, Feingold is exaggerating the problems with this bill very badly. He likes making hyperbolic and maximal rhetoric. As such, he renders himself a one sided advocate, taking verbatim the opinions of groups like the EFF, which hurts his ability to lead or his reputation for impartiality.

***

Anyways, I also expect that will be readdressed and better defined to protect civil liberties over the next four years, presuming a larger Democratic majority in Congress and a Dem President.

Additionally there there are a wide range of privacy and law enforcement issues that need to be defined over the next four years. When all of these issues are addressed together it will create a larger narrative of privacy in the digital age, which should aid a nationwide discussion and inform the public. I'm much more confident we'll bet better legislation after that process rather than before it.

Posted at July 9, 2008 6:44 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

And you seem to miss the point: that as bad as it is, it's still better than nothing, which is what Feingold gets when he doesn't compromise.

People need to stop whining about our culture overall, and stop pretending leadership could just make everything OK.

This childish refusal to compromise or work pragmatically within political realities, on both the left and right, is what ultimately divides and renders the public ineffectual, ceding power to where it naturally coagulates, in corporate entities.

Again, if we had ran more candidates like Tester (D-MT) and dropped cultural wedge issues a decade or more ago, we could have had 10 or more like him in the Senate, and many more in the House, and we'd have had the votes to pass a better FISA Bill, without immunity, and perhaps even investigate and then impeach Bush for his crimes, with popular public support.

Posted at July 9, 2008 5:14 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law

nonsense. I've been following this issue and related issues at the EFF for years, and you're totally hyperventilating.

This bill does reiterate the need for FISA requirements for wiretapping. And some degree of data-mining has been an eventuality since way back with TIA. Unfortunately, that's our culture overall: paranoid, xenophobic, and militaristic.

Regardless, this, or something worse, was going to pass. So, I'd rather have a a pragmatist who does the best possible under circumstances and preserves some influence, rather than a panderer who pleases the choir but isolates himself in the Senate and accomplishes nothing but posturing and protest votes.

***

You want to know the real reason crap legislation like this passes?

Cultural issues like gun control which stops Libertarians and moderates from voting for Progressive Dems, and sticks us with corporate Dems like Feinstein who panders to the left wing on social issues, or Republicans who panders to rt wing on social issues. And almost all social pandering candidates, right or left, are also corporate whores.

Notice that Tester (D-MT) a social moderate/libertarian, voted for the Dodd Amendment. If we had 10 more like him we'd be a LOT better off.

We can have pols who support issues like gay marriage and handgun bans, and keep losing on issues like FISA while accomplishing nothing else, or we can elect social moderates who bring a coalition to take care of civil liberties and the middle class economically.

Until we stop dividing ourselves on cultural issues between left/right, we're not going to have a winning coalition on civil liberties between Progressives/Libertarians, urban/rural.

Feingold and such may be a good activists for the net-roots and the choir, but he's lousy at actually accomplishing much legislatively. Look at McCain-Feingold, his biggest accomplishment. What a joke it is. And when he's taken a harder line he's accomplished nothing.

Posted at July 9, 2008 4:47 PM in response to Senate OK's New Wiretapping Law