Posted on 07/02/2006 5:05:34 AM PDT by Alas Babylon!
The Talk Shows
Sunday, July 2nd, 2006
Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:
FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; NASA Administrator Michael Griffin; Lt. Col. Michael Colburn, director of the President's Own U.S. Marine Band.
MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
FACE THE NATION (CBS): New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller; Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Carl Levin, D-Mich.
THIS WEEK (ABC): Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; actress and United Nations goodwill ambassador Mia Farrow.
LATE EDITION (CNN) : Reps. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Barney Frank, D-Mass.; Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres; chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat; NASA Administrator Michael Griffin; singer Tony Orlando.
I think you may get a lot of argument on this version of what the NSA program was. First, I agree with fedupjohn's comment about the nature of the program, but for the sake of argument let's accept the BDM version, the program was "wiretapping," the recording of the contents of phone calls, and the government didn't get a warrant for the domestic side of that conversation. There's a basic logical fallicy involved.
All of the calls involved were international. Though the press likes to ignore that you can't find one of them who will outright deny it. They merely try to get around the question by referring to a "domestic spying program." That's the beginning of their lie.
Accepting the fact that the calls involve calls that have at least one end outside of the US we come to the question of the elected government having the power, particularly in time of war, to listen in on communications of our enemies. Even the harshest and most partisan critics of the Bush White House explicitely say that the President has the authority, in fact the responsibility, to try to eavesdrop on Al Qaeda overseas. It is an obvious part of the President's powers under Article II section 2 of the Constitution. That is the legal basis for "wiretapping" the phone calls of Al Qaeda and no one has challenged the legality of doing so when it involves only conversations outside of the United States. It is legal to do this therefore it is legally the equivelant of having a warrant for intercepting these calls.
Now we come to the case involved in the NSA program. The calls in dispute specifically involve a call between a suspected Al Qaeda associate overseas and someone within the US. Therefore the hue and cry that a warrant is required. But remember, the interception of the Al Qaeda foreign calls is already covered as legal. The closest analogy I can draw is a situation where the government has a warrant to eavesdrop on Al Capone's phone but someone insists that they must get a new warrant each time a call is made covering the person on the other end of the phone.
It is utter nonsense. If it's legal to intercept Al Capones' calls then it's also legal to intercept the calls of the people he talks to when he's talking to them. If it's legal to intercept Al Qaeda's calls from Pakistan to someone in Italy it's also legal to intercept those calls to Boston when Al Qaeda is talking to someone there. QED.
Now, when you hear anti-American types like Steponallofus trying to push the notion that Hamdan also makes the NSA program illegal what they're arguing is that the President does have to get a warrant for every intercept done, even if the conversation is entirely overseas. After all, that's the logical conclusion if the enemy has full constitutional rights in a war. Oh, and that whole thing about bombing them or shooting them? Excessive force. Clearly Rodney King time. We must set up a civilian review board and hold these nasty Americans to the letter of the law. Let's prosecute a few Marines, after all, Murtha says they're guilty, so it must be true. Never mind that no such law has ever been contemplated in the history of mankind, if the leftists say it it must be gospel.
One Sunday in my church a policeman with his weapon holstered, and with a safety strap on it, carried his child up the aisle to receive Communion. That his 'gun' arm was occupied, leaving the weapon so 'exposed' surprised me a bit.
Many years ago I read where it is a customary to allow all former president to receive security briefings at the hands of CIA, FBI, whatever they want. I understand they receive these in private, and not by attending a joint session. It quaint times past that may have been alright, but now the activism of former presidents could make this practice downright subversive and stupid.
This blurb from TraitorTimes of today confirms the briefings still take place:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E3DA1F3AF93BA1575AC0A9679C8B63
Why was he wearing his weapon in church or was on call?
Some people use house mounted flag polls. Here's a site showing what they look like. Biggest problem is to make sure you can keep an eye on it so someone does not walk off with it. Or, put it on a second floor. Besides he UK flag, you can get any number of message flags to use with it, if you have never heard about that. Hope this helps.
http://www.anyflag.com/flagpoles/flaghard.php
I use this analogy all the time. Sometimes I see the light dawn in eyes of the person I'm addressing.
Both Steffie and Howard Kurtz continued to use the "domestic surveillance" meme today.
On a slightly different topic, I recently read that Colleen Rowley, of the FBI, now running for Congress, made her mistake in trying to get permission to look at Moussaoi's computer, by going for a FISA warrant! She was refused, as we all know, but no one brings this up when our bleeding-hearts whine that going to a FISA court is a piece of cake.
Depending on jurisditcion and/or city/state policy, police are considered on duty 24 hours a day. They must wear firearms everywhere they are unless out of state, and even then most carry their firearms with them.
Oops. Posted this to myself by mistake. It's for you.
He was in uniform, so I guess he was on duty.
Today we had an event during Mass that required EMT and Fire Dept to respond! A stranger, having a psychotic episode, entered the church by the door near the altar, during the sermon. It is quite a small church, and the Priest was only about 6 feet away from her, when she totally lost control of herself.
John McCain appeared on the senate floor last week to introduce a bill to shut down 527's. He wants total governmental control over campaign speech. I also sense that he is worried about what 527s might do to him when (as he believes) he gets the nomination.
Placemarker
Was it Portugal who beat them? Maybe you can find a Portugal flag to put up at the front of your yard.
Oh dear how upsetting I hope it did not upset too many children and elderly folk.
we have these little devices that you can attach to the side of your House that are basically a holder for the Flags. They are usually a lightweight metal that the flag pole slips into and Voila Old Glory is flying. It can be adapted to be affixed outside your Window and you can leave it or bring it in whatever you are a mind to do. They are a lot easier to use than the Flag Pole like I have in my front yard which has a Cement base in the grass and is 20 feet up in the air, which incidentally was knocked to the ground about a month ago when we had severe Weather including Hail. Your House is similar to what they call Brownstones in Washington DC and NY City. Nothing like a World Cup Championship to bring out much needed patriotic thoughts.
That is worth repeating again and again and again.
but now the activism of former presidents could make this practice downright subversive and stupid.
but now the activism of former presidents could make this practice downright subversive and stupid.
but now the activism of former presidents could make this practice downright subversive and stupid.
but now the activism of former presidents could make this practice downright subversive and stupid.
Every one was very calm. Only about half the usual congregation was there, but a very elderly blind man and his wife sit in the pew directly where the woman collapsed. She was making very weird noises, and for a while, I thought she was having a seizure. I can only imagine what the very old man was thinking.
Good question, maybe the real life Jack Bauer is infiltrating the Soras Cabal as we type. Incidentally, did you have a hard time paying attention to what the Actor that played Tony on 24 was saying because his ears were downright "spockish" and very distracting? I do not remember them being that unusual on the 24 Show. I kept thinking they must be playing a gag on him and if he looks in a mirror he will rip them off.
LOL....we fly our American flag just about every day. Unless of course, the weather is too bad. Which is frequently lately.
The trooper who teaches the class, has a sidearm that is holstered with a safety strap, on during all the classes.
He is always aware of the position of the children in relationship to that weapon. Once one of the kids touched the holstered sidearm and he immediately turned around grabbed the kids hand and reprimanded him in no uncertain terms about what he had just done.
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