CONSERVATIVES TURN ON ASHCROFT

Drudge Report ^ | 07/23/2002 | Matt Drudge

[Pokey78]

CONSERVATIVES TURN ON ASHCROFT
Tue Jul 23 2002 20:58:38 ET

Many religious conservatives who were instrumental in pressing President Bush to appoint John Ashcroft as attorney general -- now say they have become deeply troubled by his actions, the NEW YORK TIMES is planning to report in a blistering Page One spread on Wednesday.

"His religious base is now quite troubled by what he's done," Grover Norquist tells the TIMES's Neil Lewis.

MORE

Several Bush advisers have begun complaining that Ashcroft has projected himself too often and too forcefully. More significantly, they say privately that he seems to be overstating the evidence of terrorist threats, the paper claims.

Conservtives cite Ashcroft's anti-terrorist positions as enhancing the kind of government power that they instinctively oppose.

Norquist: "If there hadn't been this big government problem, Ashcroft would have been talked about as the Bush successor. Instead, the talk is that 'too bad we pushed for him."'

Ashcroft was also criticized by some in the administration for declaring early on that the case of John Walker Lindh was a major terrorist case, the paper reports. Some officials in the Justice Department believed that the attorney general made needlessly harsh public comments about Lindh. The case came to an abrupt end last week, when Lindh pleaded guilty to two felonies and the department dropped the most severe terrorism-related charges against him, treating him as a far less important figure than depicted by the attorney general.

Developing...

[Fred Mertz]

You are such a chicken little, you should be ashamed of yourself wanting federal gummint protection.

You still want TIPS don't you? Because King George is all for it. Give me a break.

[jwalsh07]

Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

Thats the constitutional authority.

Below is the power granted to the CIC to carry that out.

---

Congressional Record: September 14, 2001 (House)
Page H5638                      


AUTHORIZING USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES AGAINST THOSE RESPONSIBLE 
              FOR RECENT ATTACKS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES


  The text of H.J. Res. 64 is as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 64

       Whereas, on September 11, 2001, acts of treacherous 
     violence were committed against the United States and its 
     citizens; and
       Whereas, such acts render it both necessary and appropriate 
     that the United States exercise its rights to self-defense 
     and to protect United States citizens both at home and 
     abroad; and
       Whereas, in light of the threat to the national security 
     and foreign policy of the United States posed by these grave 
     acts of violence; and
       Whereas, such acts continue to pose an unusual and 
     extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign 
     policy of the United States; and
       Whereas, the President has authority under the Constitution 
     to take action to deter and prevent acts of international 
     terrorism against the United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This joint resolution may be cited as the "Authorization 
     for Use of Military Force".

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

       (a) In General.--That the President is authorized to use 
     all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, 
     organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, 
     committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on 
     September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or 
     persons, in order to prevent any further acts of 
     international terrorism against the United States by such 
     nations, organizations or persons.
       (b) War Powers Resolution Requirements.--
       (1) Specific statutory authorization.--Consistent with 
     section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress 
     declares that this section is intended to constitute specific 
     statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of 
     the War Powers Resolution.
       (2) Applicability of other requirements.--Nothing in this 
     resolution supercedes any requirement of the War Powers 
     Resolution.

How's this work for you?

[Sabertooth]

Did someone take a poll or did the NYT go out and do "man on the street" interviews until they could find the "many" they were looking for?

It's a Grover Norquist scheme... and that's about all.

[TC Rider]

BTW, did you know we're at war?

No. We are not.

You may have missed it. Back on September 11, 19 Islamist terrorists flew two jets into the World Trade Center, destroying it and the Pentagon. In the process they killed nearly 3000 Americans.

I don't know about you, but I'm at war with those here in America that are terrorists or side with terrorists.

I'm not prepared to wait until the next disaster for you and the rest to pull off your blinders.

If you aren't willing to help, please stay out of the way of those that do.

[Fred Mertz]

Welcome to FreeRepublic. We have an uphill war to wage and the odds aren't looking good for the home team.

[Jhoffa_]

I don't want to personalize this, but to anyone mulling this "tips" idea over I would like to point out:

1) It's all based on speculation by persons not equipped with the experience or the training to make distinctions between a meth lab and your kids science project.

2) There are serious questions of accountability. Now you might think: "Well, if I did nothing wrong then what do I have to hide" but I would like to point out that more than once a little spat between FReepers has turned into posting personal information and attacks. You aren't protected from a vendetta, not even here. So what's to protect you from your postman?

3) There are serious questions about databasing and profiling. Think of the potential for abuse based on these "observations"

4) You can already pick up the phone and call the cops.. And I remember a flight instructor who did exactly that, just to be blown off by the FBI. They drop the ball on an informant's tip, and now they want a tipline to spy on you? Oh right.

5) Any government toy created today will be in the hands of a different administration tomorrow. If you turn dubya loose with this today because you like and trust him then tomorrow it's gonna go to someone else.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Several Bush advisers have begun complaining that Ashcroft has projected himself too often and too forcefully. More significantly, they say privately that he seems to be overstating the evidence of terrorist threats, the paper claims

Well seems hes damned if he does and damned if he dont the media dont help things either ! Of course they never did !

[OldFriend]

BULLSHIP

[truefrankness]

who are we at war with?........whoever flew the planes into the world trade centers.........that is the point. who flew the planes into the world trade centers and why do you believe what you say you believe?.....if you say,,,, "osama and them muslims dudes".....i think you should have another look at the evidence..,,or the lack of it....this is depressing....we are at war,,,, we are at war......yes yes yes ....we are.give up the excusses terror gives you and see against whom we are at war....can you do it before the stock market falls to 3000 and we are all in poverty? i don't think so

[sinkspur]

Ashcroft has disappointed me immensely, and I was such a staunch supporter of his early on.

Fred, that's just laughable on its face. Anybody can say anything on the Internet, so I'd expect you to say that your opposition to Bush and his administration is a fairly recent thing.

That's bullshit, and you know it.

[Dale 1]

OK, I confess that I believe that John Ashcroft is a conservative, patriotic, God fearing American. Also, I believe that Ashcroft is doing a better job than Janet (What’s her name – the filthy one who dedicated her career to protecting the Clinton turd clan). So now the NYT has still one more reason to hate America.

The New York Times is a wacko-liberal – way-left – idiot news rag. What they say is almost always invented and never fit to print. That paper is truly fit to join the Clinton cabinet of midgets, fagots, freaks, misfits, idiots, liars, clowns, and other run-of-the-mill democrats. (by the way – I believe Clinton chose these clowns – not by accident) .

[habs4ever]

What's with this King George crap, Freddie?


Go to Vegas, have a few drinks, catch a show or 4, lose some cash, maybe get screwed too, but, knock off this gibberish that you are a Revolutionary pitchfoker from Concord Mass, ready to do battle against the REAL King George .

Get a grip.

[jwalsh07]

Wake up dude, 9/11 was just the latest attack. In 1993, they first tried to bring down the WTC. In between they have killed American soldiers at Khobar Towers in Saudi and American sailors on the USS Cole. They murdered hundreds of innocents in Africa when they blew up our embassies there and in between they took a jetliner or two down.

Where the hell you been Frank?

[sinkspur]

who are we at war with?........whoever flew the planes into the world trade centers.........that is the point. who flew the planes into the world trade centers and why do you believe what you say you believe?.....if you say,,,, "osama and them muslims dudes".....i think you should have another look at the evidence

And I think it's time for you to take a nap. Art Bell's on in an hour.

[LenS]

Grover Norquist is an enabler for Muslim terrorism. Of course, he's ripping Ashcroft. He's the Republican Quisling.

[Anchoragite]

`d like to hear your reply when at 12.00pm your door is kicked down....

I see your browser doesn't properly process the "sarcasm" tag... I know this happens. As a matter of fact, it just happened up the road in North Pole last week, when federal agents stormed the wrong house.

[CyberAnt]

Excuse me, but I happen to be part of the religious right and I'm happy as can be with Ashcroft. Those who are whining are just jealous!

[Deb]

Geez, you're the perfect customer for leftist BS. The covered statue was a lie. Everyone in his office denied it. It was untrue. Seen any covered statues?

Do you ever question anything?

[Anchoragite]

Drug officers storm the wrong house outside North Pole.... (the aforementioned story)