lemurgoddess ([info]lemurgoddess) wrote,
@ 2006-09-07 10:31:00
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Entry tags:culture and politics

Why the current administration is creepy...
The current administration here in the US is just plain creepy. They are trying to dodge traditional restraints on executive power in the name of "national security." This is demonstrated well in the recent NSA lawsuits. The government says that the parties can't sue because they can't prove that they specifically were being tapped. On the flipside the government will of course never tell us who they are specifically tapping. What an interesting little protective paradox.

Ed Brayton has more on this "mobius strip"...

And since the administration claims that it is in the president's power to forgo warrents in the first place, this all creates a situation where an executive power goes completely without check. The brilliance of our system is that EVERYONE is accountable -- there is no power that can go unchallenged. The Bush administrations attempts to undermine our Constitution and the very basis of the American political system. And this is an affront to our history, and to every person who has died defending our way of life!!

People don't realize just how dangerous this whole situation is. This isn't about partisan politics, this is about creating a dangerous precedence where a president is allowed to do as he pleases without check or balance. This is an assault on the system -- the system put in place to maintain the rights of the individual. Giving the executive branch even a smidge of special power today, is akin to sacrificing our freedoms for the future.

And remember, Clinton tried a little grasp for power during his administration. And you better believe the Republicans in Congress fought tooth and nail against him. In fact, some of Bush's strongest supporters of his breach in government control, were some of the strongest critics against Clinton's power grab. (and yup, Ed Brayton has a couple of entries about this...)

How soon we forget.

Stop defending our leaders, they can take care of themselves!!
Every American should be standing up for the individual rights, the right of each other. We should be a united force AGAINST our leaders, at least to the point of being our our check and balance to their power!

It frightens and disgusts me when people are willing to quesiton leadership.
This is how dictatorships form.

For the people, by the people... sound familiar anyone?


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[info]angieohgirl
2006-09-07 04:08 pm UTC (link)
You are totally correct. No more wire taps or monitoring however when we get hit again like 911 I do not want to hear once anyone yelling about how it could have been stopped.

BTW, lets not detain any terrorists. Lets just scold them and let them go free, they will learn their lesson. Lets pull all of our troops out of Iraq, and also tell Iran that 'yes' we will bow to their wills and America will now be an islamic state. To further that we will make sure all our citizens will either be islamic and obey islamic rule or be shot ... classic way of getting people to turn islamic these days.

Hey, lets just put John Kerry, Al Gore and Hillary Clinton in as our leaders. I am sure they will protect us better. NOT!

Oh yes, lets put Saddam back in power of Iraq and then tell him we 'trust him' and we might/maybe/who knows fight him if he kills millions of Americans with a WMD because, who knows, unless he uses one on us he probably doesn't have one.

The HUGE Danger is not wire tapping its IRAN AND Islamo-fascists who want us dead.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]lemurgoddess
2006-09-07 04:22 pm UTC (link)
You are totally correct. No more wire taps or monitoring however when we get hit again like 911 I do not want to hear once anyone yelling about how it could have been stopped.

I never said there shouldn't be wire taps, I only ask that our government follow the laws in place to protect our rights as citizens. Is that honestly to much to ask for?

BTW, lets not detain any terrorists. Lets just scold them and let them go free, they will learn their lesson... and also tell Iran that 'yes' we will bow to their wills and America will now be an islamic state.

Al Gore and Hillary Clinton in as our leaders...

Oh yes, lets put Saddam back in power of Iraq...


Not sure where you got all this from. Sounds just like in an angry fit you have made presumptions about my stance on various issues. My post made no mention of this, so I'm not sure how you'd like me to react while still staying on topic.

The HUGE Danger is not wire tapping its IRAN AND Islamo-fascists who want us dead.

Yes, that is a serious threat. And I certainly agree that something must be done. But I also believe that such a threat shouldn't be a blank check to our government to do as they please. The government makes the laws, but they are still bound by them. They are put into their positions of power to PROTECT our rights as citizens. Not just from foreign threats, but from the government itself.

I am advocating that the administration simply follow the law -- to abide by the system of checks and balances that were put into place by our founding fathers to protect the rights of the citizens. Again, is that really so much to ask for?

And to quote of our founders:

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -- Benjamin Franklin


Where do you think the limits should be drawn in executive powers?



(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]lemurgoddess
2006-09-07 04:28 pm UTC (link)
As a side note, in your weak attempts at satire, using references to Democratic politicans, you seem to want, yet again, to frame this as some kind of partisan debate. But this has NOTHING to do with Dems vs. Rep, liberal vs. conservative, this is a matter of government power vs. individual rights. The abuses of executive power are not solely the domain of any particular party.

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[info]angieohgirl
2006-09-07 04:35 pm UTC (link)
I thought my satire was pretty good. :)

However this does stem into Dem vs. Rep and it has a lot to do with our current safety and security. For me, I could care less if anyone listens to my phone conversations. If they are stopping major bombings and attacks on our home soil I have no problems.

And I totally disagree that these are abuses.

To me, the ACLU would protect our 'individual rights' right to our getting killed by those who don't give a crap, such as the terrorists. When I hear people from the ACLU are trying to represent terrorists they have lost the little respect I had for them.

You are probably wishing I hadn't signed back onto LJ again.

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[info]lemurgoddess
2006-09-07 05:01 pm UTC (link)
However this does stem into Dem vs. Rep and it has a lot to do with our current safety and security.

People have largely turned it INTO a Dem vs. Rep thing, because that is how most people approach government. But at the base this is a concern of how much power should any one branch of the government have. Given full, complete, unchecked power to an elite group of leaders is not a democracy (or even a republic for that matter), that is what defines a DICTATORSHIP!.

And, if you want to get technical, REPUBLICANS should be the most vocal about obtrusive government. Ya know, since the very historical postion of the party is one of SMALLER government -- by philosophy they should be trying to reduce the power of the government.


And I totally disagree that these are abuses.

The administration is not following the law. They are over-stepping the safety mechanisms in place to prevent any branch of government from posessing too much control. I'd appreciate it if you could explain to me how is that not an abuse of power?


To me, the ACLU would protect our 'individual rights' right to our getting killed by those who don't give a crap, such as the terrorists. When I hear people from the ACLU are trying to represent terrorists they have lost the little respect I had for them.

The ACLU is a worthwhile organization because they are willing to protect the rights of everyone from potential abuses of power, even those who society at large my despise. People we don't like, even vile criminals, still have rights under the law. If we truly value ourselves as a civilized society we need to equally apply the law to all -- to the highest member of government, to the most horrid murder.


You are probably wishing I hadn't signed back onto LJ again.

No at all. Why would you say that?

I don't have a problem with disagreement. I refuse to shy or runaway from confrontation. So long as things remain civil, and arguments well structured and well founded, all is good in my mind.

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[info]angieohgirl
2006-09-07 04:41 pm UTC (link)
By the way, my sarcasm was on a roll so had to keep going with it.

As for following the 'law' there has yet to be an administration who has done that.

Right now my #1 concern is my safety and security.

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[info]lemurgoddess
2006-09-07 04:44 pm UTC (link)
As for following the 'law' there has yet to be an administration who has done that.

EXACTLY! That's why we, as the citizenry, have the DUTY to keep them in line. Being complacement and quiet just so they will "take care of us" are just the sorts of attitudes that allow this to go on!!

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[info]angieohgirl
2006-09-07 04:57 pm UTC (link)
Personally, I think we are pretty far from being over the line. Only time I thought an administration was out of line was when Clinton had a bunch of FBI files of US citizens in the white house for no reason.

Big difference to now is that back then we were not in a time of war. Well ... actually we were but we just didn't want to call a duck a duck.

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[info]lemurgoddess
2006-09-07 05:07 pm UTC (link)
Even at times of war, the government is held accountable to the law. There are provisions in place about how the government can be restructured, as necessary, in times of war. But to maintain the proper balance of power, the executive branch needs to go through the proper channels to enact extra wartime powers. So the fact that we are in war is no excuse whatsoever.

I think we are pretty far from being over the line.

Just curious... who do you mean, by "we."

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[info]angieohgirl
2006-09-07 05:19 pm UTC (link)
We, meaning current governing people.

The big thing to me is there should be made a declaration of war. In essence we are but it isn't your normal type war.

There is so much politizising these days by both parties. I think the only time our government seemed to be on one page was after 911. Sad that it takes that much to get the 2 parties to work with one goal.

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[info]lemurgoddess
2006-09-07 09:27 pm UTC (link)
There is so much politizising these days by both parties. I think the only time our government seemed to be on one page was after 911. Sad that it takes that much to get the 2 parties to work with one goal.

Agreed. I gave up partisan politics years ago. Now I'm largely focused on how we can unite as a populace, find compromise where possible, keep a watchful eye on our government, maintatin our Constitutional rights, and do what we can to create a new era of prosperity.

And really, it is up to us as citizens to take control of our way of life. Ideally, the government should follow suit.

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