George W. Bush

(Image used under: Fair Use doctrine)

Showing his usually disregard for Congress, the American people, and rules, Bush named an ambassador in a way that circumvented Congressional oversight.

The appointment, made while lawmakers were out of town on spring break, prompted angry rebukes from Democrats, who said Bush's action may even be illegal.

George W. Bush

(Image used under: Fair Use doctrine)

The "War on Terror" is political spin initiated by President Bush to justify using "wartime" powers indefinitely. Just like the "War on Drugs", the war on terror will never end.

Nobody disagrees to giving a little leeway to our commander in chief during a clear and present need, but that's the point: a war on terror that lasts an indefinite amount of time is neither clear, nor present.

It's about danged time that someone in a high position finally dropped this marketing ploy where it belongs.

(Image used under: Creative Commons 2.0 [SRC])

Public Citizen reports:

A new law enacted last fall denies a fair hearing or hardly any hope of release to those confined at Guantanamo naval base, and to other non-citizens labeled "enemy

Public Citizen has a web petition going here.

(Image is used under the Pixabay license)

In Short

A defiant President Bush warned Democrats Tuesday to accept his offer to have top aides testify about the firings of federal prosecutors only privately and not under oath or risk a constitutional showdown from which he would not back down

The Response

Democrats' response to his proposal was swift and firm: They said they would start authorizing subpoenas as soon as Wednesday for the White House aides.

(Image is in the Public Domain)

According to the Washington Post, the FBI issued thousands of national security letters many without any clear ties to "emergencies" or current investigations.

Referring to the exigent circumstance letters, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote in a letter Friday to Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine: "It is . . . difficult to imagine why there should not have been swift and severe consequences for anyone who knowingly signed . . . a letter containing false statements. Anyone at the FBI who knew about that kind of wrongdoing had an obligation to put a stop to it and report it immediately."

No kidding. What I don't get is why everyone is saying that the "FBI's use of the exigency letters "circumvented" the law" rather than just say "They broke the law and many of the buggers are going to jail".

DHL

(Image is in the Public Domain)

Apparently the head of the DHS doesn't see why the REAL-ID act is such a big deal.

I'll make this very simple: Passports. E-voting. Airline security. Domestic spying. Not a great track record.

(Image used under: Creative Commons 2.0 [SRC])

Idaho has joined a growing trend of states that are flat out telling the federal government to jump off a cliff. The REAL ID act has been attacked by privacy organizations for being a national ID card which will have far reaching implications to personal freedom. Not only that, but implementation of the system is extremely expensive and each state is supposed to pay for it.

(Image is in the Public Domain)

Bruce Shneier says it better, with more sources, but the FBI is abusing it's powers to circumvent the subpeona process.

The Justice Department's inspector general has prepared a scathing report criticizing how the F.B.I. uses a form of administrative subpoena to obtain thousands of telephone, business and financial records without prior judicial approval.

George W. Bush

(Image used under: Fair Use doctrine)

In a move that's sure to shock every child under the age of 6, Bush's privacy board cleared him of any privacy invasion.

Civil liberties groups who've advocated that the board be separated from the executive branch and given real subpoena power are unlikely to be satisfied with the board's findings. Congressional Democrats have already expressed disdain for the new report, and they're moving to strengthen the board's oversight capabilities.