the NSA is spying on all of us

[ChaoofNee]

Yes, it's just that simple. Thanks you, Mr. Zacharias, for making it all so clear.

I wish people would realize how Civil War politics mean nothing in this day and age.

[Diff-chan]

Yes, it's just that simple. Thanks you, Mr. Zacharias, for making it all so clear.

I wish people would realize how Civil War politics mean nothing in this day and age.

No it does, because in spite of untold devastation in the USA, where brothers were killing brothers, fathers against sons, mostly against the backdrop of the nation's capital, the government still respected liberty, freedom, and the Constitution (outside of some minor incidents all of which have been well publicized). They knew the fight was for something more than a bunch of land and shit.

Could you imagine if bombs and shit were going off on the beltway today?

[Diff-chan]

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/17/...ecutive-order/

A couple of companies, like Bell and Verizon, have issued statements saying they didnt participate in this NSA spying stuff.

But the President issued a memo last week, on May 5th, which said John Negroponte, director of US Intelligence, and allow companies to conceal (lie) about things that "affect national security". As such any liability that is normally held to companies for lying is effectively washed away.

Notice that it took some time for these companies to deny these activities? How convenient. These denials are even more worthless than Barry Bonds saying "I passed all drug tests given to me", knowing full well the drugs he was taking were designed to be undetectable.

[YellerDog]

A hearty backpedal all around, of course. They're leaving the doors open for the gov't to root around, and play the deniability card when they get called on it.

Next up: Camera's in bathrooms. You aren't doing anything WRONG, are you?

[Cheebs]

Wow. I just looked at this. Terrifying stuff.

[gameoverDude]

Well, Verizon and Bell should go into the fast-food breakfast business, because they sure know how to make a nice sandwich. How about two well-done waffles with a king-size slice of horse shit in the middle?

[rectal_area]

I'm posting from China right now, and it's good knowing that the US will be exactly like China in a few years. Democracy aint worth FIVE DOLLA

[Melf]

Shut up and get back to making Nikes or no pay for you today!

[Sweet Daddy K]

Apparently, the Government agrees not all of us should be spied on…



Bush orders Jefferson records sealed

WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush on Thursday ordered records seized from Louisiana Democratic Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record)'s office to be sealed for 45 days to allow time to work out a dispute over the materials between the Justice Department and the House of Representatives.

"Our government has not faced such a dilemma in more than two centuries," Bush said in taking the unusual step of intervening in a criminal investigation.

"Yet after days of discussions, it is clear these differences will require more time to be worked out."

Bipartisan leaders of the House are outraged that the FBI seized a computer hard drive and two boxes of papers from Jefferson's office.

They contend the search violated the constitutional separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. The Justice Department considers the FBI search an important part of a probe into alleged public corruption.

Two former associates have pleaded guilty to bribery charges, and the FBI disclosed on Sunday it has videotaped Jefferson accepting bribe money and has found $90,000 in cash in his freezer.

Republican House leaders were relieved by Bush's move.

"It gives everybody a chance to step back," said House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois. "I appreciate that... We will continue to work on it and I think we can come to a valid conclusion."

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said the order provides more time "to reach a permanent solution that allows this investigation to continue while accommodating the concerns of certain members of Congress."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060525/...rson_bush_dc_6



Frist, Gonzalez meet to discuss FBI search

WASHINGTON - Heeding President Bush's order, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist summoned Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to his Capitol Hill office Friday to defuse their constitutional confrontation over last weekend's FBI search of a lawmaker's office.

"We've been working hard already and we'll continue to do so pursuant to the president's order," Gonzales said on his way into Frist's suite just off the Senate floor.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, meanwhile, said he too is working with the Justice Department to set up guidelines for the FBI to review materials it seized during the raid of the offices of Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record), D-La.

"But that is behind us now," Hastert said in USA Today. "I am confident that in the next 45 days, the lawyers will figure out how to do it right."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060526/...N5bnN1YmNhdA--