The President is Wrong

Good Saturday Morning Bloggers! I am VERY pleased to report that the Obama administration suffered a legal setback yesterday afternoon when a federal judge in California rejected their assertion that the federal government has the right to a "state secrets privilege" in the civil suit brought by an Islamic charity that was allegedly subjected to illegal NSA surveillance. It's one of many brought against the Bush Administration, and now one of the most important.

There's no doubt the government broke the law, and everybody knows it. That's why it's so strange the Obama Administration chose the wrong side of this issue. These cases are very important to those of us who believe the government over-stepped its authority and shredded the 4th Amendment by spying on Americans. The court has ordered the government - in the case of Al-Haramain v. Bush - to come up with a plan to safeguard classified information, while forcing it to go forward with the case. Judge Vaughn Walker rightly noted that the government has often made provisions for the discussion of Top Secret information, and that this trial should be no different. Thank you Judge Walker!

The judge also crafted his order narrowly to prevent the government from appealing it immediately to the Ninth Circuit. That was very wise. We will hear more on May 8th, when we find out whether the Administration will present a plan for safeguarding NSA classified information, OR if they just plan to re-assert their claim of state secrets. The Bush Administration was famous for claiming the privilege over and over, tweaking their claims just enough to waste the court's time, attempting to bankrupt the ACLU, while delaying cases for years. I'm hoping the Obama Administration is more honest in their dealings with America's courts.

Again, I'm disappointed that the Obama Administration has decided to defend the cases that were brought against the Bush Administration for spying on Americans. They should have allowed for justice while protecting our security. I'm sure both were possible. They idea that the government is immune from being sued after it so obviously broke the law - and admitted it many times - is outrageous.

My admiration for President Obama and Eric Holder lessened after they chose to defend what many of us consider the indefensible. When it comes to illegal wiretapping and torture, I am no fan of the Obama Administration. A matter of fact, I would say that I'm downright hostile. So far, they're very Bush-like in those areas.

Saturday's Political Rant - Michael

I am So Disappointed President Obama

Good Morning Readers! I must once again criticize my favorite new world statesman, President Barack Obama.

As many of you know, I was a major critic of George "the eavesdropper" Bush's warrantless wiretap program. I still consider the phone companies that cooperated with the Bush administration criminally liable, despite their new congressional immunity. Now, sad to say, President Obama has decided to join the dark side on this issue.

Unfortunately, President Obama and his Justice Department have decided to continue the Bush "we're above the law" policies and represent the government in court battles brought by citizens and organizations who felt their privacy was violated. Yes, it's sad but true, the Obama Administration has decided to support the Bush legal arguments for immunizing his Administration and government agencies from lawsuits surrounding the National Security Agency's eavesdropping efforts.

The right to privacy in the United States, enshrined in the US Constitution after the American revolution, should be more important to President Obama. The man was a constitutional professor for God's sake. His desire to continue with the Bush policies is a a serious breach of trust. They were wrong. He is wrong. I am both shocked and disappointed.

We need the right to privacy. The US government should not have the right to listen to our conversations, read our mail/email, or invade our privacy in any way. It's not about whether one administration is benign or more responsible; it's about the people's right to their own privacy.

For heaven's sake, whistleblowers have come out and reported government abuse already. They have reported how American citizens, even politicians, were listened to by the Bush Administration. Who knows how deep the rabbit hole goes? Can you say? If not, the government's ability to listen should be restricted.

We need to protect ourselves against corrupt power in this world. Technology makes us too vulnerable. I don't care if you call me paranoid, for history and precedence are on my side. We need protections against abuse before it's too late and big brother becomes a reality.

Constitutional scholars have universally condemned the government's past, and now present, position on the issue. The American people need to stand up for what is right. I don't care if we do support President Obama, if he's wrong, we need to fight him. We need to fight anybody who tries to take away our right to privacy.

Incredibly, the Obama Administration is going beyond any previous legal claims put forth by former President "the scumbag" Bush. All I can say is WOW! Responding to a lawsuit filed by a civil liberties group, the Justice Department has decided to argue that the government was protected by "sovereign immunity" from lawsuits because of a little-noticed clause in the Patriot Act.

It's OUTRAGEOUS! The Obama Administration is saying that government agencies cannot be sued for wiretapping American citizens even if there was intentional violation of US law. They maintain that the government can only be sued if the wiretaps involve "willful disclosure" -- a higher legal bar. I'm not a lawyer, but I if it smells like crap, it's crap. That is BS!

This is the first sign that the Obama Administration plans to support one of the worst crimes of the Bush Administration. It's also a very serious breach of trust to those of us who supported President Obama, because without a doubt most of us believed he would choose civil rights over government rights. It turns out we were wrong.

This is serious people. In the same way we fought to get President Obama elected, we need to fight against his Administration when it's wrong. Please join me to express your disappointment and work to change his position. I love so much of what the President is doing, but not on this issue. Of course, if anybody can help me understand why he may be choosing this path, please enlighten me. I'm at a loss.

Wednesday's Political Rant - Michael

Political Rant: NSA Listening to Personal, Private American Phone Calls

Good Morning Bloggers - ABC News is reporting on two whistleblowers who say that US intelligence officers are getting their kicks listening to Americans phoning home from overseas.

Despite legal requirements and pledges by Bush and intelligence officials, hundreds of US citizens overseas have been eavesdropped on as they called friends and family back home. Two former military intercept operators who worked at the National Security Agency (NSA) in Fort Gordon, Georgia, have come forward to report incredible news about how intelligence officers frequently listen in on very personal and private phone calls. Read the whole story here.

Once again we have an example of how the Bush Administration and the Republicans have broken our trust and done the dirty deeds we suspect they do. Who knows how deep the rabbit hole goes? What if they're listening in on Barack's campaign conversations? What if they're listening in on Democratic candidates across the country? The whole thing scares the hell out of me. I get tired of saying it, but Americans need to WAKE UP and vote them OUT OF POWER!

Thursday's Political Rant #1 - Michael