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Indicting the First Amendment | Nat Hentoff | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Here is part of [Shore's] Feb. 26 messages to Bunning staffers: 'Are you'all insane. No checks equal no food for me. DO YOU GET IT?'"
"U.S. Marshals appeared at Shore's door and handed him a grand jury indictment."
"Shore 'did utilize a telecommunications device, that is a computer, whether or not communication ensued, without disclosing his identity and with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, and harass any person who received the communication.'"
"If found guilty, Shore — or anyone indicted for sending such so-called harassing messages — could be imprisoned for up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000."
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
FBI used 'dragnet' warrantless cell tracking | Privacy Inc. - CNET News
FBI used 'dragnet' warrantless cell tracking | Privacy Inc. - CNET News: "The FBI obtained a secret order -- it has not been made public -- commanding nine different telephone companies to provide federal police 'with all cell site tracking data and cell site locator information for all incoming and outgoing calls to and from the target numbers.'
But because the U.S. Justice Department did not obtain a warrant by proving to a judge that there was probable cause to suspect criminal activity, there's now a risk that the evidence from the location surveillance may be tossed out of court as illegally obtained."
But because the U.S. Justice Department did not obtain a warrant by proving to a judge that there was probable cause to suspect criminal activity, there's now a risk that the evidence from the location surveillance may be tossed out of court as illegally obtained."
Obama's Security Strategy Is Clueless | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary
Obama's Security Strategy Is Clueless | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The principal theme in this NSS is burden sharing. The United States, the document stresses, cannot afford to be the world's sole policeman. Washington needs partners who are willing and able to meet security challenges and help preserve global peace and prosperity.
But administrations since the founding of NATO in 1949 have emphasized the need for such burden sharing — with a spectacular lack of success. And successive generations of U.S. officials have vented their impotent frustration. President Dwight Eisenhower's secretary of state, John Foster Dulles, warned the European allies in 1954 that if they didn't do more for the common defense effort against the Soviet Union, the United States would have to conduct an 'agonizing reappraisal' of its commitment to Europe. The NATO allies treated his warning as the empty threat that it was. Their security free riding on the United States barely diminished throughout the remainder of the Cold War."
But administrations since the founding of NATO in 1949 have emphasized the need for such burden sharing — with a spectacular lack of success. And successive generations of U.S. officials have vented their impotent frustration. President Dwight Eisenhower's secretary of state, John Foster Dulles, warned the European allies in 1954 that if they didn't do more for the common defense effort against the Soviet Union, the United States would have to conduct an 'agonizing reappraisal' of its commitment to Europe. The NATO allies treated his warning as the empty threat that it was. Their security free riding on the United States barely diminished throughout the remainder of the Cold War."
Monday, June 21, 2010
FOXNews.com - Obama Appeals to Congress for $50 Billion in Emergency Aid
FOXNews.com - Obama Appeals to Congress for $50 Billion in Emergency Aid: "Congressional leaders received a letter from the president asking for almost $50 billion for distribution to state and local governments, saying that increased spending is “urgent and unavoidable,” the Post reported. The money would protect the jobs of teachers, police and firefighters.
“Because the urgency is high—many school districts, cities and states are already being forced to make these layoffs,” Obama wrote, “these provisions must be passed as quickly as possible.”
Obama’s plea comes despite last year’s $787 billion economic stimulus package, which worked to stabilize the failing economy, but did little to help the country’s high unemployment rate. At 9.7 percent, unemployment is nearly the same as it was a year ago."
He was very wrong about the effect of the stimulus and what is left of his credibility on economics?
“Because the urgency is high—many school districts, cities and states are already being forced to make these layoffs,” Obama wrote, “these provisions must be passed as quickly as possible.”
Obama’s plea comes despite last year’s $787 billion economic stimulus package, which worked to stabilize the failing economy, but did little to help the country’s high unemployment rate. At 9.7 percent, unemployment is nearly the same as it was a year ago."
He was very wrong about the effect of the stimulus and what is left of his credibility on economics?
Jobs
Campaign For Liberty: "Excluding temporary census workers, only 25,000 private sector jobs were added in May, less than 20% of the number needed just to keep pace with the growth in the workforce. The President's crack team of Keynesian number crunchers had forecasted around 500,000.
Mr. Obama somehow managed to blame businesses for the blown call, chiding them for unwarranted hiring reticence in the face of an expanding GDP. In doing so, he displayed an unnerving lack of understanding of how jobs are created and how GDP is aggregated.
Businesses do not hire workers to grow the economy, to make a President's economic recovery plan work, or to keep some magic ratio to GDP; we only hire workers to meet increased demand for our products and services. And demand is not growing, it is shrinking."
Mr. Obama somehow managed to blame businesses for the blown call, chiding them for unwarranted hiring reticence in the face of an expanding GDP. In doing so, he displayed an unnerving lack of understanding of how jobs are created and how GDP is aggregated.
Businesses do not hire workers to grow the economy, to make a President's economic recovery plan work, or to keep some magic ratio to GDP; we only hire workers to meet increased demand for our products and services. And demand is not growing, it is shrinking."
Campaign For Liberty
Campaign For Liberty: "Do you remember those dreadful scenes of oil-drenched Norwegian fiords, or the helpless birds stuck in the ooze in Kuwait, or the miles and miles of black gunk layered over the beaches of Saudi, Dubai, and UAE? That's right, you don't - because when those underwater wells blew, these foreign fleets scooped up all the oil before it ever hit shore.
As soon as the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, the Dutch and Belgians and eleven other countries immediately offered to send their oil-sucking fleets to the Gulf, but President Obama refused to allow it. The use of these vessels is prohibited by the Jones Act, and unlike past Presidents in times of crisis, he has refused to waive it.
The Jones Act is a 1920 law that prohibits the use of foreign vessels and crews to transport cargo between U.S. ports. It can be waived by Presidential order at his discretion. It was enacted to protect union shipbuilding jobs, although like all protectionist measures, it has had just the opposite effect and we now produce less than 1% of the world's ships."
As soon as the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, the Dutch and Belgians and eleven other countries immediately offered to send their oil-sucking fleets to the Gulf, but President Obama refused to allow it. The use of these vessels is prohibited by the Jones Act, and unlike past Presidents in times of crisis, he has refused to waive it.
The Jones Act is a 1920 law that prohibits the use of foreign vessels and crews to transport cargo between U.S. ports. It can be waived by Presidential order at his discretion. It was enacted to protect union shipbuilding jobs, although like all protectionist measures, it has had just the opposite effect and we now produce less than 1% of the world's ships."
FOXNews.com - Israel's new list of goods banned from Gaza limited to weapons, materials with military use
FOXNews.com - Israel's new list of goods banned from Gaza limited to weapons, materials with military use: "The list of banned goods replaces an old list of allowed items that permitted only basic humanitarian supplies for the 1.5 million Gazans. Under the new system, the government said practically all non-military items can enter Gaza freely."
Why was the old list so restrictive?!?
Why was the old list so restrictive?!?
Friday, June 11, 2010
FOXNews.com - Greene's South Carolina Primary Win Defies Odds, Leaves Democrats Perplexed
FOXNews.com - Greene's South Carolina Primary Win Defies Odds, Leaves Democrats Perplexed: "Greene admits he had no campaign headquarters, no party support, no contributions, no job, no computer and no cell phone.
Yet, somehow, he managed to pull off the most unlikely of victories, and -- unless state Democratic Party officials have their way -- will face incumbent Republican Sen. Jim DeMint in November."
Yet, somehow, he managed to pull off the most unlikely of victories, and -- unless state Democratic Party officials have their way -- will face incumbent Republican Sen. Jim DeMint in November."
Euthanasia Nurses Give Life-Ending Drugs, 'Assume' Patients Want to Die - Longevity | Prevention | Aging - FOXNews.com
Euthanasia Nurses Give Life-Ending Drugs, 'Assume' Patients Want to Die - Longevity | Prevention | Aging - FOXNews.com: "In interviews with 248 nurses, a fifth admitted they had taken part in a euthanasia procedure based on the “assumption” that the patient wanted to die. Almost half of the nurses confessed to “terminations without request or consent.”
When euthanasia was made legal in Belgium in 2002, the law stated two conditions — that the patient give consent and the life-ending drugs be administered by a doctor. But the study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found the euthanasia is commonly carried out by nurses, “operating beyond the legal margins of their profession.”"
When euthanasia was made legal in Belgium in 2002, the law stated two conditions — that the patient give consent and the life-ending drugs be administered by a doctor. But the study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found the euthanasia is commonly carried out by nurses, “operating beyond the legal margins of their profession.”"
Thursday, June 10, 2010
How Civilization Deals with Torture States - David Gordon - Mises Daily
How Civilization Deals with Torture States - David Gordon - Mises Daily: "[I]t is crucial for the country to recognize that there is one crime with a legal profile so singular that it can — even standing alone — convey the wholesale contempt for the rule of law displayed by the Bush administration. That crime is the act of torture. The absolute prohibition of torture in national and international law, as [legal philosopher] Jeremy Waldron argued… 'epitomizes' the 'spirit and genius of our law,' the 'prohibition draw[s] a line between law and savagery,' it requires a 'respect for human dignity' even when 'law is at its most forceful and its subjects at their most vulnerable.' The absolute rule against torture is foundational and minimal; it is the bedrock on which the whole structure of law is erected."
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin
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