Where is the indignation?

[ragman]

Ok, the left said it was terrible for Bush to invade cell phone privacy but I hear barely a peek.  Is it OK for Obama to do the same.  Why hasn't he overturned many of the edicts of Bush on fighting terror if they where so terrible?  Maybe they where necessary and not so terrible?   Just asking. 

Feds push for tracking cell phones
In that case, the Obama administration has argued that warrantless tracking is permitted because Americans enjoy no "reasonable expectation of privacy" in their--or at least their cell phones'--whereabouts. U.S. Department of Justice lawyers say that "a customer's Fourth Amendment rights are not violated when the phone company reveals to the government its own records" that show where a mobile device placed and received calls.

Those claims have alarmed the ACLU and other civil liberties groups, which have opposed the Justice Department's request and plan to tell the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia that Americans' privacy deserves more protection and judicial oversight than what the administration has proposed.

"This is a critical question for privacy in the 21st century," says Kevin Bankston, an attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation who will be arguing on Friday. "If the courts do side with the government, that means that everywhere we go, in the real world and online, will be an open book to the government unprotected by the Fourth Amendment."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10451518-38.html
 

[deadserious]

Ok, the left said it was terrible for Bush to invade cell phone privacy but I hear barely a peek.  Is it OK for Obama to do the same.  Why hasn't he overturned many of the edicts of Bush on fighting terror if they where so terrible?  Maybe they where necessary and not so terrible?   Just asking. 

They were terrible and violating the constitution is always terrible no matter who does it.  Obama included.

[ragman]

KSM to face trial in NYC (maybe)  Is this in the best interests of the USA?  What do we do with him if he is found innocent because the normal police procedures where not used?  Obama has already said he is guilty and even if found innocent he would never be released.  How can this be?  So many questions.....

[ragman]

ds, so why I'm I not hearing it on the mainstream news outlets?  Why don't I hear Obama sucks???  Why don't I hear anything??

[deadserious]

ds, so why I'm I not hearing it on the mainstream news outlets?  Why don't I hear Obama sucks???  Why don't I hear anything??

Because the mainstream media news outlets love Obama.  You don't expect them to be intellectually honest, do you?

[ragman]

Today I hear that Obama may not stand in the way of tax increases for those making less than $250K.  I thought it was touted, even on this message board, that was not to be.  Of course many of us said that he would have to raise taxes with his plans.  I must have heard wrong, we will see in the next week.  He would never break his promises, would he?

[deadserious]

Today I hear that Obama may not stand in the way of tax increases for those making less than $250K.  I thought it was touted, even on this message board, that was not to be.  Of course many of us said that he would have to raise taxes with his plans.  I must have heard wrong, we will see in the next week.  He would never break his promises, would he?

He also said he wouldn't have any lobbyists in his administration and yet 80% of his top people were lobbyists.

Obama is less than truthful.  I don't disagree.  Bush also was less than truthful.  So was Clinton...  and Bush Sr...  and even Regan told some whoppers. 

Apparently it goes with the gig.

[2Aggies]

Ragman - hello - it's not an election year for Obama. Duh.

[ragman]

Ags, Not for him this year maybe but certainly for his party and the outcome will have a great influence on his influence.  But all that aside, what about the health of our country?  The economy is starting to scare me more that ever. What happens if he spends all of Porkulus I and then gets Porkulus II and the economy/employment doesn't turn.  At that point are we out of options because we are so far in debt? I just don't see any workable solutions coming from Obama.  Hope am wrong.

[Laurie]

Did you all really expect any solutions coming from Obama?

I am still astounded this clown was elected as President of the U.S.  It is really scary.....

[ragman]

Laurie,  What is different between Obama and recent Presidents is his inclination to double down.  DS is the gambler and he probably knows better how this works but the stakes are so high and he seems so sure that he is right that he is throwing all caution to the wind.  This is what really scares me.  I can not think of a time in my life when I met or knew a person who acted this way that it didn't eventually end very badly.

Which raises another question.  Maybe (no this sounds too nuts) maybe he hopes to get a new order if things get  really that bad.  Phoenix from the ashes so to speak?  Christ, I'm beginning to sounds like a nut but what is his plan B?  What does he do if he spends 2 to 3 thrillion dollars and the economy is no better off?  I don't see him doing things now to make the private sector grow.  Only the public sector and only a redistribution of wealth.  Everyone should be scared.  I didn't care for Clinton but he moved to the center and was pragmatic.  I never felt that he would wreck America. 

[Laurie]

I agree with all of what you said.  I thank God that I don't have young kids that are going to have to deal with the future fallout from all this spending and "throwing caution to the wind".   I think he got a small dose of reality with the recent Mass election.  He ain't the Messiah he thinks he is and quite frankly, the only reason I believe he was elected is by those that don't want to take reposnsibility for themselves and instead, expect everybody else to pay for them.  He never offered one adequate or comprehensible definition of what he meant by "change" and "hope".  Yes, he makes me more uneasy than any other politician/President that I can remember.

[deadserious]

Which raises another question.  Maybe (no this sounds too nuts) maybe he hopes to get a new order if things get  really that bad.  Phoenix from the ashes so to speak?  Christ, I'm beginning to sounds like a nut but what is his plan B?  What does he do if he spends 2 to 3 thrillion dollars and the economy is no better off?  I don't see him doing things now to make the private sector grow.  Only the public sector and only a redistribution of wealth.  Everyone should be scared.  I didn't care for Clinton but he moved to the center and was pragmatic.  I never felt that he would wreck America. 

Clinton had a true opposition party in office to which he had to acquiesce.  Gingrich led a successful coordinated conservative movement against his first year ultra-liberal agenda which forced him to the center and therefore limited (and greatly eliminated) any threat he posed.

For the most part, today's Republicans lack conservatism and certainly have no concept of constitutional conservatism.  Sure many have started to pander to the Ron Paul republican base, but not in a way to follow a conservative leader in opposition of the president like they did in 94.

The biggest reason Obama is so scary is because of how brainless, heartless and conviction-less is his opposition.  If the GOP doesn't figure something out fast and find a conservative leader to rally behind, we are all screwed...

It's not that the Republicans will get it right.  They most certainly won't if history is an example.  The '94 Republicans didn't either.  But a strong opposition party is essential to maintaining a non-activist government.  

[ragman]

ds, yes, a lot of good points.  Not much disagreement from me.  Gridlock is good most of the time.  It prevents them (the gov.) from screwing up too badly.    

[ragman]

The latest scheme.  The government is thinking of requiring a portion of everyones' IRA & 401K to be in Treasuries through an annuity. This proposed confiscation of our monies to this new annuity program was discovered by a person who found that the Department of Labor and Treasury have issued a request for information this week and requested public comments.  The public comment period began on January 27th and will last 90 days. http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache%3AJGTZjNozNXEJ%3Awww.dol.gov%2Ffederalregister%2FPdfDisplay.aspx%3FDocId%3D23512+request+for+information+regarding+lifetime+income+options+for+participants+and+beneficiaries&hl=en&gl=us  

This is so outrageous that I can't believe it can go forward but it shows how desperate the US government is getting for money.  There is a lot of chatter about this in investment message boards.  We shall see, but I put nothing past them.  Their argument is that the Stock Market is down about 30% so they are going to protect us from ourselves by requiring us to buying Treasuries.  Of course if you have Treasuries and inflation raises its' head, as is likely, you are going to take a bath.  
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=confiscation+of+IRA+by+US+government+annuitization+treasuries&btnG=Google+Search