Friday, September 22, 2006

GOP Brains On Display!

“The Electronic Surveillance Modernization Act includes new provisions to further strengthen congressional authority and oversight, and provide clear rules for electronic surveillance if the President notifies the Congress that he has reason to believe that an attack is imminent that would result in death or serious injury or substantial economic damage. The rules will include time limits, written notification, full justification, and clear identification of the groups and their affiliates believed to be about to launch an attack.
We listen to our enemies. Our intelligence community must be able to gather information to protect us, and react rapidly to threats. At the same time, we must ensure that the liberties of Americans are protected. We can do both.” N.M. GOP Rep. Heather Wilson

So according to this proposed Act, if the President doesn’t notify Congress that he has reason to believe that an attack is imminent, just as he didn’t notify Congress of his circumvention of FISA was and is illegal and continues to this day, then Congress in its ignorance has nothing to do. This “Act” would negate FISA and add to Bush’s increasingly imperial powers.

“Our elections are too important to allow the possibility of fraudulent and illegal voting practices and that is why I supported H.R. 4844, the Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006. This bill would ensure that state and local governments have effective means to prevent non-citizen immigrants from illegally registering and voting in federal elections.
The Federal Election Integrity Act would require voters in federal elections to provide a photo ID by 2008. By 2010, voters would be required to provide a photo ID that can only be obtained with proof of citizenship. Federal law already makes it a crime for non-citizens to vote in federal elections and this bill would give state and local governments the tools they need to enforce the law. H.R. 4844 is important legislation and will preserve the democratic integrity of our electoral process.” Texas GOP Rep. John Culberson

Why the hell would non-citizens vote?
And why have a new photo-ID to prove citizenship when we already have one—it’s called a passport.
Oh yeah, and federal law makes it a crime for citizens to manipulate the election process and results. Try starting there.


“Congress must do more to increase access to affordable, quality health insurance and we must work to control the costs in our health care system. I have proposed several common sense interim steps - including expanding and encouraging health savings accounts, allowing individuals and businesses to buy insurance across state lines and over the internet and expanding tax credits to help small businesses provide coverage for their employees.” Vt. GOP Candidate for Congress Martha Rainville

All this was done two years ago and resulted in higher costs. More restricted coverage and a reduction in those insured. And why should small businesses (the Labor Department defines “small business” as a company with up to 500 employees or $12 million p.a. gross income) get a tax credit if individuals, going by this idiotically vague “plan”, would then be able to get “affordable” healthcare on their own due to the benefits of this magical scheme?

"Unfortunately, Hugo Chavez has become a clown. What’s even more unfortunate is his deliberate efforts to intervene and interefere (sic) with the internal politics of his neighbors, jeopardizing democracy and destabilizing many Latin American nations who are struggling to secure a better future for their citizens." Ill. GOP Rep. Jerry Weller

Unfortunately, George Bush has become a clown. What’s even more unfortunate is his deliberate efforts to intervene and interfere with the internal politics of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Iran, jeopardizing democracy and destabilizing many Middle-Eastern nations.

9 comments:

Sister Mary Martha said...

Well........not all of us have a passport.

And I have to correct you for saying that the President has BECOME a clown.

Red Tory said...

You have to just love the shameless expression "to further strengthen" because it encapsulates so much bullshit in three little words.

Here's another phrase from Wilson's speech justifying warrantless surveillance that I just loved:

...reason to believe that an attack is imminent that would result in death or serious injury or substantial economic damage.

First, one would have to deduce that the attack is "imminent" um, like say, Hussein's nuclear program, I guess. Who decides what is a "serious" injury? Where's the dividing line between a scrape and a missing limb? Likewise with the "substantial" economic damage. That's a terribly vague and subjective word, substantial. If Warren Buffet loses a million dollars, it's pretty inconsequential, but to you and me... pretty damn substantial.

billie said...

i wish people would stop living in fear and wakeup to the fact that these folks are staging a quiet coup of america. they are more blatent about it than when they started- but there it is nevertheless. we are not 'safer'- whatever that means- then we were in 2000. if anything- we are less so. giving up more of our liberties will not do anything other than keep us under the dictatorial thumb of our government.

Anonymous said...

have you seen this anti-christ movie, "Jesus camp"? SERIOUSLY - sinclair lewis said, “When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.” well - here it is, folks. Jesus camp is the antichrist training "soldiers" to fight the Christian holy wars. that's NOT god's way. and the GOP and the minions of evil know that.

Red Tory said...

Haven't seen the movie, but enough of it to be horrified.

Anonymous said...

I work with these people everyday at the Capital, and thier positions continue to amaze me.

Abandoning our values and principles does not make America strong.

Anonymous said...

Right, many people here dont have passports but if they did maybe more would actually leave America and see that much of the world does not live in a consumaculture suburbacrazed oil addicted society where posessions are paramount and where preserving our 'way of life" as per Wolfowitz and co. is an excuse for the invasion of sovereign nations. They dont say in the PNAC documents "defend and keep us safe" they refer to our interests.

The military is a tool for resource protection, not democracy.

Dont know if Ive seen you much before but I came from my dear Peace Chick Mary's.

Peacechick Mary said...

Now I have to Google for the federal law that makes it illegal to screw with elections. My mind is twirling as I know there have been cases where it is proven that the election was rigged. Hmm. Work to do before the dawn.

Anonymous said...

I think another aspect is voter disenfranchisement- actions intended either directly or indirectly to deter a potential voter from being able to exercise their right. An example was when the rolls in Florida a few years back erroneously listed people as convicted felons when they were not.

"Oops-A mistake!!" kind of scenario.

Well, when mistakes occur in patterns, the activist community must take notice if possible.

Anyway- your comment at Gynocracy was pretty funny!!! Let me clarify: The Blue Republic is in fact my blog as well, I wrote the piece today. I write there as part of a team. I will post there on Sunday too. The main page is usually an assortment of silliness but in the forums there can be some serious posts. The conversation in forums evolve over time as opposed to a blog where it scrolls away. I like forum "boards" because it will indicate when comments have been added to a subject by other users. Comments at different blogs can become burdensome for me but at times I do want the benefit of a dialogue. Forums make that easier to manage.

I also post at Peace Train, and a handful of other places. Gynocracy is a sub-site of Blue Republic. We see ourselves as a community.

Sorry it was a challenge!