Nation Supposes Its Outraged By White House Scandals...The Onion
- I decided to do a favor today for all those "low information voters" out there---to give them an update about what is really important in America. I know it's hard pulling most of them away from watching Live With Kelly, Maury, The View, Jerry Springer and other brain draining television shows they watch day after day, but I'm going to give it a shot.
- Let's start with the Benghazi scandal. No, Benghazi is not the name of some guy living in the Middle East. It's a city in Libya (a country next to Egypt where all those pyramids are located) where our consulate (kinda like an embassy) was attacked by terrorists on 9/11/12 (yes, on the anniversary of that 9/11 that I'm sure even they know about). In terms they might understand, we had four Americans who were killed by those terrorists that day. But our government lied about why the terrorists attacked the consulate. Our government and the Obama administration said it was a "spontaneous" attack by a group of guys just hanging around the corner that day singing do-wop songs from the 1950's. According to our government, the attackers were pissed off at some anti-Muslim movie that about 3 people in the entire world actually viewed. Later, it was revealed that our staff on the ground in Benghazi had requested more security months prior to the attack. According to reports, there had been other attacks during that period. Those requests were denied. We also found out that reports by our government---referred to as "talking points"---were revised to minimize the impression that the attack was done by terrorists. At this time, we also do not know where Pres. Obama was on that day. We do know he travelled to Las Vegas the next day for a fundraiser. Oh, before I forget, several Congressional Committees concluded there were serious "systemic" failures with the State Department, the Department headed by Hillary Clinton (Yes, that Hillary Clinton who will probably run for president).
- More than a month ago, it was reported that the IRS (those are the people who tax us every day. It's why our paycheck is always smaller) targeted specific political groups. In this case, they targeted conservatives and conservative groups (conservatives are those people you've been told hate the poor, want us to drink dirty water, breath dirty air and is run by a bunch of old white guys). There was no record of the IRS targeting any other political groups like Democrats and liberals who, as you know, are the most tolerant people in the world unless, of course, you disagree with them or you're a conservative.
- And just last week, it was reported that the NSA (the National Security Agency) has been monitoring all of our phone calls (including cell phone calls), our internet use and almost everything we do in public and even in private. Some guy by the name of Edward Snowden, a contractor who worked for the NSA, spilled the beans. But he booked to Hong Kong, a Communist Chinese controlled city, where he believes he'll be better treated (although the Commies have a history of killing over 100 million of their own people in the last 60 years). Yes, I know what all of you are thinking right now. All those porn sites you've visited, the NSA knows. All those phone calls you had with your mistress, the NSA knows. All that sexting you do, the NSA knows. Too bad, because now all that stuff is stored in some super secret facility. But don't worry, the government told us that they don't look at that stuff or listen in to any of our phone sex conversations. You believe that right?
Pres. Obama said he welcomes the national debate over our surveillance polices. He said that's a debate we wouldn't have had five years ago. Five years ago? It's a debate we wouldn't have had two weeks ago if they all hadn't got caught...Leno
- It appears The Police were prescient when they wrote that song some years ago. One has to wonder when Pres. Obama said "we are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America" over 4 years ago, he meant transforming the country from a constitutional republic to an autocratic government. By the way, I don't believe we are there yet, but it does appear our government is skirting on the edges.
- Don't get me wrong, and most polls show this, Americans understand we need our intelligence services to ensure our national security including surveillance. However, those same Americans want our country to do it legally and follow the Constitution.
- At this time, we don't have a clear picture regarding what the NSA has done other than what Snowden reported in the last week (and, as days go by, I'm disliking and not trusting this guy more and more especially with reports that he plans on releasing more information. In addition, his interviews to the South China Morning Post, a Commie government rag, don't pass the smell test for me. During the Cold War, it would be like being interviewed by Pravda. Very disturbing in my opinion). In other words, how much intelligence information are the Commies reaping from Snowden?
- But we do have a clear picture of what the IRS did as well as the Department of Justice. While these are all different departments and agencies, they all fall under the umbrella of the Obama administration and their poor governance.
- As I've written in previous posts, we're now witnessing a debate on the balance between lawful government operations and imperious government. It's a debate all Americans should welcome.
- By the way, where is Pres. Obama on all this? He now appears to be the Bystander-in-Chief.
- To add insult to injury, a news broke today that the State Department hired agents with criminal records. This comes on the heels of another report earlier this week that a US ambassador solicited prostitutes overseas, some allegedly minors. In addition, whistleblower charges claim these reports were covered-up by the State Department. NY Post
Terrorist In U.S. Gets Why NSA Spying Such A Complicated Issue...The Onion
- While The Onion is a satirical publication, the headline above summarizes the debate currently going on regarding Edward Snowden's revelations regarding NSA's surveillance activities. In fact, the debate is also making strange bedfellows. On one side, we have Glenn Beck siding with the likes of Michael Moore and Julian Assange of Wikileaks fame calling Snowden a hero. On the other side, we have Republican Representative Peter King and Democrat Senator Diane Feinstein calling for Snowden's prosecution. So who is right?
- The fact is both are right. While I don't like describing Snowden a "hero" (a word applied much too often to those who have not earned the honor), his disclosures have forced us to debate the issues of security vs. our freedoms and liberty (as I wrote about in my previous post). He also violated his oath to up-hold the Constitution.
- On the other hand, I also find it disturbing to see many referring to someone as a "hero" who revealed some highly classified data and information. As far as I know, his actions qualify as espionage. In other words, he revealed classified information without permission. He violated his oath to up-hold the Constitution. I also found it very strange and unusual that he would go to Communist China for refuge, the country that has one of the worst human rights records in history.
- Considering this debate or dilemma, he's has done the country another favor. We now know NSA, in addition to the IRS, might have violated the Fourth Amendment. That's yet to be seen. However, all of these apologists for the actions of the NSA, appear to have forgotten history. In 2008, ABC News reported on the NSA's listening to PRIVATE phone calls of our troops overseas. So I raise the obvious question: if it was done once, who is to say it has not been done before? In other words, all of these folks who keep telling us it cannot happen are wrong. In fact, in USA Today, the paper reports that Snowden's ability to extract sensitive date from the NSA comes as no surprise to security personnel. "It's a dirty secret in IT that you can have thousands of people in the IT layer with the ability to survey all of your data, " said Udi Mokady, CEO of Cyber-Ark.
- And I've asked the question on several occasions: if the NSA is so good at what they do (and, in most instances they appear to be), how did they let Snowden slip through their security fingers?
- Whatever your opinion is of all these scandals, I tend to agree with Peggy Noonan's position when she wrote referring to the IRS scandal, "Details reveal that attacks were coordinated, political, terrifying." While the NSA scandal may not be political, the revelations certainly appear to be terrifying to most Americans. It's another reason this debate needs to be continued. It needs to continue not only to help many of us reconcile the dilemma we face, but it's needs to continue for the sake of our country. And, right now, we're not going in the right direction.
"When I was growing up, we were afraid of Big Brother watching us. Now with Obama, we actually have a brother watching over us."...Leno
- "Nobody is listening to your telephone calls," Pres. Obama declared last week.
- "Let me be exactly clear...if you've got health insurance...you can keep your plan." That was what Pres. Obama promised to all Americans 5 years ago regarding ObamaCare.
- "Any analyst at any time can target anyone. I, sitting at my desk, certainly had the authority to wiretap anyone from you or your accountant to a federal judge to even the president if I had a personal e-mail," said Edward Snowden, the former contracted NSA whistleblower just this past weekend.
- In other words, Americans have to understand that once our records are in the hands of government bureaucrats, the next step to abuse is an easy one to take as evidenced by what we've found out about the IRS and DOJ in the last month.
- In reading the recent news about Edward Snowden, the debate is now not only about potential government abuse, but whether he should be treated as a hero or traitor. Personally, I come down this way. If his leaks harmed our national security in any way, shape or form or placed any of our intelligence agents in harm's way, I would judge him as a traitor. However, as of today, it appears he only leaked the information about the NSA's surveillance program. As far as I know now (and this could change at any moment), he didn't leak any information about specific NSA operations that could harm national security unless one views his whistleblowing fits that criteria. At this time, I don't.
- But no matter what side you come down on with regard to Snowden, one outcome is becoming increasingly clear: More Americans are becoming less trustful of the government. In fact, in many ways, the news that keeps coming out is becoming even more creepy and disturbing. For example, with the recent IRS revelations, we know the government targeted specific individuals and organizations for their political affiliations. And when Pres. Obama essentially says to all Americans, just trust me (or the government), that's laughable.
- I believe what we are now witnessing and experiencing is trying to reconcile the dilemma regarding more security vs. our privacy or threats to our privacy. On a personal note, I believe privacy is more sacrosanct and much easier to accomplish if were put more efforts into it (although that train left the station a long time ago). Security, on the other hand, cannot be guaranteed. We've seen our security breached time and again even with the trillions spent on trying to ensure it.
- The fact is we've seldom had this debate. Well, these recent developments have now forced us into this debate. And every American should welcome it before it's too late.
- So allow me to leave you with this quote by Benjamin Franklin when he said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
