Usa Thread

[Bangkoktraveler]

Half of the population is on drugs.

 

Half of them get their drugs legally

while the other half have to get their drugs illegally.

 

Justice?

[Steve]

Pretty much a gurantee that I'll end up 'wasting' my vote on Johnson as he just secured the Libertarian nomination. lol. Far, far better candidate than damn near the whole Republican field but because he's not a religious nut or beholden to them, he was not considered. Read up on him. Great job as governor.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/libertarians-nominate-ex-governor-gary-johnson-president-032020204.html

[Steve]

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/05/obama-ndaa-backlash

The Revolt Against the NDAA Hits CongressLast year, during consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress came close to authorizing the indefinite detention of American citizens captured on US soil who were suspected of terrorism. Ultimately, the House, the Senate, and the White House agreed on a compromise that would let federal courts decide whether such detentions were constitutional. That is, when confronted with the knotty question of whether the US government can detain its own citizens within the nation's borders without charging them with a crime, Congress decided not to decide. Still, activists on the left and right remain concerned, because although President Barack Obama promised not to use that power, the law does not explicitly prevent him from doing so. In the months since Obama signed the bill in January, a strange-bedfellows alliance has raised such a ruckus over the legislation that Congress is now considering three separate proposals to amend the law.

"There has been significant constituent concern" over the NDAA, says Claude Chafin, a spokesman for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee.

The revolt against the NDAA has brought together organizations and activists that disagree on almost every other issue—tea party activists, the states' rights Tenth Amendment Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Occupy Wall Street protesters. The NDAA is "waking people up to the idea that the federal government shouldn't have this kind of power," says Michael Boldin, the director of the Tenth Amendment Center. "We're seeing this weird mishmosh coalition of people." In mid-April, Boldin's group joined a number of other conservative organizations in filing a friend-of-the-court brief in support of liberal journalist Chris Hedges' anti-NDAA lawsuit against the Obama administration.

 

Must say I'm very, very disappointed in Obama maintaining and at times increasing the power of the government over the people and violating civil liberties. Frankly, I expected him to curtail this sh*t. You would think someone who was involved in community activism, would have a leftist view of the power of the government but as they say, power corrupts.

 

The sad thing is Romney will be just as bad and probably worse. Both parties seem to agree on increasing the power of the federal government.

 

My big fear is that Gen Y are now being raised in a world where that has large govermental power and erosion of civil liberties and they get used to it. Their children will grow up now NOT really knowing a more freer America.

 

For me its the number one problem. Not the economy. Why? The economy can and will get better in time. Economies tend to go up over time. We know that. However, history has shown that its a lot tougher to get back rights. Governments don't give it up usually without some blood being shed. There are exceptions. Some rights were suspended during the Civil War but were returned after. I think World War II as well.

 

I know I sound melodramatic. But its what makes America what it is. Its the last bastion of civil liberties. LOS and some other 3rd world countries may often seem freer but the only reason they seem that way is because the government lacks the infrastructure and technology to monitor everyone. There are now talks of drones being used in the U.S. as a law enforcement tool as well as other things. I dread that day. We KNOW the government will abuse it.

[Flashermac]

I share your fears.

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve]

Not sure if I posted this before but I think its funny.

 

[Steve]

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/al-qaeda-leader-linked-uss-cole-attack-killed-020552390--abc-news-politics.html

Al Qaeda Leader Linked to USS Cole Attack Killed in Airstrike in YemenThe government of Yemen says an airstrike has killed a top al Qaeda leader who was on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list because of his role in the attack on the USS Cole . The attack on the U.S. Navy destroyer in October, 2000 killed 17 American sailors and injured 39.

The Embassy of Yemen in Washington issued a press release Sunday saying Fahd al Quso, 37, was killed in an "airstrike" in Rafth, in the southern province of Shabwa.

 

F*ck! Say what you will about Obama (and there is much to say) but he continues to kick ass and take names. I know...I know...he can't all the credit. Not even most. But its the one in charge that gets it and if it were a Republican president they'd be screaming the same from the rafters.

 

I remember when we seemed so inept several years ago in dealing with these guys. However, we eventually learn and become lethal. I can't recall the exact person but there was a FBI agent who was giving secrets to the Soviets back in the '80s I think and the Soviets were telling him how the U.S. isn't smart and has too much freedom and not enough controls like they do in Russia.

 

The FBI agent who was giving secrets said something to the effect that America is like that oversized kid on the playground that doesn't seem to know what's going on. Seems out of its depth but he said, when threatened becomes an an idiot savant. This 'kid' can and will think of ways to be absolutely lethal.

 

World War II we started off not doing well in battles and by the end of the war were kicking ass.

[Flashermac]

So I suppose Harry Truman deserves credit for getting rid of Hitler and Tojo, when FDR couldn't do it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve]

Those are the rules. The sitting president getst the credit usually (FDR got the credit though) and truth is, Bush elder was the sitting president when the Berlin wall came down.

[Steve]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/4-high-tech-ways-federal-government-spying-private-153556125.html

 

4 high-tech ways the federal government is spying on private citizens

1. The NSA is building a massive data center in Utah to read every email you'll ever send.

2. The FBI maintains detailed files on numerous public, semi-public, and private figures.

3. Homeland Security is reading your tweets and Facebook status messages.

4. Your ISP may soon be required to keep files on what sites you visit.

Between private companies violating your privacy and now the government, is there any way to avoid prying eyes? Not really, unless you make significant changes in the way you use the web

 

America was a great country at one time, wasn't it?

[Bangkoktraveler]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/4-high-tech-ways-federal-government-spying-private-153556125.html

 

4 high-tech ways the federal government is spying on private citizens

1. The NSA is building a massive data center in Utah to read every email you'll ever send.

2. The FBI maintains detailed files on numerous public, semi-public, and private figures.

3. Homeland Security is reading your tweets and Facebook status messages.

4. Your ISP may soon be required to keep files on what sites you visit.

Between private companies violating your privacy and now the government, is there any way to avoid prying eyes? Not really, unless you make significant changes in the way you use the web

 

America was a great country at one time, wasn't it?

 

 

It sounds like 'the enemey' is us!