interpreting the constitution
number 113 07.29.07
Gonzales’ Incomplete, Misleading Testimony Might Be True
The high-profile confrontation between
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and
the Senate Intelligence Committee
escalated last week after apparently
misleading statements in Gonzales’
testimony before the panel caused four
Democratic senators to call for the
appointment of a special prosecutor to
conduct a perjury investigation of the
nation’s chief law enforcement officer.
On Sunday the New York Times, citing
current and former administration
officials, reported that a dramatic 2004
dispute over Justice Department
reauthorization of a surveillance program
operated by the National Security
Agency was focused on large-scale
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and
the Senate Intelligence Committee
escalated last week after apparently
misleading statements in Gonzales’
testimony before the panel caused four
Democratic senators to call for the
appointment of a special prosecutor to
conduct a perjury investigation of the
nation’s chief law enforcement officer.
On Sunday the New York Times, citing
current and former administration
officials, reported that a dramatic 2004
dispute over Justice Department
reauthorization of a surveillance program
operated by the National Security
Agency was focused on large-scale
electronic data mining, as opposed to
wiretapping, raising the possibility that
the Attorney General’s “narrowly crafted
answers, while legalistic, were technically
correct.” Legal experts quickly noted
that in attempting to assert a distinction
between the activities, Gonzales has in
effect provided the first public
acknowledgement that the NSA was
engaged in searching the massive
databases of private telecommunications
companies.
In his testimony last Thursday, the
Attorney General reiterated his previous
claim that there was "no serious
disagreement" within the administration
over the legality of NSA domestic
wiretapping, raising the possibility that
the Attorney General’s “narrowly crafted
answers, while legalistic, were technically
correct.” Legal experts quickly noted
that in attempting to assert a distinction
between the activities, Gonzales has in
effect provided the first public
acknowledgement that the NSA was
engaged in searching the massive
databases of private telecommunications
companies.
In his testimony last Thursday, the
Attorney General reiterated his previous
claim that there was "no serious
disagreement" within the administration
over the legality of NSA domestic
surveillance operations that
proceeded without warrants from
the secret Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act Court. In an
appearance before the same panel in
May, former Deputy Attorney
General James Comey described a
tense internal dispute among senior
Justice Department officials over
certain aspects of the program in
2004 that nearly led to mass
resignations. FBI Director Robert
Mueller’s testimony last Friday
appeared to directly contradict
Gonzales’ version of events, leading
four Democratic members of the
committee to issue their call for a
special prosecutor. it's all true
proceeded without warrants from
the secret Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act Court. In an
appearance before the same panel in
May, former Deputy Attorney
General James Comey described a
tense internal dispute among senior
Justice Department officials over
certain aspects of the program in
2004 that nearly led to mass
resignations. FBI Director Robert
Mueller’s testimony last Friday
appeared to directly contradict
Gonzales’ version of events, leading
four Democratic members of the
committee to issue their call for a
special prosecutor. it's all true
| interpreting the constitution crowd control spread of the red one nation, under surveillance fun d' mental in bed with the red red state rebate verbatim |
Weather
spread of the red
Chilling Directive Forecasts Frozen Assets for Dissenters
Oil Wells
Won’t End Well
Won’t End Well
President Bush recently issued an
executive order that allows the federal
government to seize the financial assets
of anyone, including American citizens,
who are deemed to “undermine” the US
military occupation of Iraq. The order
was established by the president without
consultation with the Congress and put
into effect, according to Bush and to
quote the order, “by the authority
vested in me as President.”
The order, Blocking Property of Certain
Persons who Threaten Stabilization
Efforts in Iraq, was enacted to allow the
US government to freeze or seize the
assets of “indigenous Iraqi insurgent
groups” according to an explanation of
the order released by the US Treasury
Department. But civil libertarians have
expressed concern that the executive
decree’s broad language might also allow
executive order that allows the federal
government to seize the financial assets
of anyone, including American citizens,
who are deemed to “undermine” the US
military occupation of Iraq. The order
was established by the president without
consultation with the Congress and put
into effect, according to Bush and to
quote the order, “by the authority
vested in me as President.”
The order, Blocking Property of Certain
Persons who Threaten Stabilization
Efforts in Iraq, was enacted to allow the
US government to freeze or seize the
assets of “indigenous Iraqi insurgent
groups” according to an explanation of
the order released by the US Treasury
Department. But civil libertarians have
expressed concern that the executive
decree’s broad language might also allow
the order to be used to seize the assets
of any person or group who supports
ending the military occupation of Iraq.
The American Civil Liberties Union fears
that because “many of the executive
order’s terms are left undefined,”
Americans who provide humanitarian
assistance to Iraqis or groups that
oppose the occupation may become
targets of the US Government and their
assets confiscated.
The order states that “all property and
interests in property” of persons who
are determined by the president to
represent a threat to the US military’s
“efforts to promote economic
reconstruction and political reform in
Iraq” can be “blocked and may not be
transferred paid or exported.” The
order gives the same authority to the
Secretary of State and the Secretary
of any person or group who supports
ending the military occupation of Iraq.
The American Civil Liberties Union fears
that because “many of the executive
order’s terms are left undefined,”
Americans who provide humanitarian
assistance to Iraqis or groups that
oppose the occupation may become
targets of the US Government and their
assets confiscated.
The order states that “all property and
interests in property” of persons who
are determined by the president to
represent a threat to the US military’s
“efforts to promote economic
reconstruction and political reform in
Iraq” can be “blocked and may not be
transferred paid or exported.” The
order gives the same authority to the
Secretary of State and the Secretary
of Defense and allows these officials
to “redelegate any of these functions
to other officers and agencies of the
United States.”
The order stipulates that the
property of persons may be
confiscated if they provide “funds,
goods, or services,” that are
construed to undermine the
occupation of Iraq even if the
provision of such materials or
support is done “indirectly.”
The ACLU said that the president's
executive order “reaches far beyond
criminal activity to activity that may
be entirely innocent,” and referred
to the decree as “a strangely
undemocratic way to go about
bringing democracy to the rest of the
world.” it's all true
to “redelegate any of these functions
to other officers and agencies of the
United States.”
The order stipulates that the
property of persons may be
confiscated if they provide “funds,
goods, or services,” that are
construed to undermine the
occupation of Iraq even if the
provision of such materials or
support is done “indirectly.”
The ACLU said that the president's
executive order “reaches far beyond
criminal activity to activity that may
be entirely innocent,” and referred
to the decree as “a strangely
undemocratic way to go about
bringing democracy to the rest of the
world.” it's all true
As ocean temperatures rise, oil
derricks in Alaska have begun to
loose their footing and slip into
the ocean. The disappearance of
sea ice shelves and melting
permafrost have combined to
threaten oil wells according to a
study by the US Geological Survey.
Oil wells in the National
Petroleum Reserve are
threatened by coastal erosion
caused by the surf that now
pounds a shoreline that was once
protected by sea ice. The US
Bureau of Land Management
reported that at least 30
exploration wells in the reserve
are in imminent danger of being
swallowed up as the coastline
erodes. BLM scientists estimate
that the cost to plug and clean up
the threatened oil wells would be
about $20 million per well.
Authors of the US Geological
Survey study wrote that Alaskan
costal erosion has more than
doubled in certain areas over the
past 22 years. The deterioration
of Alaska's coastline has led to
the flooding of villages and has
also threatened abandoned
military communications outposts
that are known to be repositories
for hazardous waste. The study’s
lead author said that the damages
to the coast are caused by a
documented warming trend in
Alaska.
In spite of the coastal erosion,
President Bush continues to call
for increased exploration and
drilling in the National Petroleum
Reserve to add to the supply of
domestically produced oil and
natural gas. it's all true
derricks in Alaska have begun to
loose their footing and slip into
the ocean. The disappearance of
sea ice shelves and melting
permafrost have combined to
threaten oil wells according to a
study by the US Geological Survey.
Oil wells in the National
Petroleum Reserve are
threatened by coastal erosion
caused by the surf that now
pounds a shoreline that was once
protected by sea ice. The US
Bureau of Land Management
reported that at least 30
exploration wells in the reserve
are in imminent danger of being
swallowed up as the coastline
erodes. BLM scientists estimate
that the cost to plug and clean up
the threatened oil wells would be
about $20 million per well.
Authors of the US Geological
Survey study wrote that Alaskan
costal erosion has more than
doubled in certain areas over the
past 22 years. The deterioration
of Alaska's coastline has led to
the flooding of villages and has
also threatened abandoned
military communications outposts
that are known to be repositories
for hazardous waste. The study’s
lead author said that the damages
to the coast are caused by a
documented warming trend in
Alaska.
In spite of the coastal erosion,
President Bush continues to call
for increased exploration and
drilling in the National Petroleum
Reserve to add to the supply of
domestically produced oil and
natural gas. it's all true
Traffic
| redstat |
PR Firms Launch New, Improved Quagmire
| Manpower reaching military service age annually top five countries |
The US military has sought advice from
Madison Avenue marketers to help the
Pentagon gain the support of Iraqi
citizens and the attention of Americans
the occupation of Iraq, not through a
change in policy, but rather by re-
characterizing the military operation to
enhance the image of US military
occupiers.
The RAND Corporation was contracted
by the Pentagon to suggest new ways to
describe the invasion and long-term
occupation of Iraq to‘re-brand’ the
military mission in hopes of gaining the
support of “Iraqi consumers.” The 211-
page study, Enlisting Madison Avenue:
The Marketing Approach to Earning
Popular Support in Theaters of
Operation cost $400,000 to produce and
was delivered to the US Joint Forces
Command last month.
Madison Avenue marketers to help the
Pentagon gain the support of Iraqi
citizens and the attention of Americans
the occupation of Iraq, not through a
change in policy, but rather by re-
characterizing the military operation to
enhance the image of US military
occupiers.
The RAND Corporation was contracted
by the Pentagon to suggest new ways to
describe the invasion and long-term
occupation of Iraq to‘re-brand’ the
military mission in hopes of gaining the
support of “Iraqi consumers.” The 211-
page study, Enlisting Madison Avenue:
The Marketing Approach to Earning
Popular Support in Theaters of
Operation cost $400,000 to produce and
was delivered to the US Joint Forces
Command last month.
The brandings that have been attempted
by the Pentagon to describe the
occupation of Iraq that most Americans
are familiar with, “shock and awe” and
later “mission accomplished”, are not
how the people of occupied Iraq
understand the US military action. The
study found that the average Iraqi was
more likely to consider the phrase
“show of force” to be a more apt
description of the military mission. The
report recommended that occupying
forces should “instill customer
satisfaction” by keeping promises and use
“social marketing” techniques to gain the
cooperation of local populations. The
authors also suggested that Congress
consider changing laws that prohibit the
military from using the Internet to
spread propaganda saying that the law as
currently written puts the US at a
"competitive disadvantage." it's all true
by the Pentagon to describe the
occupation of Iraq that most Americans
are familiar with, “shock and awe” and
later “mission accomplished”, are not
how the people of occupied Iraq
understand the US military action. The
study found that the average Iraqi was
more likely to consider the phrase
“show of force” to be a more apt
description of the military mission. The
report recommended that occupying
forces should “instill customer
satisfaction” by keeping promises and use
“social marketing” techniques to gain the
cooperation of local populations. The
authors also suggested that Congress
consider changing laws that prohibit the
military from using the Internet to
spread propaganda saying that the law as
currently written puts the US at a
"competitive disadvantage." it's all true
| india |
| china |
m 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
source: CIA World Factbook
red state rebate : gross receipts
VP Energetically Protects Environment of Secrecy
Vice President Cheney’s controversial
secret energy task force held over 40
private meetings with an array of energy
industry executives and lobbyists before
granting a single perfunctory hearing to
representatives from 13 major
environmental groups in April 2001,
according to documents recently
obtained by the Washington Post.
The papers, leaked to the Post by a
former White House official, contain the
names of about 300 groups and
individuals that met over a period of five
months with the staff of the task force,
which produced its energy policy white
secret energy task force held over 40
private meetings with an array of energy
industry executives and lobbyists before
granting a single perfunctory hearing to
representatives from 13 major
environmental groups in April 2001,
according to documents recently
obtained by the Washington Post.
The papers, leaked to the Post by a
former White House official, contain the
names of about 300 groups and
individuals that met over a period of five
months with the staff of the task force,
which produced its energy policy white
paper in May 2001. According to the
unnamed official, the initial draft of
the report was already essentially
complete when the environmental
advocates were invited to appear
before the task force. The Vice
President did not attend that
meeting. The energy task force was
at the center of a legal dispute when
the Government Accountability
Office sought to review the process
by which it had arrived at its policy
recommendations. Cheney’s office
refused to provide the information,
going to court to protect the secrecy
of its deliberations. it's all true
unnamed official, the initial draft of
the report was already essentially
complete when the environmental
advocates were invited to appear
before the task force. The Vice
President did not attend that
meeting. The energy task force was
at the center of a legal dispute when
the Government Accountability
Office sought to review the process
by which it had arrived at its policy
recommendations. Cheney’s office
refused to provide the information,
going to court to protect the secrecy
of its deliberations. it's all true
Land of the Midnight Deals
Defense Deploys Democratic Donations
The junior senator from Alaska,
Lisa Murkowski, recently
amended her annual financial
disclosure to reflect her purchase
of a parcel of land sold to her by
a political supporter.
Murkowski bought the 1.27-acre
lot in an exclusive resort area
from long-time political supporter
and real estate developer, Bob
Penney. The lot was purchased
for $179,000 but has an estimated
value of between $300,000 and
$350,000. Penny has a home on
an adjacent lot and owns the lots
that adjoin Murkowski’s new
property.
Ethics watchdog groups have
criticized Murkowski for what has
been characterized as a
sweetheart deal, but Murkowski’s
Lisa Murkowski, recently
amended her annual financial
disclosure to reflect her purchase
of a parcel of land sold to her by
a political supporter.
Murkowski bought the 1.27-acre
lot in an exclusive resort area
from long-time political supporter
and real estate developer, Bob
Penney. The lot was purchased
for $179,000 but has an estimated
value of between $300,000 and
$350,000. Penny has a home on
an adjacent lot and owns the lots
that adjoin Murkowski’s new
property.
Ethics watchdog groups have
criticized Murkowski for what has
been characterized as a
sweetheart deal, but Murkowski’s
spokesperson said that the senator has
done “everything she was required to as
a US Senator.” Penny said he
considered that he received a fair price
for the property, adding that he has
known the Murkowski family for many
years.
Penny has also been subpoenaed to
testify in an on-going grand jury
investigation into influence peddling by
the owner of an oil services company in
Alaska that has received millions of
dollars worth of federal contracts.
Alaska’s senior Senator Ted Stevens has
been implicated in the scandal. Federal
investigators recently searched Steven’s
home seeking documents connecting the
senator to the oil firm. Stevens’ son,
the former president of the state’s
senate, has also been subject to scrutiny
by federal authorities for his relationship
with the oil company. it's all true
done “everything she was required to as
a US Senator.” Penny said he
considered that he received a fair price
for the property, adding that he has
known the Murkowski family for many
years.
Penny has also been subpoenaed to
testify in an on-going grand jury
investigation into influence peddling by
the owner of an oil services company in
Alaska that has received millions of
dollars worth of federal contracts.
Alaska’s senior Senator Ted Stevens has
been implicated in the scandal. Federal
investigators recently searched Steven’s
home seeking documents connecting the
senator to the oil firm. Stevens’ son,
the former president of the state’s
senate, has also been subject to scrutiny
by federal authorities for his relationship
with the oil company. it's all true
The seven largest defense contractors in
the US made political donations to
Congressional election campaigns
totaling almost $3 million in the first six
months of 2007, according to figures
released last week by independent
blogger Steven Trimble. The data also
reveal that nine of the top ten recipients
were Democratic legislators, reflecting a
wider trend among big money lobbyists
to shift the bulk of their contributions to
the party since it took over both houses
of Congress in January.
the US made political donations to
Congressional election campaigns
totaling almost $3 million in the first six
months of 2007, according to figures
released last week by independent
blogger Steven Trimble. The data also
reveal that nine of the top ten recipients
were Democratic legislators, reflecting a
wider trend among big money lobbyists
to shift the bulk of their contributions to
the party since it took over both houses
of Congress in January.
Trimble found that a majority of
members of Congress from both
parties had received donations from
at least one of the top defense
companies in the first half of the
year. The leading individual recipient
of defense industry contributions was
Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine was
the only Republican among the top
ten recipients. it's all true
members of Congress from both
parties had received donations from
at least one of the top defense
companies in the first half of the
year. The leading individual recipient
of defense industry contributions was
Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine was
the only Republican among the top
ten recipients. it's all true
redstat
Misconduct fines in millions of dollars since 1995 selected defense contractors
1000
500
m$
boeing raytheon northrup lockheed halliburton
source: Project on Government Oversight
one nation, under surveillance
crowd control
Race to Profiling Begins With Tipster Immunity
White Offenders
Escape Prison
Escape Prison
journal The Hill, a spokesman for
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described
the modified provision as “a solid
compromise that ensures security in a
manner that is mindful of civil rights
concerns.”
The effort to immunize tipsters stems
from an incident in Minneapolis last
November, previously reported by
redstateupdate, in which six Muslim
community leaders were removed from
a US Airways flight when other
passengers deemed their behavior to be
suspicious. The six imams, who were
detained briefly by police and then
released without charge, filed a civil
rights lawsuit. Civil liberties advocates
predict that the proposed legislation will
cause an upsurge in such incidents. An
aide to Senate Judiciary Committee
chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) told The
Hill, “Taking aim at one pending case is
treacherous, since such measures can
widely undermine or even eliminate the
legal rights of ordinary Americans in ways
that aren’t always easy to predict.”
In a related story, ABC News reported
last week that the FBI is building a large
network of secret informants within the
US as part of a broader effort to combat
terrorism through so-called "human
intelligence capabilities." it's all true
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described
the modified provision as “a solid
compromise that ensures security in a
manner that is mindful of civil rights
concerns.”
The effort to immunize tipsters stems
from an incident in Minneapolis last
November, previously reported by
redstateupdate, in which six Muslim
community leaders were removed from
a US Airways flight when other
passengers deemed their behavior to be
suspicious. The six imams, who were
detained briefly by police and then
released without charge, filed a civil
rights lawsuit. Civil liberties advocates
predict that the proposed legislation will
cause an upsurge in such incidents. An
aide to Senate Judiciary Committee
chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) told The
Hill, “Taking aim at one pending case is
treacherous, since such measures can
widely undermine or even eliminate the
legal rights of ordinary Americans in ways
that aren’t always easy to predict.”
In a related story, ABC News reported
last week that the FBI is building a large
network of secret informants within the
US as part of a broader effort to combat
terrorism through so-called "human
intelligence capabilities." it's all true
House and Senate Democrats have
completed their reconciliation work on a
Homeland Security package that adopts
many of the recommendations made by
the 9/ 11 Commission in its 2004 report,
sending the bill to the President last
week. But the legislation approved by
the Congressional conference
committee includes a contentious
provision granting immunity from
lawsuits to informants who provide tips
about suspicious activities to law
enforcement agencies. Critics say that
the broadly worded passage will
inevitably lead to an increase in racial
profiling and the harassment of specific
ethnic minorities in counter terrorism
operations.
The measure, which was introduced by
House Republicans as part of a
transportation security rider attached to
the original bill, has alarmed some
Senators, who warn against
implementing a provision that has not
received proper committee review. A
handful of Democrats successfully
pressed for changes to the original
language, which they said would have
extended legal liability protections even
to members of the public who would
knowingly make false or malicious
reports of “suspicious activities.”
According to Washington DC political
completed their reconciliation work on a
Homeland Security package that adopts
many of the recommendations made by
the 9/ 11 Commission in its 2004 report,
sending the bill to the President last
week. But the legislation approved by
the Congressional conference
committee includes a contentious
provision granting immunity from
lawsuits to informants who provide tips
about suspicious activities to law
enforcement agencies. Critics say that
the broadly worded passage will
inevitably lead to an increase in racial
profiling and the harassment of specific
ethnic minorities in counter terrorism
operations.
The measure, which was introduced by
House Republicans as part of a
transportation security rider attached to
the original bill, has alarmed some
Senators, who warn against
implementing a provision that has not
received proper committee review. A
handful of Democrats successfully
pressed for changes to the original
language, which they said would have
extended legal liability protections even
to members of the public who would
knowingly make false or malicious
reports of “suspicious activities.”
According to Washington DC political
Racial disparities in the US prison
population continue to increase
significantly, accelerated by social
inequalities and by state and local
political policies, according to a
report released by a Washington DC
research institute. The report,
compiled by the Sentencing Project,
found that blacks are imprisoned at
more than 5 times the rate of whites
nationally, and that the rate of
incarceration for Hispanics is nearly
double the rate for whites. The study
also recorded large regional variations
in rates of incarceration by race, with
five states – Iowa, Vermont, New
Jersey, Connecticut, and Wisconsin –
imprisoning blacks at more than ten
times the rate of whites.
The broad disparities identified by
the report “reflect a failure of social
and economic interventions to
address crime effectively, and also
indicate racial bias in the justice
system,” said Sentencing Project
Executive Director Marc Mauer in a
statement. He said the results of the
study show that “policy decisions can
play a key role in determining the
size and composition of the prison
population.” it's all true
population continue to increase
significantly, accelerated by social
inequalities and by state and local
political policies, according to a
report released by a Washington DC
research institute. The report,
compiled by the Sentencing Project,
found that blacks are imprisoned at
more than 5 times the rate of whites
nationally, and that the rate of
incarceration for Hispanics is nearly
double the rate for whites. The study
also recorded large regional variations
in rates of incarceration by race, with
five states – Iowa, Vermont, New
Jersey, Connecticut, and Wisconsin –
imprisoning blacks at more than ten
times the rate of whites.
The broad disparities identified by
the report “reflect a failure of social
and economic interventions to
address crime effectively, and also
indicate racial bias in the justice
system,” said Sentencing Project
Executive Director Marc Mauer in a
statement. He said the results of the
study show that “policy decisions can
play a key role in determining the
size and composition of the prison
population.” it's all true
redstateupdate.net
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| Slim Harpo Tribute Page |
| indonesia |
| united states |
verbatim number 22.3
"I understand small business
growth. I was one."
New York 02.19.00
growth. I was one."
New York 02.19.00
verbatim number 22.2
...After all, you just go to an emergency room."
Washington DC 07.10.07
Washington DC 07.10.07
"People have access to health care in America...