one nation, under surveillance
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| redstat |
redstateupdate.net
number 99 04.15.07
spread of the red
News
source: Viroqua Institute
| redstat archive |
| verbatim archive |
| D'Gary Tribute Page |
verbatim number 19.3
"Now, David says: Does this
mean you're trying to have a
pretext for war? No. It
means I'm trying to protect
our troops. That's what
that's means...
mean you're trying to have a
pretext for war? No. It
means I'm trying to protect
our troops. That's what
that's means...
...and that's what the
family members of our
soldiers expect the
commander in chief and
those responsible for -
responsible for our
troops on the ground...
family members of our
soldiers expect the
commander in chief and
those responsible for -
responsible for our
troops on the ground...
...and we'll continue
to do so."
Washington DC 02.14.07
to do so."
Washington DC 02.14.07
The Bush administration has proposed
sweeping changes to the laws that
regulate the use of electronic
surveillance in terrorism investigations by
government intelligence agencies. The
revisions to the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act would expand the range
of targets that can be monitored, tripling
the length of secret search warrants, and
increasing the period that agents may
conduct surveillance before applying for
an emergency warrant. The proposal
also includes a controversial provision
that would grant legal immunity to
private telecommunications companies
that cooperate with government
surveillance activities. The immunity
from lawsuits would be applied
sweeping changes to the laws that
regulate the use of electronic
surveillance in terrorism investigations by
government intelligence agencies. The
revisions to the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Act would expand the range
of targets that can be monitored, tripling
the length of secret search warrants, and
increasing the period that agents may
conduct surveillance before applying for
an emergency warrant. The proposal
also includes a controversial provision
that would grant legal immunity to
private telecommunications companies
that cooperate with government
surveillance activities. The immunity
from lawsuits would be applied
retroactively, to 2001.
Director of National Intelligence Mike
McConnell has said the changes are
necessary to keep up with dramatically
improving communications technology
used by potential terrorists in the US and
abroad. But the proposal is likely to
meet with resistance in the key
Congressional committees, even among
Republicans, who are increasingly at odds
with the administration on intelligence
matters. The White House threatened
last week to veto the Senate version of
the intelligence appropriations bill over
language that strengthens legislative
oversight over the very activities the
FISA revisions seek to expand.
Director of National Intelligence Mike
McConnell has said the changes are
necessary to keep up with dramatically
improving communications technology
used by potential terrorists in the US and
abroad. But the proposal is likely to
meet with resistance in the key
Congressional committees, even among
Republicans, who are increasingly at odds
with the administration on intelligence
matters. The White House threatened
last week to veto the Senate version of
the intelligence appropriations bill over
language that strengthens legislative
oversight over the very activities the
FISA revisions seek to expand.
The proposed changes would allow
surveillance of suspects for a week
before application for a secret FISA
warrant, up from 72 hours; and the
effective duration of such warrants
would be increased from 120 days to
one year. Agencies would also be
allowed to keep, develop, and share
information obtained through
surveillance that is unrelated to the
investigation for which the warrant
was sought.
The proposal grants blanket legal
immunity to telephone, cable, and
internet companies that may have
assisted in government surveillance
activities since 2001. it's all true
surveillance of suspects for a week
before application for a secret FISA
warrant, up from 72 hours; and the
effective duration of such warrants
would be increased from 120 days to
one year. Agencies would also be
allowed to keep, develop, and share
information obtained through
surveillance that is unrelated to the
investigation for which the warrant
was sought.
The proposal grants blanket legal
immunity to telephone, cable, and
internet companies that may have
assisted in government surveillance
activities since 2001. it's all true
Despite an overall rise in audit
activity by the IRS since 2000,
reviews of corporate tax returns are
increasingly likely to yield no
revenue, according to a report
released last week. The Transactional
Records Access Clearinghouse found
that corporate audits that resulted in
no change to the company’s tax
liability have increased steadily, rising
40 percent from 2005 to 2006.
Accordingly, funds from audits of
individual taxpayers make up a
growing share of revenues recovered
by the IRS each year.
The report comes in the wake of
recent Congressional testimony that
a short-staffed IRS had de-
emphasized corporate audits.
Colleen M. Kelley, a union
representative for IRS employees,
told a House panel that workers
were being pressured by supervisors
to hastily close investigations
involving companies.
Of all taxes collected by the IRS for
2006, individuals, including small
business owners, paid 76 percent,
while corporations paid 24 percent,
according to the report. it's all true
activity by the IRS since 2000,
reviews of corporate tax returns are
increasingly likely to yield no
revenue, according to a report
released last week. The Transactional
Records Access Clearinghouse found
that corporate audits that resulted in
no change to the company’s tax
liability have increased steadily, rising
40 percent from 2005 to 2006.
Accordingly, funds from audits of
individual taxpayers make up a
growing share of revenues recovered
by the IRS each year.
The report comes in the wake of
recent Congressional testimony that
a short-staffed IRS had de-
emphasized corporate audits.
Colleen M. Kelley, a union
representative for IRS employees,
told a House panel that workers
were being pressured by supervisors
to hastily close investigations
involving companies.
Of all taxes collected by the IRS for
2006, individuals, including small
business owners, paid 76 percent,
while corporations paid 24 percent,
according to the report. it's all true
Florida Senator Bill Nelson recently
expressed concern that state National
Guard units may be unprepared for the
weather related disasters likely to occur
over the 2007 hurricane season.
Guard deployments in “Iraq and
Afghanistan have stretched the Florida
National Guard further than ever
before,” said Nelson who fears that
depleted resources will jeopardize an
effective guard response to a “domestic
crisis” sparked by a hurricane like the
ones that hit the Gulf Coast in 2005.
Nelson’s comments came after he
toured Florida Guard facilities in
Jacksonville and Orlando. The Florida
National Guard, like other units around
the country, has experienced a depletion
of equipment as Guard forces have been
deployed for extended tours in the Mid
expressed concern that state National
Guard units may be unprepared for the
weather related disasters likely to occur
over the 2007 hurricane season.
Guard deployments in “Iraq and
Afghanistan have stretched the Florida
National Guard further than ever
before,” said Nelson who fears that
depleted resources will jeopardize an
effective guard response to a “domestic
crisis” sparked by a hurricane like the
ones that hit the Gulf Coast in 2005.
Nelson’s comments came after he
toured Florida Guard facilities in
Jacksonville and Orlando. The Florida
National Guard, like other units around
the country, has experienced a depletion
of equipment as Guard forces have been
deployed for extended tours in the Mid
East and Asia. The Government
Accountability Office has tracked
National Guard preparedness since the
beginning of the Afghani War and has
reported that equipment levels have
been reduced by more than 50 percent
over the past three years and the Army
has no replacement plan.
The GAO reported that over 101,000
equipment items have been transferred
overseas with the nation’s guard units.
Equipment such as radios and trucks is
generally left behind to be used by
regular Army units when National Guard
troops return to their home state
bases. The Guard reported that 14
military police companies have left more
than 600 humvees overseas. The GAO
found that since 2001, more than $1.2
billion worth of equipment has been left
overseas and that the “Army cannot
Accountability Office has tracked
National Guard preparedness since the
beginning of the Afghani War and has
reported that equipment levels have
been reduced by more than 50 percent
over the past three years and the Army
has no replacement plan.
The GAO reported that over 101,000
equipment items have been transferred
overseas with the nation’s guard units.
Equipment such as radios and trucks is
generally left behind to be used by
regular Army units when National Guard
troops return to their home state
bases. The Guard reported that 14
military police companies have left more
than 600 humvees overseas. The GAO
found that since 2001, more than $1.2
billion worth of equipment has been left
overseas and that the “Army cannot
account for over half” of the items
and “does not have a plan to replace”
the equipment.
The GAO reported that guard units
in Texas, California, Louisiana and
Florida have lost about 50 percent of
their equipment to the wars in the
Mid East and Asia. The New Mexico
Guard is reported to have shipped 67
percent of its equipment overseas.
The GAO said that the “National
Guard will continue to face critical
equipment shortages that reduce its
readiness for future missions.” The
study also reported that Guard troop
deployment has reduced the ability of
units to respond to natural disasters
and “states are concerned about the
Guard’s ability to perform future
domestic missions.” it's all true
and “does not have a plan to replace”
the equipment.
The GAO reported that guard units
in Texas, California, Louisiana and
Florida have lost about 50 percent of
their equipment to the wars in the
Mid East and Asia. The New Mexico
Guard is reported to have shipped 67
percent of its equipment overseas.
The GAO said that the “National
Guard will continue to face critical
equipment shortages that reduce its
readiness for future missions.” The
study also reported that Guard troop
deployment has reduced the ability of
units to respond to natural disasters
and “states are concerned about the
Guard’s ability to perform future
domestic missions.” it's all true
A powerful industry association is
pushing the legislature in
California to allow it an
exemption from a proposed new
law that would criminalize
"pretexting"; a tool used by
crooks to perpetrate identity
theft.
Pretexting is a technique used by
identity thieves to convince
unsuspecting consumers or
businesses to give up personal
identifiers, such as social security
numbers and bank card PIN
numbers, which can be used to
set up credit lines or drain bank
accounts. California is
considering a bill that would
outlaw using false or misleading
information and deception to
convince people to divulge
personal information.
The Recording Industry
Association of America has sent a
letter to California legislators
pleading for an exemption to the
proposed law stating that
outlawing deceptive statements
to get personal information
would “gut” its ability to catch
bootleggers of music recordings.
The RIAA has proposed an
amendment to the law that
would allow any owner of a
copyright or trademark to use
“pretexting or other investigative
techniques to obtain personal
information about a customer or
employee.”
Consumer advocates and others
who support the proposal believe
that no one should be allowed to
use deception to obtain personal
information. it's all true
pushing the legislature in
California to allow it an
exemption from a proposed new
law that would criminalize
"pretexting"; a tool used by
crooks to perpetrate identity
theft.
Pretexting is a technique used by
identity thieves to convince
unsuspecting consumers or
businesses to give up personal
identifiers, such as social security
numbers and bank card PIN
numbers, which can be used to
set up credit lines or drain bank
accounts. California is
considering a bill that would
outlaw using false or misleading
information and deception to
convince people to divulge
personal information.
The Recording Industry
Association of America has sent a
letter to California legislators
pleading for an exemption to the
proposed law stating that
outlawing deceptive statements
to get personal information
would “gut” its ability to catch
bootleggers of music recordings.
The RIAA has proposed an
amendment to the law that
would allow any owner of a
copyright or trademark to use
“pretexting or other investigative
techniques to obtain personal
information about a customer or
employee.”
Consumer advocates and others
who support the proposal believe
that no one should be allowed to
use deception to obtain personal
information. it's all true
The head of the General Services
Administration, already the subject of
multiple Congressional and internal
ethics investigations, is now at the
center of an uproar over allegations of
improper politicization of agency
operations after hosting a presentation
by a White House political staffer on
Republican strategy for the 2008
elections. Lurita Alexis Doan, who took
over the largest civilian government
procurement agency last July, reportedly
asked some forty GSA regional directors
in attendance for suggestions on how to
help ensure Republican success in
targeted districts. Congressional
investigators have said that Doan’s
actions may constitute a violation of the
federal Hatch Act, which prohibits such
political activity in the course of agency
business.
Doan recently appeared before the
House Oversight and Government
Reform Committee to answer charges
that she improperly intervened in agency
contractual negotiations, unilaterally
reversing the decision of experienced
contract auditors. She is also alleged to
have awarded a no-bid contract for
public relations services to a personal
business associate. It was during related
testimony by other GSA personnel that
the January 26th presentation by White
Administration, already the subject of
multiple Congressional and internal
ethics investigations, is now at the
center of an uproar over allegations of
improper politicization of agency
operations after hosting a presentation
by a White House political staffer on
Republican strategy for the 2008
elections. Lurita Alexis Doan, who took
over the largest civilian government
procurement agency last July, reportedly
asked some forty GSA regional directors
in attendance for suggestions on how to
help ensure Republican success in
targeted districts. Congressional
investigators have said that Doan’s
actions may constitute a violation of the
federal Hatch Act, which prohibits such
political activity in the course of agency
business.
Doan recently appeared before the
House Oversight and Government
Reform Committee to answer charges
that she improperly intervened in agency
contractual negotiations, unilaterally
reversing the decision of experienced
contract auditors. She is also alleged to
have awarded a no-bid contract for
public relations services to a personal
business associate. It was during related
testimony by other GSA personnel that
the January 26th presentation by White
House deputy director of political affairs
J. Scott Jennings came to light. Although
Doan has stated repeatedly under oath
that she does not remember details of
the meeting, several witnesses said that
she asked how the GSA could “help our
candidates in the next elections."
The latest revelations included further
evidence that White House political staff
and high-ranking political appointees
utilized a private communications
network in an effort to evade legislative
oversight regulations. One email from
the White House to Doan’s office reads
in part: “Please do not email this out or
let people see it. It is a close hold and
we’re not supposed to be emailing it
around.” The use of private email
accounts to conduct official business was
previously reported by redstateupdate.
According to the Federal Times,
Doan’s brief but rocky tenure at the
GSA has had an adverse effect on morale
at the agency, resulting in an exodus of
senior managers. Doan has complained
that the probes into her administration,
which she says are largely due to political
vendettas against her, are diverting her
from her official duties. She has hired
three law firms and two media relations
companies to handle matters arising
from the investigations. it's all true
J. Scott Jennings came to light. Although
Doan has stated repeatedly under oath
that she does not remember details of
the meeting, several witnesses said that
she asked how the GSA could “help our
candidates in the next elections."
The latest revelations included further
evidence that White House political staff
and high-ranking political appointees
utilized a private communications
network in an effort to evade legislative
oversight regulations. One email from
the White House to Doan’s office reads
in part: “Please do not email this out or
let people see it. It is a close hold and
we’re not supposed to be emailing it
around.” The use of private email
accounts to conduct official business was
previously reported by redstateupdate.
According to the Federal Times,
Doan’s brief but rocky tenure at the
GSA has had an adverse effect on morale
at the agency, resulting in an exodus of
senior managers. Doan has complained
that the probes into her administration,
which she says are largely due to political
vendettas against her, are diverting her
from her official duties. She has hired
three law firms and two media relations
companies to handle matters arising
from the investigations. it's all true
States Discover Foreign Deployments Let Their Guard Down
| Federal corporate taxes as a percentage of GDP, 1960-2003 |
1960 1980 2000
4 %
1 %
2 %
3 %
Record Companies
Demand Deception
to Bust Bootleggers
Demand Deception
to Bust Bootleggers
Director's Services More Specific Than General
IRS Checks
Not Worth Much
Not Worth Much
White House Drafts New Set of Surveillance Laws to Ignore
A Canadian citizen, who is a graduate
student at Carleton College, was pulled
over for moving violations recently in
Georgia. When the local sheriff’s police
discovered the driver, Cheryl Kuehn, to
be Canadian, they arrested her, brought
her to the county jail, strip-searched her,
de-loused her and jailed her for 11 hours.
The arrest came as Georgia readies to
implement a rule that would require
jailing foreign nationals arrested for
felonies or drunk driving until their
immigration status is determined. The
state law was created to prevent
undocumented workers from accessing
essential social services. The Glynn
County Sheriff’s Police have gone
further, establishing an internal policy to
perform an immigration status check on
all foreign nationals arrested, no matter
how minor the crime.
student at Carleton College, was pulled
over for moving violations recently in
Georgia. When the local sheriff’s police
discovered the driver, Cheryl Kuehn, to
be Canadian, they arrested her, brought
her to the county jail, strip-searched her,
de-loused her and jailed her for 11 hours.
The arrest came as Georgia readies to
implement a rule that would require
jailing foreign nationals arrested for
felonies or drunk driving until their
immigration status is determined. The
state law was created to prevent
undocumented workers from accessing
essential social services. The Glynn
County Sheriff’s Police have gone
further, establishing an internal policy to
perform an immigration status check on
all foreign nationals arrested, no matter
how minor the crime.
Kuehn told the Ottawa Citizen that
the ad hoc policy in Glynn County
creates the situation where the police
“treat anyone who is not an American as
an illegal immigrant.”
Glynn County Sheriff Wayne Bennett
said that the policy was established
because of incidents where immigrants
were arrested and freed after posting
bond, but were later discovered to be
wanted for a crime in another
jurisdiction or in their home country.
Bennett said that, because the police
didn’t want to discriminate, all Canadians
had to be held and their status checked,
“it has to be systematic.” Bennett went
on to say, “I don’t consider a Canadian
to be an illegal immigrant, but according
to this immigration policy, if they are a
foreign national, then they go through
this process.” it's all true
the ad hoc policy in Glynn County
creates the situation where the police
“treat anyone who is not an American as
an illegal immigrant.”
Glynn County Sheriff Wayne Bennett
said that the policy was established
because of incidents where immigrants
were arrested and freed after posting
bond, but were later discovered to be
wanted for a crime in another
jurisdiction or in their home country.
Bennett said that, because the police
didn’t want to discriminate, all Canadians
had to be held and their status checked,
“it has to be systematic.” Bennett went
on to say, “I don’t consider a Canadian
to be an illegal immigrant, but according
to this immigration policy, if they are a
foreign national, then they go through
this process.” it's all true
Georgia Cops in Strip-Search Stops