I'm more than a little unnerved by this....

[Hailtothechimp]

For the past few months, whenever the dumbass travels anywhere in this country it has been for one of those staged social security events. You all know the kind I'm talking about: held in a red state, audience screened for people like us, meaningless little pep rally, etc.

So today, he goes out to one of these things and talks about...the Patriot Act: It should be made permanent, and so on. Why the shift in focus? Has he given up on his social security pipe dream? It's not like him to admit defeat.

With his approval ratings falling, Bolton held up in the senate, and the DSM taking root with the public, why shift the subject?

We all saw how the post-9/11 trauma led to it being passed in the first place. And now, with serious turbulence on the horizon for him and the rest of the Empire, why does he go back to it? Does he know something we don't? Is Bin Laden (or somebody else) still determined to strike in the U.S.???

Somebody please tell me I'm wrong about this. But I don't like how this feels.

[annabanana]

1. I should thank him for reminding me..

To write to my Reps again to let them know what a BAD idea this is!

[kittenpants]

2. I believe there are parts of the patriot act that are due to expire

soon. maybe that's why.

[walldude]

18. Yup the old "Sunset Clause"

Remember when civil liberties organizations were screaming about the PA being unconstitutional? The rethugs kept saying, "but it's not permanent there is a sunset clause."

[babylonsister]

3. He's reminding the sheeple

how safe they are. The ramifications of this act were ironed out w/o benefit of discussion, from what I gather, but who cares as long as we're safe? :eyes:

[me b zola]

4. the unPatriot Act is coming up in legislation

They are looking to make it permanent and add more provisions to it.

What scared me was the look of the 'ralley'. It looked like Hitler speaking in front of his brownshirts. Frickin creepy

[kittenpants]

6. that's exactly what I thought (except the shirts were grey)

I'm surprised he had the nerve to go to Ohio with 'coingate' going on... of course in front of his carefully screened crowd he wouldn't have to worry about any questions.

[Chipper Chat]

14. Bush owes his ass to Ohio

Heh heh heh = yes sir! Thanks to his resident "house n*****."

[catnhatnh]

17. That word...

...even only implied, is inappropriate.

[Chipper Chat]

22. I debated about it - then let it stand.

Apologies to anyone who feels offended.

[mitchum]

24. That phrase was coined by antebellum slaves as a term of derision...

and sometimes it is wholly appropriate. As in this case.

[Mnemosyne]

20. Excuse me, your bigotry is showing. n/t

[mitchum]

25. So, is Harry Belafonte also a bigot?

He used the term when it was entirely appropriate. As it is in this case.

[Mnemosyne]

31. Sorry, it just isn't right in this forum.

I don't know enough about Harry B. to know if he is a bigot or not.

Use of that word is hurtful and offensive in most instances. Period.
I understand that you didn't mean anything offensive, but it still remains that it is to many of us. Nothing personal.

[mitchum]

34. Fair enough

peace,
mitchum

[Mnemosyne]

35. peace to you also mitchum,

I am sorry for the gut reaction post. Guess I've been a bit touchy and cranky lately!!

V

[katinmn]

8. notice how many of his audiences are military, law enforcement or cadets?

They can be ordered to go and of course they won't protest.

It's getting harder to get real audiences of just citizens, even Republican ones.

[babylonsister]

12. Scary! Here it is.

[Arugula Latte]

16. Shades of the 1984 Apple computer commercial.

Yikes

Seig Heil!

[JohnyCanuck]

19. I'm also concerned

about the direction that the USA seems to be heading. If the worst comes to the worst and some type of martial law is imposed in the USA, I don't see them leaving for long a free and resource rich democratic Canada to operate unmolsted on their northern border.

Check out these articles all written by Dr. Norman Livergood, a former dept. head at the US Army War College.

Police State USA

<snip>

Under the former 1989 Guidelines, the FBI first had to obtain evidence suggesting some kind of criminal activity before its agents could begin investigating. Under the FBI's new May 30, 2002 revised Guidelines, FBI agents are authorized to carry out "general topical research" and retain files on this research. Specifically, agents may conduct "online searches" and visit "online sites and forums as part of such research."

The new Guidelines warn against searching "for information by individuals' names or other individual identifiers," but it's okay to search by names to locate "names of authors who write on the topic" that the agent is researching. Of course every citizen of the United States is a possible "author" of e-mail messages on a variety of subjects, so all U.S. citizens are potential "terrorism suspects" under these new guidelines.

The new Guidelines now encourage the FBI to snoop around looking for people who might be suspicious, creating files on anyone who catches their fancy. Agents can now investigate people, organizations, websites, chat rooms and forums for any reason or for no reason at all. They can enter your home without a warrant and are not required to inform you that they have invaded your home if you are not present.

All the records they create in their investigations will be placed in national databases available to all agencies now under the new "Homeland Security" umbrella. Never in U.S. history has there been such a monolithic surveillance mechanism with the terrible power to destroy American citizens' lives.



Military Dictatorship USA

We usually think of a nation being controlled by a military dictatorship when a military leader seizes control through a putsch, as in the case of General Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan or Saddam Hussein in Iraq. The previous government is overthrown and a military strong man places himself in power with few if any constraints from judicial or legislative oversight.

But we must look for the essence of a military dictatorship, those features which are present whenever this form of oppression occurs. In essence, a military dictatorship is a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a repressive ruler or a small clique who use military and police power to dominate the people mentally and physically.

Taking this definition as our touchstone, in the United States we know we're living under a military dictatorship when we see:

* a leader retaining power through stealing the election of 2004 and put into power in 2000 by a coup d'etat, not through democratic elections

* the military used to control the civilian population in violation of the U.S. Constitution

* the president ordering a US citizen held indefinitely by the military

* a shadow government being set up consisting entirely of executive branch officials in violation of the Constitution

* government informants spying on fellow citizens




Brainwashing America

<snip>

In an earlier article, I reviewed the varied aspects of personality profiling and simulation. While serving as Head of the Artificial Intelligence Department at the U.S. Army War College, 1993-1995, I conducted studies on profiling, psychological programming, and brainwashing. I explored and developed personality simulation systems, an advanced technology used in military war games, FBI profiling, political campaigning, and advertising. Part of my discovery was that:

* unenlightened human minds are combinations of infantile beliefs and emotional patterns

* these patterns can be simulated in profiling systems

* these profiling systems can be used to program and control people

Personality simulation systems are being used to create political campaigns that apply voter profiles to control their voting behavior. TV commercials and programs use personality simulation to profile viewers to control their purchasing and viewing behaviors. And sophisticated propaganda and brainwashing techniques are being used by the Bush junta to keep American citizens under control.

[katinmn]

5. The PA will sunset this year unless Congress votes to extend it

Even some Repubs have said some parts of the act have gone "too far" so it's hardly a slam-dunk. So chimp is nervous.

Actually, he has a lot of things worrying him now: his lies about Iraq coming home to roost, Social Security, approval ratings, Dems fighting back, Bolton, etc.

I'm enjoying it.

:popcorn:

[MichiganVote]

7. Job ratings in the toilet=talk of terror="need" for patriot act

[katinmn]

10. Massive lay-offs, health care insurgency....

[MichiganVote]

13. You got it. The public= the favorite Bush toy

[dave502d]

9. If he says it good than it got to be bad.n/t

[punpirate]

11. It's just that his boys have been working on it...

... and it's coming up for a vote, that's all. Just trying to generate some support in the public for having their Constitutional nuts cut off.

Once it's passed, it will be back to his regularly scheduled programming....

[DearAbby]

15. Gee, with all the bad news for the WH and *h, seems like TERRA ALERT

Not so much the Terra Alert as was used all last summer, but mention the Patriot Act and how there has been no repeat to 9/11...get the sheeple thinking boogerman Osama, call congress and tell them we want security, our rights be damned. SECURITY. BOO TERRA!

Problem is, Unless Osama has another video, like a Gnome on vacation. The people have to be waking up. The lies of this administration is coming home to roost. It is possible the only thing that could scare them back in step,... Osama video.

It's almost like a battered wife syndrome, there is a dangerous time, that is when the wife is trying to get away. I wonder to what lengths these people will go to keep in power. Be afraid.


\/

\/

\/




Bush lies, how can you tell? His mouth is moving.

[OHdem10]

21. John Harlowe , WSJ, appears on MSNBC

was asked this very question today. I cannot quote but pretty much this is his esplanation.

Bush has been having some "bad times" SS is not selling. This does not mean they are giving up on SS. Just sort of shelving it for a while. According to Harlowe Homeland Security(keeping Americans safe is a better theme or an are where Bush has had more success. Essentially.
they decided to puy Bush in more positive situations--.Talking about things at which he has been successful rather thn continue on SS at this time, especially since it is not working. In other words provide him with more more positve photops and hope this helps bring the numbers up.

Harlowe is usually pretty straight up and this makes sense.

[Melynn]

23. Isn't interesting that as Bush hits the road for the Patriot Act

a couple of "terrorists" are arrested in Lodi, California?

You don't think......naaaw, it's all just a coincidence. :sarcasm:

[mitchum]

26. It's a good thing that I'm not planning any trips to Mid-America

Something tells me that there will be an "incident" very soon underscoring the "need" for this bullshit. They won't MIHOP in NYC this time.

[DebJ]

27. because 'terra' is the only thing people agree with him on.

stupid people, yes, but at least some people like him for his position on that.

[stickdog]

28. I think Rove knows his boy's star is fading fast., and it's critical for

the neocons to get a full blown police state out this term's Repukefest before voters wise up in such great numbers that Repukes can't cheat themselves into a Congressional majority.

[Tsiyu]

29. That's what I thought as well

they need to hurry up and get their gestapo in place before the sheeple wake up completely.

[NMMNG]

30. The reason for focus on the Patriot Act

Certain parts of it are due to exire soon. He wants those parts to be renewed and made permanent. Yes indeed, permanent police-state tactics, all on the taxpayers dime.

You should be unnerved.

[shadowknows69]

32. they need it in place

to start round all of us up. we're putting quite a bug up GW's ass lately.

[radwriter0555]

33. For one thing, OBL didn't STRIKE the USA. Bush's PNAC hired the thugs

that perped 911.

Bush is floundering around a LOT. So far, no one on the planet is buying the regime's lies about Iran, so that plan is foiled. Bush's play at SS is just the regime's pretense at 'concerning' themselves with domestic issues....

He's being soundly beaten on his SS looting scheme, and the patriot act riles up the passionate ones like dean.

He's just stirring the pot.

[blm]

36. So, we scream NOW that Bush is planning terror attack to lift poll numbers

He probably is anyway, so he should get the full credit he deserves.

[Disturbed]

37. This will pass overwhelmingly.

Most Dems are afraid to be unpatriotic. Catchy acronim for lessening our liberties, eh?