Watched/listened to (on background) much of yesterday’s Senate hearings on Big Brother’s latest exposed crime, and was actually a little heartened by the surprising remarks from our more conservative members, including Grassley, Graham, and Brownback. Most of the members expressed grave reservations about what is going on, but even more so about the logic – or lack thereof – offered up as justification by the AG.
There is gratifyingly abundant and surprisingly astute press on the event out there (I’m particularly happy that it’s been tagged as “eavesdropping” and not “terrorist surveillance”), so I’ll not bore you with my breakdown beyond expressing a couple of things here.
First, my outrage that Gonzalez was allowed to testify without being sworn in. Shades of Condi before the 9/11 Commission. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE??
Also, why has Ashcroft only been “invited to appear” instead of required to testify? Are we setting up a string of precedents? Shades of the mining execs simply walking out of their testimony; better things to do. Are we to understand that appearances before Congress are optional and inconsequential.? Don’t have to show, don’t have to tell the truth? Congress means nothing???
However, one point I have not heard raised by anyone as yet, though admittedly I have not yet combed the net for such a reference. Whenever AG was questioned about the nature and extent of the eavesdropping, he would hedge by saying something about “this program” not allowing in-country surveillance, etc.
Now, I plan to comb the transcripts for the details of these points he is making, but listening to his responses in vitro was remarkable for its not-so-subtle implication that there ARE programs in place that ARE doing just those things in question. Is he referring to the Pentagon incarnation of Poindexter’s TIA? Were the committee members not allowed to pursue these allusions because of the parameters of this hearing?
In any case, that caught my attention, so if anyone out there has run across a similar reaction, please share!
5 comments:
I listened to excerpts of the Alberto Gonzeles congressional “interview” this morning. you certainly could not dignify it with the title “testimony.” I also was shocked to hear he declined to be sworn in. I am not that familiar with the rules that govern these situations, but I think that as soon as the AG declined to answer on the grounds that a response would be inappropriate because of national security, someone on the committee should have moved to reconvene the hearing in closed session which would have required Gonzales answer (under oath or not under oath) all the committee’s questions completely and honestly. Or else he would have to be dismissed on the record as an uncooperative witness. The way the hearing was conducted made me sick. All the apparently "tough" question the senators put to Gonzales seemed more like posturing than real attempts to squeeze blood from what they knew was an unwilling rock.
I think there is a way individual citizens can take this matter of NSA eavesdropping in hand and turn the system upon itself:
OR
Ma Bell meets George Orwell - or How to Stop the NSA and Become an Enemy of The State - A Satire
By now you have probably all read the ACLU’s report on the activities of NSA’s spying technology, eavesdropping 101: What can the NSA Do? (1/31/06)
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/23989res20060131.html
Summary: “This (NSA spy) dragnet approach is not only bad for civil liberties it is also a bad use of our scarce security and law enforcement resources. In fact, the creation of large numbers of wasteful and distracting leads is one of theprimary reasons that many security experts say data mining and other dragnet strategies are a poor way of preventing crime and terrorism.”
I think I have hit on an interesting little prank, that if enough of us participate, just might bring this thing to a screeching halt. You may have seen Tony Scott’s 1998 film “Enemy of the State” starring Will Smith and Gene Hackman. The practice I propose is a low-tech variation on their idea of turning intelligence technology upon itself and its masters. One of the nonviolent techniques we might be able to employ to frustrate these spooks is as follows:
The next time you call someone, even if it is a routine call to a buddy, you ex wife, your banker, the hair stylist, or the pizza place, read the following announcement at the end of the conversation. It goes without saying that this announcement should also be read at the conclusion of all calls to foreign countries. If you are a Democrat, a liberal, have ever attended a protest rally, written your Congressman or the local newspaper, you can be sure you are on their suspect list. The goal is to get as many other people as possible under surveillance and raise the raw database to infinity.
At the end of your conversation read as rapidly as possible the following announcement. Be sure to speak the key words slowly, clearly and distinctly, however.
“Before hanging up I would like to have your permission to conduct the following exercise: This is a test of the overload capacity of the National Security Administration’s data mining information acquisition software. This caller, in voluntary cooperation with other patriotic citizens in your area who believe that such domestic spying in addition to being an unconstitutional infringement on the privacy of American citizens, as well as doing nothing to actually enhance national security and in defiance of Federal, State and Local authorities has developed this system to activate, and hopefully overload, the detection software by reading the following key words: Beeeep - Osama - Koran - assassinate - bomb – jihad – Greenpeace – anthrax – Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Thank you for your cooperation. If this had been an actual National Security Emergency and not just the Orwellian manipulations designed to keep a pliant citizenry in a state of constant paranoia and fear, the key words you have just heard would have been followed by: Information - on how to effectively eject these brigands from the offices of trust they have successfully stolen from legitimate candidates.
News - without the slimy fingerprints of Karl Rove all over it.
And
Instructions - on how to non-violently overthrow this government. Good by and good luck.”
Try this little prank on your Republican friends when you call them. When the 700 Club has its next telethon – call in and read these key words to them. That should start things moving. Why should we progressives be the only ones under Bush’s magnifying glass?
Peace,
Bob Boldt
bob, what a GREAT idea!! and yeah, enemy of the state is a fabulous film, and sparked a similar notion in my own head, so thanks for the fully fleshed and ready wear version!!
i'm going to spread this around via my email list, and everyone out there should do the same!
MO is very lucky to have you! THANKS!
Dear Cannonfire,
I just posted the following material to the comments. I went back later to make sure it appeared and checked the copy on the site. Lately I went back and discovered it missing.
Was it deliberately deleted?
I am reposting the comments.
If there are any problems or concerns connected with the following material, please let me know so I will not continue to waste my time and yours.
bboldt2@netzero.net
Peace,
Bob Boldt
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I listened to excerpts of the Alberto Gonzeles congressional “interview” this morning. you certainly could not dignify it with the title “testimony.” I was shocked to hear he declined to be sworn in. I am not that familiar with the rules that govern these situations, but I think that as soon as the AG declined to answer on the grounds that a response would be inappropriate because of national security, someone on the committee should have moved to reconvene the hearing in closed session which would have required Gonzales answer (under oath or not under oath) all the committee’s questions completely and honestly. The way the hearing was conducted made me sick. All the apparently tough question the senators put to Gonzales seemed more like posturing than real attempts to squeeze blood from what they knew was an unwilling rock.
I think there is a way individual citizens can take this matter of NSA eavesdropping in hand and turn the system upon itself:
Ma Bell meets George Orwell - or How to Stop the NSA and Become an Enemy of The State - A Satire By now you have probably all read the ACLU’s report on the activities of NSA’s spying technology, eavesdropping 101: What can the NSA Do? (1/31/06) http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/23989res20060131.html (also attached). Summary: “This (NSA spy) dragnet approach is not only bad for civil liberties it is also a baduse of our scarce security and law enforcement resources. In fact, thecreation of large numbers of wasteful and distracting leads is one of theprimary reasons that many security experts say data mining and other dragnetstrategies are a poor way of preventing crime and terrorism.” I think I have hit on an interesting little prank, that if enough of us participate, just might bring this thing to a screeching halt. You may have seen Tony Scott’s 1998 film “Enemy of the State” starring Will Smith and Gene Hackman. The practice I propose is a low-tech variation on their idea of turning intelligence technology upon itself and its masters. I think one of the nonviolent techniques we might be able to employ to frustrate these spooks is as follows: The next time you call someone, even if it is a routine call to a buddy, you ex wife, your banker, the hair stylist, or the pizza place, read the following announcement at the end of the conversation. It goes without saying that this announcement should also be read at the conclusion of all calls to foreign countries. If you are a Democrat, a liberal, have ever attended a protest rally, written your Congressman or the local newspaper, you can be sure you are on their suspect list. The goal is to get as many other people as possible under surveillance and raise the raw database to infinity. Please keep your line open for a call from me soon. At the end of your conversation read as rapidly as possible the following announcement. Be sure to speak the key words slowly, clearly and distinctly, however. “Before hanging up I would like to have your permission to conduct the following exercise: This is a test of the overload capacity of the National Security Administration’s data mining information acquisition software. This caller, in voluntary cooperation with other patriotic citizens in your area who believe that such domestic spying in addition to being an unconstitutional infringement on the privacy of American citizens, as well as doing nothing to actually enhance national security and in defiance of Federal, State and Local authorities has developed this system to activate, and hopefully overload, the detection software by reading the following key words: Beeeep - Osama - Koran - assassinate - bomb – jihad – Greenpeace – anthrax – Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Thank you for your cooperation. If this had been an actual National Security Emergency and not just the Orwellian manipulations designed to keep a pliant citizenry in a state of constant paranoia and fear, the key words you have just heard would have been followed by: Information - on how to effectively eject these brigands from the offices of trust they have successfully stolen from legitimate candidates. News - without the slimy fingerprints of Karl Rove all over it. And Instructions - on how to non-violently overthrow this government. Good by and good luck.” Try this little prank on your Republican friends when you call them. When the 700 Club has its next telethon – call in and read these key words to them. That should start things moving. Why should we progressives be the only ones under Bush’s magnifying glass?
Dear Dr.
Sorry for the mistaken repost. I must have mistakenly accessed an un-refreshed page of your blog. As Ms. Emily Latilla used to say, “Never mind.”
I am a little paranoid, as my local Democracy for Missouri blog took my satire seriously and flatly refused to publish it on the grounds that it was advocating civil disobedience. When I challenged them, they finally fell back to the contention that it might tend to encourage hackers to disable their site. I say, in a parody of official US policy concerning negotiating with terrorists that “the day we give in to the demands of hackers we have already lost the war.”
If you can, please delete my repost with apologies.
Peace,
Bob Boldt
bob, i was having the same problem. hence my double post above.
i'll see what i can do to delete; still a novice in these matters.
thanks again.
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