The Pardu

Posts Tagged ‘US Constitution’

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The Defector: Snowden, Liberals, Libertarianism, The Rolling Stones

In Ron Paul on July 5, 2013 at 4:24 PM

               

Ultra liberals are admirable people. They want a society that is humane, civil, helpful to people (in need), abhor self-serving corporatists (plutocrats), and also believe in their interpretation of the US Constitution. Freedom of Speech is a deep-rooted human right and will always receive vehement defense from the Left (even more vehemently from the far Left).   

Personal privacy and our beloved Internet adds additional dynamics to liberal angst in the Edward Snowden defection against the United States.  I can personally recall no issue that has generated more bi-partisan thought and comment from people on the Right and the Left. There actually exist a large group of people on the Left who fall very close to many on the Right in support of Snowden as a harmful tool of espionage (albeit it self-ordained) and defection against US national security. Of even more relevance, the existential reality of Snowden’s violation of his sworn commitment to uphold US security related secrets (materiel, procedure and methodology). The act of surreptitious gathering and collecting information outside of his specific area of duty, factually reminds of other US citizens who spied and performed other acts of espionage against the United States. 

Liberal angst against the United States regarding Snowden and his treasonous acts, is misguided and factually dangerous.  Ron Paul has previously stated that other NSA employees should follow Snowden’s treasonous acts. Well, such is not a surprise from a libertarian who has publicly espoused legalizing heroin, abolishing the FEMA and being willingly photographed with white supremacist. And, a person who is “the” public figure of current libertarian thought which is as anti- federal government as deep Democrat segregationist of the 1950s and 1960s. The analogy relates to Libertarianism and a collective predominate affinity for “states rights”.   When Libertarianism meets deep liberal thought and paradigm on any issues, strange human behavior manifest.   A classic example was a recent exhibition of ‘booing” Nancy Pelosi at the Netroots Nation event  at which she stated Snowden had “broken the law.”  It was an inarguable point!


 The People’s View  June 23, 2013

Speaking at Netroots Nation in San Jose, the House Democratic leader said Snowden “did violate the law in terms of releasing those documents,” prompting loud boos and heckling from the crowd.

I strongly suspect the very liberals, and progressives who perpetrated the ‘booing” of Nancy Pelosi felt a great deal of chagrin during the GOP debate when Rick Perry was behaviorally lauded with loud applause and yelps as he ‘bragged’ about executions in his state.   We posit the exhibition against Pelosi, like that for Perry from the far Right, was unfair, inappropriate and uncharacteristic of the poli/social Left. 

 There exist an intriguing and interesting set of treatises on Snowden  NSA monitoring, and liberal angst.

The People’s View

Sunday, June 23, 2013 |  Posted by Spandan C at 2:37 PM 

What is the key difference between liberals and right wingers? Sure, we have different issue positions, but the difference is deeper than that. Liberals let the facts guide the debate, and conservative wingbats shout down facts they do not like. So Nancy Pelosi went to Netroots Nation in San Jose, CA last night and stated an incontrovertible fact: Edward Snowden violated the law. Video above linked here: http://youtu.be/N2GyyXM__aw 
The reaction? 
Speaking at Netroots Nation in San Jose, the House Democratic leader said Snowden “did violate the law in terms of releasing those documents,” prompting loud boos and heckling from the crowd. 
Nancy Pelosi got booed for stating a fact: Edward Snowden violated the law. When facts begin to get booed because they poke holes into your ideological bubble, I humbly suggest you lose the ‘progressive’ label. 
Constitutional Amendment Rights
The People’s View published a piece early this morning about the Fourth Amendment in the context of a crash course spanning NSA Programs and the Constitution. 

A Crash Course in the NSA Programs and the Fourth Amendment

While out of chronological context, we offer yet another and final piece from The People’s View dated July 2nd, 2013.

Liberal Obama hatred from the Left

How the Professional Left’s Blind Obama Hatred Got them Played by a Far-Right Nutjob

Some outlets reported last week that NSA leaker and fugitive Edward Snowden was caught into a bit of hypocrisy: public chat records indicate that back in the ancient times of 2009, he wanted leakers “shot in the balls.”

Spandan C continued.

Yeah, he said that. But that’s not all he said. Oh, no. The Technology site Ars Technica posted extensive public chat logs from Snowden, then using the monkier TheTrueHOOHA, that confirms what I had suspected since finding his campaign contributions to Glenn Greenwald’s straight crush Ron Paul.

So let’s talk about this man that has been granted hero status by the Left’s loudest prognosticators and provocateurs. The transcripts released by Ars Technica are about a lot more than Snowden’s previous contempt for leakers. He hated social security, loved Ron Paul and his ideas, and peddled the NRA’s garbage about fighting the government with guns. He suggested punishing both leakers and publications that publish the leaks. All in all, Edward Snowden is a right wing, anti-government nutjob who has managed to become the hero of so many on the reactionary Left. (Highlight above by Scandan C).

Read more (A must read)

I doubt one American relishes the thought of an over-hanging monitoring authority snooping into our personal communications. In an idle world, I would certainly stand tall in solidarity with the sentiment. We are not, however, living in the 1700s, thus our communication reaches far beyond face-to-face talk, carrier pigeons, or night riders (such As Paul Revere. And, no he did not warn the British Mrs. Palin). Technology has taken communication right into our private lives (via cellular phones) and our dinning room tables via laptop computers). The very same communication quorums are available to people who would do the nation great harm. Factually, Osama bin Laden was discovered to have Bradley Manning leaked materiel on his Laptop.

It does not take a multi-billion dollar reverse engineering laboratory for urban and field enemies to determine actionable intelligence from leaks as those perpetrated by Snowden.


Have we become nascent haters of the Administration because it is a progressive Administration, and “…should not act as such?”  Or, have we become so mistrusting of the president we feel he has factually transformed into a reincarnation of George W. Bush.  I posit we know better!

We agree completely with The People’s View. Rights to privacy are sacred. Rights to open communication is sacred. We feel strongly monitoring of communications via NON-SNOOPING data-mining does not constitute “listening” to our calls. 

The Left must realize there is a social political entity sitting in wait for disgruntled voters to lean in their direction. No one from the far Left will ever support anything right of the nation’s poli/social center.  There are, and dangerously so, large swaths of voters who are falling victim to the non-reality of snooping into their private lives, succumbing to the freight mongers who could be anti-federal government (particularly with Barack Obama in the White House), and they may succumb to moneyed plutocrats who stand to benefit from unhappiness, a lack of solidarity and malcontent on the Left. Lest we forget major danger in falling for the Snowden political moves (and defection) which factually benefit “non-friendly” international adversaries.

Finally, Mick Jagger’s quip as the Rolling Stones ended their DC show, was somewhat ill-advised. While it is refreshing to see the elderly rocker is up on the NSA monitoring program, we have to realize he is also “up-on” the very malcontent we have addressed in this shared piece with The People’s View.  Jagger was probably seeking a bit of “We know your issues (in the States) and we find alleged snooping distasteful” humor.  OK, fine, but Jagger received major boos. We do not know if the boos referenced NSA monitoring, President Obama (as named), of Jagger’s foray into US social issues.  

Of particular note, we can find no record Jagger criticized the former President for an INTEL program that started as far back as 2002.  He did not speakout when Verizon admitted to cooperation via monitoring by the FBI/NSA in 2006. Nor, did the elderly rocker speak so boldly about allegations that members of the British Government may have been on the take with Ruppert Murdoch’s News Corps reporters and executives.

A little something for Jagger.

It really is sad to the elder statesman of rock, via quip, inadvertently aligned with people such as the following. The ever-present “separatist/segregationist/opportunistic” Rand Paul goes public.

Huff Post (Linked above)

Conservatives were quick to jump on the comment. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tweeted the quote Tuesday morning, much to the delight of his followers (in less than 2 hours, the below tweet dialed up three times the number of retweets as Rand’s previous tweet, which was posted 20 hours ago).

Senator Rand Paul


“I don’t think President Obama is here tonight, but I’m sure he’s listening in.” – Mick Jagger, last night in concert in Washington.


There are times when it is best for entertainers to stick with what they know and do best when they not longstanding advocates for issues from the stage.  The Stones are not noted for such political alignment.

In fairness, and as indicated via update in the linked Huff Post piece above, Jagger tweeted a days or so later support for Obama’s climate change initiatives.

 The foibles on the Left and ‘slick’ operatives who support the latest US Defector: Edward Snowden.

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Jon Stewart, US Constitution, FoxPEN, Bush Library Day (YAWN)

In Uncategorized on April 26, 2013 at 5:29 PM

UPWORTHY Shares Jon Stewart placing FOX and Hannity in perspective.

Rollie WilliamsMore from Rollie »

I’m not sure which show makes more sense to be on Comedy Central. Jon Stewart is a pretty funny dude, but smart money says the real comedic geniuses are working at Fox News (buried deep inside the subconsciouses of the Fox anchors).
For reference, the first 10 amendments are:
1 – Protects freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition the government. 
2 – Protects a militia’s and an individual’s right to bear arms. 
3 – Prohibits the forced quartering of soldiers during peacetime. 
4 – Prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets out requirements for search warrants based on probable cause. 
5 – Sets out rules for indictment by grand jury and eminent domain, protects the right to due process, and prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy. 
6 – Protects the right to a fair and speedy public trial by jury, including the rights to be notified of the accusations, to confront the accuser, to obtain witnesses and to retain counsel. 
7 – Provides for the right to trial by jury in certain civil cases, according to common law. 
8 – Prohibits excessive fines and excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment. 
9 – Protects rights not enumerated in the Constitution. 
10 – Limits the powers of the federal government to those delegated to it by the Constitution.
End UPWORTHY
Jon Stewart encore (The Bush Library)

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Gun Control: Restriction, GOP Senators, And The Will Of The People…. Part III

In GOP, Rand Paul on April 10, 2013 at 4:56 PM

Small image for fourteen small men!

Gun Control: Restriction, GOP Senators, And The Will Of The People…. 

Part I 
Part II 

As we developed this three part series today, Senators Tomey (R) PA. and Senator Manchin (D) WV. announced a compromise deal on universal background check legislation.
We think it significant all understand the underlying reasons some in the US Senate resists any gun restriction measures.  In Part I, we posted a couple of pieces of data regarding public opinion of gun control measures   If polling data is correct, and if you believe the data, 90% to 91% of a group of polled Americans express support for universal background checks.  On April 4, Morning Joe Show broadcast results of yet another survey with results indicating public sentiment in favor of gun control measures.

The naive may ask, “Why does the GOP seem to sit consistently on the sideline that is marked: Against public opinion?”
The case

Morning Joe 50 seconds

NRA Contributions to Congress Summary  NRA Total Contributions NRA Lobbying Recipients Congressional Chamber Sort (House to Senate) NRA Heavy Hitter Contributor: Thomas Tedrick (Click “Tedrick” link once on this page)  Open secrets News  Original journalism from the Center’s OpenSecrets Blog 


  • Gun Rights Group Has Close Ties To Paul Family

    Apr 4 2013 1:21PM
    The National Association for Gun Rights — a group to the right of the NRA — has been stirring controversy with attacks on Republicans. As it happens, the group has strong ties to both Rand and Ron Paul, OpenSecrets Blog has found. 

Money to Senators Looms Over Assault Weapons Hearing
Feb 27 2013 12:14PM

The subject of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing today — a proposed assault weapons ban — is controversial enough. But casting another shadow on the conversation is the fact that members of the panel, who may vote on the proposal as early as Thursday, have received far more in campaign contributions from gun rights groups and individuals who are committed to the issue than they have from the other side. Since 2000, committee members have collected over $350,000 from gun rights groups and individuals, but just $17,000 from pro-gun control interests. 

The Sunlight Foundation: NRA and Congress, December 8, 2013.   (The chart indicators below are Red:Republican; Blue-Democrat.)

graphics by Amy Cesal

Oh,  Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and GOP your motives are showing.
The motive is clearly money and contributions.  There is something strikingly shameful about the GOP.  They often speak of the US Constitution (from a crafters “intention” perspective).  Do they 14 Senators who pledged to filibuster a firearm background check bill, would find comparable irrational thought among those who crafted the US Constitution? 
We had planned to publish a fourth Part to this series of screed; there is no need to screed farther. Part III shows the underlying reason for GOP interest in unrestricted firearm sales in the United States. 

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"Do your Damned Job!"….Republicans

In Uncategorized on February 23, 2013 at 8:05 PM


Commentaries On The Times….

Playthell G. Benjamin,  Author

Portman and Ryan

Congressman Paul Ryan and Senator Rob Portman

Do your Damned Job! 

Of all the criticisms leveled at President Obama the one that strikes me as the silliest and most unfair is the complaint that the reason Republicans refuse to work with him on critical legislation is because he doesn’t hang out with them and court them as if he were wooing a teenage girl.

We are expected to believe that on issues as important as the impending budget “Sequester,” a fiscal time bomb that was never supposed to go off and if it does will be a devastating blow to the US economy that could throw us back into depression, the Republicans in Congress are refusing to act because the president hasen’t been swilling “keggers” with them.  It is hard to imagine a more patently ridiculous argument!

Aside from the fact that the President faces myriad issues daily that only he can deal with, and this consumes the lion’s share of his day, he is also a husband and father of two teenage daughters.  One would think that this would be applauded by Republicans; since they never tire of preaching the virtues of family life. The people who are upset that he is not a schmoozer appear to overlook the fact that he has a right to a private life, and that this is important to his personal well-being and state of mind.

Hence one need not languish in deep contemplation on this issue because it is prima facie absurd. The Republican Congress is presumably composed of mature, thoughtful adults, people who were elected by their constituents to conduct the business of the nation by passing legislation designed to solve the problems that constantly arise in the life of a great nation. While the drafters of the Constitution intended for it to be difficult to pass laws that will affect the course of the nation and the well-being of the citizenry, they certainly didn’t intend to make it impossible to govern.

There is a school of thought that believes the three fold division of power – with the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government checking and balancing each other – is a good idea in theory but contains the seeds for disaster.  There was always the possibility that it could result in gridlock that makes it impossible to govern; yet the fact that 200 years later we have emerged as the most powerful nation in the world provides impressive evidence that it was a good idea.

For most of our history this system has served the American people well.  It has achieved its main objectives admirably: preventing the rise of a tyrant and offering an alternative to armed insurrections in order to transfer power. After all, these were men who witnessed the tyrannies of the Old World and wanted to create a system that would prevent the rise of tyranny in the nation they were forming.

There is grand irony in all of this, because one could argue that the Founders’ fear of tyranny was fueled by hypocrisy in that they were enslaving Africans and dispossessing indigenous Americans of their lands by force of arms: there were no greater tyrannies anywhere in the world. It was a glaring contradiction that most of the Founding fathers chose not to deal with when they were drafting the Constitution –which is why the word slavery is never mentioned in this exalted document – but the great abolitionist and moral clarion Frederick Douglass never tired of pointing out.

And recent historical scholarship such as Dr. Gerald Horne’s book“Negro Comrades of the Crown, and Slave Nation, by the law professors Alfred and Ruth Blumrosen, convincingly argue that preserving African slavery, not the freedom of white colonists, was the motive force that propelled the war for independence against England and was a powerful influence in shaping the US Constitution.
Hence one could argue that the Founders fear of tyranny was magnified by their practices toward black people.  After all, preaching one thing and practicing another is at best base hypocrisy and Schizophrenia at worse.  All of these fears and contradictions no doubt played a role in shaping the Founders views about checks and balances on government actors and the power they wield.

It also explains why the military was placed under a civilian Commander-In-Chief, and why they included an impeachment process for Presidents or Federal Judges with lifelong appointments. This is also the reason why power is diffused into state and municipal governments, and the resulting ambiguity around exactly who has jurisdiction over what is the reason why we are still arguing about these questions over two centuries later.

When all things are considered, the Founders believed that all parties would act in the best interests of the nation.  Never in their wildest imagination did they dream that contending political parties would elevate the interests of their party over the vital interests of the nation, and that compromise, which is built into system they created, would be viewed as betrayal!

Obviously when this happens the system breaks down and becomes dysfunctional.   In the worst case scenario the country degenerated into civil war…and today the triumph of ideology over pragmatism among Republicans has turned the Grand Old Party into the “Grand Obstructionist Party” and it has crippled our government’s ability to govern.  Hence there are critical issues that cannot be addressed; the result of which is a continuous series of self-induced crises

If anybody thinks that the hard left is innocent of these vices: think again.  The far left is as irrational as the far right when it comes to the imperative of comprise as a vital part of the America political process.  Leftist ideologues have called the President as many nasty names as the so-called Tea Party Patriots – Check out  the essays compiled under “My Struggles on the Left” on this blog – and would be every bit as dangerous if they wielded the political power exercised by the right.

The result is an increasingly dysfunctional government unable to address the pressing problems facing our country; it is a situation that portends disaster!  That’s why the President is taking his case to the electorate in a series of public speeches designed to educate them on what is at stake in the looming sequester.  As I write he is holding a press conference with First Responders, the people we all depend upon when disaster strikes – whether man made or from natural causes i.e. Katrina, Sandy or the 9/11 terrorist attack by Islamic Jihadists.

The picture the President is painting of the consequences if the sequester goes into effect are dire and frightening.  And he is skillfully posing this scenario as the result of a choice by Republicans to inflict pain on the American people, and shoot craps with the fate of the nation, just to save the filthy rich a few dollars in taxes.

This is an especially odious choice since the rich wouldn’t even miss the money, but the fate of many Americans will become imperiled.  And by flashing the numbers of Americans who will lose their homes, jobs and other vital assets, along with those who will lose vital government assets, his message takes on great power.

 Taking it to the Streets

barack-obama-2011-with first responders

The President with First Responders

And the President is scaring the hell out of Republicans, who fear that they will be blamed should the disastrous sequester actually kick in.  You can hear it in the mealy mouthed whining of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell; he who pledged to throttle the Obama Presidency through non-cooperation, making the failure of the Obama presidency not the welfare of the nation the Republican goal.  And it is echoed in the increasing panic of John Boehner, “The Weeper of the House.”

What we have here is a deep ideological divide, contending and irreconcilable views of the role of government. And although some of these Republicans know this is self-destructive folly, the far right racist constituency they must appeal to in order to avoid having to face an opponent who is further to the right in the next primary election, will brook no compromise with the Democrats…especially this president: a bumptious, uppity nigger who thinks he’s smarter than everybody else.

This problem runs so deep it’s in the DNA of the contemporary GOP, and it cannot be solved by the President having a few beers and shootin the shit with these guys! Not when it’s a political liability to even be seen with the President – it cost Charlie Crist his Job as Governor of Florida!  That’s why all of them snubbed the President’s invitation to come up and view the bio pic of Abraham Lincoln, the greatest President of in their Party’s history, along with less dramatic snubs.

 Hence it is nauseating to hear pompous sophists and intellectual poseurs like Joe Scarborough – a failed politician who now pretends to the role of political wise guy – and his chattering cronies, promoting the bogus argument that the reason the Republicans refuse to participate in responsibly conducting the nation’s business is because Barack doesn’t hob nob with them after hours.  I would like them a simple solution that appears to have evaded the talking heads: JUST DO YOUR DAMNED JOB!!!

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Playthell G. Benjamin 

Harlem, New York 

February 19, 2013