statism

Bush says ‘civil liberties were guaranteed’ under his NSA Internet surveillance

"Former President George W. Bush is insisting that a NSA Internet surveillance program started during his administration 'guaranteed' civil liberties, and that Edward Snowden 'damaged the country' by leaking details about it. In an interview with CNN, Bush was confident that 'the Obama administration will deal' with Snowden and the fallout from his leaks. 'I think he damaged the security of the country,' he explained. 'I put the program in place to protect the country, and one of the certainties is civil liberties were guaranteed.' The former president added that his program had found 'the proper balance' between privacy and security." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBush says ‘civil liberties were guaranteed’ under his NSA Internet surveillance

Bush says ‘civil liberties were guaranteed’ under his NSA Internet surveillance

"Former President George W. Bush is insisting that a NSA Internet surveillance program started during his administration 'guaranteed' civil liberties, and that Edward Snowden 'damaged the country' by leaking details about it. In an interview with CNN, Bush was confident that 'the Obama administration will deal' with Snowden and the fallout from his leaks. 'I think he damaged the security of the country,' he explained. 'I put the program in place to protect the country, and one of the certainties is civil liberties were guaranteed.' The former president added that his program had found 'the proper balance' between privacy and security." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBush says ‘civil liberties were guaranteed’ under his NSA Internet surveillance

NSA surveillance: don’t underestimate the extraordinary power of metadata

"Four years ago a German Green party politician, Malte Spitz, sued to have Deutsche Telekom hand over six months of his phone data that he then made available to Zeit Online. The paper then did what any decent NSA operative would do, namely combine his phone's geolocation data with information relating to his life as a politician – Twitter feeds, blog entries and websites – to create an extraordinary animated reconstruction of a day in his life. It's this revelatory power that enables metadata to expose far more than what a target is talking about. In the old days, the medium was the message. Now it's the metadata." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA surveillance: don’t underestimate the extraordinary power of metadata

NSA surveillance: don’t underestimate the extraordinary power of metadata

"Four years ago a German Green party politician, Malte Spitz, sued to have Deutsche Telekom hand over six months of his phone data that he then made available to Zeit Online. The paper then did what any decent NSA operative would do, namely combine his phone's geolocation data with information relating to his life as a politician – Twitter feeds, blog entries and websites – to create an extraordinary animated reconstruction of a day in his life. It's this revelatory power that enables metadata to expose far more than what a target is talking about. In the old days, the medium was the message. Now it's the metadata." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA surveillance: don’t underestimate the extraordinary power of metadata

The United States v. Aaron Burr

"Defenders of unconstitutional and intrusive mass surveillance of American citizens by the National Security State have deemed him a traitor, while opponents of such malignant and reprehensible police state practices have proclaimed him a hero. The crucial issues surrounding Snowden call to mind one of the most profound legal cases ever tried, that of The United States v. Aaron Burr. Burr was one of the most intriguing and mysterious persons in the early years of the Republic. Vilified and portrayed as a traitor, there are other dimensions to his character not always presented or portrayed in accounts by court historians." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe United States v. Aaron Burr

The United States v. Aaron Burr

"Defenders of unconstitutional and intrusive mass surveillance of American citizens by the National Security State have deemed him a traitor, while opponents of such malignant and reprehensible police state practices have proclaimed him a hero. The crucial issues surrounding Snowden call to mind one of the most profound legal cases ever tried, that of The United States v. Aaron Burr. Burr was one of the most intriguing and mysterious persons in the early years of the Republic. Vilified and portrayed as a traitor, there are other dimensions to his character not always presented or portrayed in accounts by court historians." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe United States v. Aaron Burr

Crime of Making a Terrorist Threat

"Imagine calling in police because some little kid points a toy gun or his finger, and says 'Bang, bang, you're dead'. This is already happening. These things are all birds of a feather. Penalties are severe. These laws are oppressive. They make crimes out of many varieties of ordinary statements made by ordinary people in many situations. Someone who speaks in anger, or when tipsy, or because they're upset, or without meaning what they say, can suddenly be in hot water. It is not uncommon for people to say 'I'll kill you' without meaning it. These laws give the justice system heavy artillery to fire against anyone who falls into its clutches for any reason." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCrime of Making a Terrorist Threat

Another Black Man up on “Terrorist” Charges

"Michael C. Lewis, 25, is charged with discharging a firearm into a car and building. The result? He's charged with 'one count of going armed with intent and two counts of terrorism.' People sometimes go off, sometimes they commit crimes, sometimes they are career criminals, sometimes not. Justice requires making distinctions. But in no case should people be thrown into prison for 10 years or 20 years or 50 years, the possible terrorism penalty in this case, as a terrorism 'add-on' to all the other possible conventional crimes. Terrorism statutes with such penalties applied in such lax ways are in and of themselves cruel and unusual punishment." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAnother Black Man up on “Terrorist” Charges

Audit Findings: State Lab Lies About Blood Alcohol Levels

"A recent audit of the state lab that conducts alcohol blood tests found that the laboratory skews test results in favor of prosecutors. So while drunk-driving laws are already utterly arbitrary and damaging for people don't even damage any person or property, it turns out that being sober by the state's standards won't even save you. The state will simply fudge the science or outright lie to favor itself." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAudit Findings: State Lab Lies About Blood Alcohol Levels

Every Georgia driver who refuses to blow is strapped to a table, put in a headlock, blood forcibly taken

"In some Georgia counties, as well as all over the USA, drivers are getting their blood forcibly stolen from them. As shown in this video, every driver who refuses to give the police a blow, even for misdemeanor offenses, is strapped to a table, put into a headlock by a police officer, and their blood forcibly taken. 'We all are American citizens and you guys strapped me to a table like I'm in Guantanamo ****ing Bay!' said one victim of the vampiric policy." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEvery Georgia driver who refuses to blow is strapped to a table, put in a headlock, blood forcibly taken