Hmm
 

A strong Executive Branch? Separation of Powers? A Judiciary that is supposed to use actual law, not a desired results, as the means for rendering decisions?

I know you took it way back in 60's, but perhaps you need to dust off that ConLaw college textbook.

Maybe not so uh oh
 

No doubt. But far, far better to turn out a bunch of false positives to demonstrate the system is working than to let the real one through.

Hmm
 

I don't know, one could read this as a tacit admission:

• The Justice Department argued that the NSA program is well within Bush's authority as president, but that proving it would require revealing state secrets.

Hmm
 

Strong Executive Branch, yes. Executive that can disregard the other two branches, no.

Separation of powers? Good, you've spotted the issue; now go research the right answer.

Judiciary that's supposed to use actual law. Go refresh your recollection of the 1st and 4th Amendments, then look up FISA.

You just took the Califironia bar, didn't you? Did Arnold ban the use of any Con Law questions?

Hmm
 

You may want to read what some originalist have to say about this.

Hmm
 

War in Iraq? Or did we win that already? I haven't been on the boards for a couple of days and might have missed the announcement.

Hmm
 

I take it that fear of the Feds were listening was preventing you from calling your spiritual Mufti in Cairo?

Right. I didn't think so.

Hmm
 

No fear of the feds listening in on my calls to my Grandma is what's got me thinking that certain elements in the Republican Party ought to go take a refresher course on what makes America great.

Hmm
 

Where have you been? We won that one years ago. "Mission Accomplished", remember?

Now we're busy winning the peace. It's expensive and time-consuming, but Iraq's war revenues are paying for it. And our soldiers think the sweets are great!

Hmm
 

Does grandma live overseas? Is grandma a suspected terrorist or member of a suspect organization?

Hmm
 

I must have been thinking of another war. What's the one where we're fighting one or more insular, indigenous guerrilla groups who blend in with and receive support from the generally hostile civilian population? It's the one that's sort of dragging along with no clear or achievable objective in sight, mounting casualities and less and less support among the voting public. I remember something about a helicopter, a rooftop, hearts and minds, but it's all a bit of a blur.

Hmm
 

Are those the limits of the wiretapping program? Given the complete lack of oversight, do you have any factual basis for saying that it is? Given Bush's assertion that he can do anything he wants in the terror fight, could the program be expanded from that without question or control?

Hmm
 

The program wouldn't be very effective if it were targetted at only suspected terrorists.

Indeed, they could do that now, under ordinary criminal search provisions, and certainly under the FISA procedures.

Hmm
 

It depends on your definition of "suspected terrorist."

Some appear to believe that it means "Muslim, from a Muslim country, or descended from the above."


eta: How they figure this stuff out from a phone number is a mystery to me. kick-ass software, i suppose.

Hmm
 

Without a warrant, it's nobody's fucking business if she is.

Hmm
 

See, your problem is that you've got the war all mixed up with an Oliver Stone movie.

Hmm
 

It is beginning to sound like some would define it as "voted for a Democrat."

Hmm
 

We can fly all around the world drinking scotch, and not worrying about people trying to kill us- and when we get where we're going the people have put in the kind of toilets we're used to and they learned to speak English? that's what America means to me.

Hmm
 

I don't doubt that for a minute, Hank.

Hmm
 

Again, until the Jews or Christians start declaring "death to the non-believers" and start slaughtering innocent civilians all over the world, that definition is about as close as it gets.

Hmm
 

Your concern for "Grandma the Terrorist" over the security of this Nation is duly noted.

Hmm
 

As is your lack of regard for "Citizen Grandma."

About that woman with the "lotion"
 

No wonder they were concerned. Fucking A:

They initally reported the screwdriver. Why did they eliminate that fact from the follow-up reports?

Hmm
 

"Citizen Grandma"? Is she in France?

And if so, why should I care if the NSA is listening in?

Hmm
 

Similarly, "suspected Mafia member" should be the same as "Italian, or of Italian descent." At least until the Mafia opens to books to Koreans and Russians.

About that woman with the "lotion"
 

The also initially reported notes about al Qaeda.

Were the initial reports accurate?

Hmm
 

Let's not overstate it. Some Rs are willing to see Lieberman voters merely as terrorist-sympathizers.

Hmm
 

This doesn't bother me - and my mom's maiden name is practically Genovese.

Hmm
 

Yes, but you've always been a bit of a whack-job.

About that woman with the "lotion"
 

"She made reference to being with people associated with two words," the affidavit said. "She stated that she could not say what the two words were because the last time that she had said the two words she had been kicked off a flight in the United Arab Emirates."

Pretty much, yep.

About that woman with the "lotion"
 

My question was, in fact, a question -- not an assertion about the initial reports. Their accuracy is in question, since initially they were talking about notes and later it was just rantings. Also the intial reports didn't mention her pissing on the plane, which I might mention if I were reporting on an incident. The lack of any further mention of the screwdriver makes me wonder.

Hmm
 

2. Mine is Gambino.

Hmm
 

Hmm, don't know, I don't follow team sports.

Any word on the Rove indictment?

Hi!
 

Unlike most days when I respond without reading for content, today I am just not reading at all.

regards,

P

Hi!
 

your loss. in honor of DreamCruise weekend I had posted an epic paen to that which makes America great.

Hmm
 

When you're talking about Christians, death to unbelievers, slaughtering innocents, etc., you might want to avoid using the phrase "until they start" - it's kind of disrespectful and makes it sound like Christians have just been sitting around singing Kumbaya instead of going out, kicking ass and taking names. We've got a pretty solid record on that sort of stuff going back centuries, including eight Crusades, an Inquistion and the good ol' Hundred Years War, just to name some of the highlights.

I feel a bit slighted when I can just walk through airport security without someone asking me if I'm carrying thumbscrews, heretics' forks or intending to start an auto de fe on the plane. Don't you motherfuckers know where I come from?

Hmm
 

Statute of limitations?

Hi!
 

I can see it, your Paigow homage avatar, yes?

Hmm
 

Let's see, 6 years ago, the Simpsons used to funny. REM used to put out great records. I Think Ireland even used to qualify every now and again for the World Cup.

Note the common theme - "Used to"

Allah akbar

Uh Oh!!!
 

SlaveNoMore, indeed.