RNC Calls For Halt To Unconstitutional Surveillance 523
Bob9113 writes "According to an article on Ars Technica, the Republican National Committee (RNC) has passed a resolution that "encourages Republican lawmakers to immediately take action to halt current unconstitutional surveillance programs and provide a full public accounting of the NSA's data collection programs." The resolution, according to Time, was approved by an overwhelming majority voice vote at the Republican National Committee's Winter Meeting General Session, going on this week in Washington, DC."
Re:Oh, the irony (Score:5, Informative)
Re:even a broken clock... (Score:2, Informative)
Considering as it was the Republicans who started this (something they'd rather we forget) that sounds just about right.
Note to the right wing: Obama is not guilty of starting up unconstitutional "anti terrorism" practices. He is, however, mightily guilty of not stopping them and is rightly deserving of the flack he gets over this. That said, if the RNC wants to hold responsible parties accountable, at some point they're going to have to look in the mirror. Introspection and objective self evaluation is just not something Republicans are historically very good at unfortunately.
Re:even a broken clock... (Score:5, Informative)
It also means that they actually have to live with being free, which carries with it some risks. Unacceptable! I demand the government violate everyone's rights and privacy to stop the terrorists!
Considering that I'm more likely to be struck by lightning than die in a terrorist attack, I think I'm willing to take my chances. I also believe that we're less likely to encounter people so desperate to hurt us if we stop manipulating other nations and attacking them for such flimsy reasons. A return to loving freedom would mean no longer trying to tell each other how to live -- this is also the way we should respect the sovereignty of other nations.
I'll tell you what else is much more likely than dying in a terrorist attack: being killed by your own government.
Re:even a broken clock... (Score:3, Informative)
It was the Clinton - Gore Administration that gave us the NSAKey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N... [wikipedia.org]
The spying had been going on for years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E... [wikipedia.org]
but that probably doesn't agree with your political prejudices.
Re:Oh, the irony (Score:3, Informative)
Sorry, but the Patriot Act extension in 2011 was overwhelmingly supported by House Republicans, 196 Republican yeas to 54 Democrat Yeas.
http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/112/house/1/376
The extension was not in any way "bi-partisan".
Re:That's not what I see. (Score:4, Informative)
You didn't read it carefully enough. There are many places where "god" commands that their neighbors be destroyed or enslaved because they don't behave exactly the way the current spokesman for God thinks they should.
Re:even a broken clock... (Score:4, Informative)
Considering that I'm more likely to be struck by lightning than die in a terrorist attack
In fact, that is an understatement. I was just doing some research into the number of terrorism related deaths, and I found that fewer than 25,000 people have died in (non-state) recorded terror attacks. That's less than 25,000 people dying of terrorism in all modern history.
In contrast, about the same number of people die in lightning strikes in one year (worldwide). About 150% as many people die in car accidents each year, in the US alone.
Re:There are two parties, just not the ones you th (Score:2, Informative)
It would be nice if I could find a non-statist, who is *also* not a corporatist. Unfortunately all the non-statists I've ever heard of are devout corporatists.
Ah yes, that old re-hashed tripe. Bet you think you sound all hip and cool using the word "corporatist", huh? Channeling the inner hippy, eh? I suggest you go and re-read your statist manual on "how to dismiss those pesky free-thinkers before they convince enough people of their own inherent rights".
On a more serious note, here is an actual definition of "corporatism": "the control of a state or organization by large interest groups." By that definition, you could say that society is already controlled by large interest groups. And the state then gives them power to wield their beliefs over the rest of society.
Re:even a broken clock... (Score:3, Informative)
The House made a real budget, and passed it several times. The Senate refused to even take one of them up, debate, amend, and refine the bill and send back to the House. There was a real budget - but one Chamber was politically motivated to see sequestration implemented.
As far as the size of the cut to the DOD, defense was cut larger by percentage and in absolute terms [wikipedia.org].
Re:even a broken clock... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:even a broken clock... (Score:4, Informative)
As a matter of fact, no. Slavery in Brazil didn't end until the Lei Ãurea [wikipedia.org] went into effect on May 13, 1888.
Re: even a broken clock... (Score:2, Informative)
Damn, of all the times to lack mod points... (posting anon in case some suddenly appear at midnight again)
Ialso benefited (and benefit)from government spending: Iwas only able to get a regular education at a public school because the government required them to accommodate disabilities whenever reasonable rather than warehousing all of us in special ed. It's also the government's SSI, SNAP&Medicaid programs that let me have somewhere to live, food and medical care so I can live a fairly independent life as a disabled adult (the alternative would be having to play a 'good little girl' 24/7 in hope relatives would shoulder the expenses).
Ialso drive on roads that aren't covered in really deep potholes thanks to government efforts... My city council neglected the job (despite having funds) for a few years back around 2000, and it was stunning how rapidly they grew into deep craters that punctured tires, trashed steering alignments and injured a lot of kids/adults on bikes, skateboards, etc. due to being unable to see them in time to avoid crashes. (The story of how one guy's satirical council-embarrassing antics got all but one of them voted out is worth reading [petaluma360.com].)