According to the most renowned Constitutional historians (e.g., Cuddihy), "clamorem et uthesium" a.k.a. "Hue and Cry," the medieval practice of ad hoc law enforcement impressment/deputization of the private sector by governments evolved into a core reason for the American revolution, i.e., colonial hatred of the British Crown's widespread issuance of General Warrants (non-specific and of indefinite duration) and Writs of Assistance (the modern equivalent of which is typified by this whole Bu'ush era telecoms' mess).

Specifically, the Framers wrote the exact language of the 4th Amendment to proscribe such practices.

More generally, the Bu'ush adminstration is trying to privatize everything in sight in part to end-run Constitutional strictures, owing to the bulk of case law declaring that private entities' activities are not subject to Constitutional limitations -- that the aggrieveds' only remedies are tort claims (which is what the telecoms are now frantically trying to nullify in advance).

Such flies directly and glaringly in the face of "conservative" Original Intent, though.

Writs of Assistance revisited.

is the implicit -- nearly explicit -- precedent granting of the green light for limitless clamorem et uthesium / Writs of Assistance secret surveillance going forward, with no independent oversight whatsoever.

Whether this odious legislation will ultimately be found "unconstitutional" is far from certain, Given what Bu'ush has done to the Supreme Court thus far.

“I give you a Republic if you can keep it.”

- Ben Franklin

Sorry, Ben. It was nice while it lasted.

Nice letter.

Those who evince this smarmy narcissistic disdain for distressed fellow citizens would typically be the first and loudest clamoring for their "rights" once struck by misfortune themselves.

Y'know, all you greedy tax-hating "conservatives," the collapsing interstate highway bridge doesn't give a rat's ass about how much bread you got should you be crossing it when the structure fails.

And, I'm sure every legislator that voted to uphold (lifetime ward of the socialized health care state) Bu'ush's SCHIP veto avails him or herself to every penny of "federalized health care" to which they're "entitled."

Take this scummy prick and his thug army down.

"Tax breaks for wealthy people stimulate the economy"

Supposedly, wealthy people need tax breaks to encourage them to invest. I never believed this load of hogwash...

______

Yeah, similarly with all manner of tax breaks, long term. The market value of my house has embedded within it the value of my tax deductions. Were they not available, the nominal "value" would be decremented by roughly that amount. Taxation as a socioeconomic policy carrot is way overrated.

and we're gonna git 'im a new face."

was it part of her investigative reporter / writer thing? "Research"?

This puke is a dangerous man. Hard to imagine someone worse than Bu'ush, but Rudy is just that. May the dirt continue to surface.

... why was the cost of the security for these particular trips buried in the budgets of various obscure agencies?

_____

Asked and answered.

"69/11 changed everything."

With that talent for concise straw man hyperbole, you could easily work in the Bu'ush administration.

LOL! I made that same "Scientology" analogy yesterday.

Like the eminent Simon Blackburn ("Think", "Being Good") noted, we can't just be satisfied with principles of morality, we gotta have our myriad (and contradictory or otherwise illogical) exemplar Stories. Which, of course, then become the whole bizarre, convoluted deal.

Holy Underwear.

Home don't tink so, Mork Romney. Nahnoo, nahnoo.

Y'know. I'm pretty agnostic (bordering on "soft" atheist), but right now I'm managing a Christmas CD release produced by a couple of my friends (click my name), simply because it's a beautiful work of musical art, notwithstanding that I'm way Life of Brian on the whole Jesus thing. I love my Amy Grant Christmas CDs as well. When I'm at my Mother-in-Law's in Alabama, I bow my head during grace at the supper table and at the long-winded bible-thumping "invocations" at the high school basketball games, etc., out of simple tolerant respect for my in-laws. They, in turn, don't rub my nose in their faith.

I refuse to accept second-class citizenship, Mr. Romney, because I don't require "religion" to be the law-abiding, documentably productive, loyal, and moral person that I am.

So, STFU.

Mork.

Best laugh of the evening. Thanks. Joe Conason's publication history and political credibility track records speak for themselves.Mork and Huck are two patent phonies deserving of being called out relentlessly.

SO pre- 9/11.