I think we a need a national AA program - Anarchists Anonymous.

This just goes to show that it's not just Presidential supremacy the GOP is concerned to establish--although after Terri Schiavo, we already knew that. Nothing less than a strict hierarchy of power will do. It also shows that the Democrats are "responsible." Heavens! They'd never impeach a Republican President for breaking the law. They learned their lesson when they messed up with that nice Mr. Nixon fellah.

The logic here is simple, really. When Republican Presidents break the law, then the law is broken, and it needs to be fixed. So you bring in the fixers, and they fix things. The same way the mob fixes fights and horseraces. (Can you say "Florida, 2000"? Sure you can!)

I guess this makes us top banana in the banana republic game.

As lawyers and legislators, how do they reconcile their current position with their obligation to uphold the rule of law. Are they saying the law as written is merely a suggestion?

Things have gone too far to expect the ordinary mechanisms of self-governance work beyond the local level. They don't.

We are witnessing the consolidation of an Autocratic federal government -- whether under the guise of Warfighting or whatever is convenient at the moment -- and it is happening with the apparently full connivance and complicity of Leading Members of Congress.

There are still seventy or so "Progressives" and a handful of resistant Conservatives in the body, but they have no power, and their influence is declining.

We're watching a Unitary Executive become a Unitary Government. An Autocracy. I use that term because what's happening is the consolidation of essentially unlimited powers into the office of the Presidency, but it is not based on an ideology (such as Fascism or Communism) that requires the imposition of a dictatorship in order to further ideological goals and objectives, ostensibly in service to The People. There is no such thing as the Public Interest or a service component, or even a coherent ideology in what is happening.

So far, there are few signs that this Autocracy has any totalitarian interest (but that could change.) They don't want to run your life. Not yet.

Specifically, they don't want you to have the ability to interfere with their Power in any way. That's quite different than totalitarianism. You are at best an afterthought, a cipher, a notation. For the most part, you don't exist. Unless you try to interfere with their Power.

Welcome to the New America.

The transition wasn't hard at all, was it?

for a third party based on support of the constitution. Call it the "Constitution Party" or the "Founder's Party of the People", or whatever.

Why now? Well, the housing crash tanking the economy, the disgust with the Iraq war, and the destruction of the people's rights will create very strong anti-incumbent sentiment (Congress at 11%, NOW). This will likely allow a Democratic victory for the presidency, but if there is a constitution party on the ballot for lower offices (Don't start at the top, let that play out as two party), the anti-beltway village feelings may be tapped to get some number of third party representatives elected. You might pick up some people across the political spectrum since the constitution covers a lot of ground, though you probably can't get the gun-nuts on board. Even a small group in this category could make a huge difference in gumming up the corruption in Washington and pulling the president toward the rule of law. Fantasy I am sure, but one fine day...

I'm quite serious here. Has there ever been a point in our history as a country where 'big business' has so effectively dictated public policy before now?

We no longer live in a democracy anymore. It's clear we live in a fascist/corpatist state. Gov't is run by and for the corporations of America. Our "representatives" represent the companies and their business plans. We the little people don't even appear on their radar. A company gets caught breaking the law, well just buy immunity from congress. That the dems are in on the whole-sale destruction of our constitution and system of gov't, should of been apparent when Bush commuted Libby's sentence. What was such an obvious obstruction of justice, and a clear quid pro quo. Libby you lie to the grand jury, and we'll make sure you don't serve anytime. Yet the dems stood back and did nothing. That they didn't immediately move to impeach Bush, should of been the sign the fix was in. Now the gov't has carte blanche to spy on who ever they want, remember this bill is going to be permanent. I'm not the only one seeing the hand-writing on the wall here, this is only the beginning. Who do you think they'll use these spying powers on next? When the prez says he can lock anyone up on his say so, what's to stop him from locking up anyone that disagrees with him. He already has people arrested that have protest signs along his motorcade route. While pro-Bush sign holders are left alone. In 1930's Germany, when Hitler was coming to power, some saw the writing on the wall. They saw that things were only going to worse and got out. So in all sincerity I am asking, is it time to leave yet?

It will include full immunity for those companies that can demonstrate to a court that they acted pursuant to a legal directive in helping the government with surveillance in the United States.

What if it was an illegal directive?

According to GG's interview with EFF this is not about.....

* The government,
* eavesdropping on conversations,
* or even wiretapping as far as anyone knows.

The EFF still doesn't know what is being done, nor will it after the case is done. But, if there is a ruling that something illegal was done, even if the equivalent of smoking a joint, the personal injury lawyers will do their best to destroy the industry and blind the US to all flows of information. Are you really sure that's a good idea?
Want to give up your cell phone? That's improbable, but not impossible.