Monday, February 06, 2006

Three Points

Three points on Three Alberto quotes I got from Atrios:

GONZALES: Well, Senator, I would first refer to the experts in the Intel Committee who are making that statement, first of all. I'm just the lawyer.

Wow, it looks like we’ve found an argument that even Alberto Gonzalez won’t make.  Everyone’s got their limit, I guess.


GONZALES (cont’d): But if they're not reminded about it all the time in the newspapers and in stories, they sometimes forget.

So, exactly how much do we need to fear people who are so stupid that they forget that their phones might be tapped?  I think about this stuff every time I talk about 9/11, terrorists, or politics on the phone; and I’m not doing anything wrong.  What are the odds that a terrorist is going to forget about wiretaps while having the exact kind of conversation that requires wiretaps?  

And do you think that maybe we’d be able to catch them easier, if we just checked all the NY Times subscribers getting cave delivery?  Or are these not the terrorists that Bush has running scared and living in caves?


Alberto: President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale.

In defense of Alberto, he said “authorized” not “used”.  And he wasn’t referring to powers they authorized for themselves; but the ones they authorized for Bush, so that Bush could surveil electronics on a far broader scale.  And they authorized this when they didn’t dissolve the Constitution.  Alberto was simply reasserting his argument that Bush’s wiretap authorization stems from broad powers that lay dormant within the Constitution; just waiting for this time in history.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Soldiers have to take classes once a year to be reminded that their communications are subject to monitoring by the enemy. In spite of that they still nevertheless speak about sensitive or even classified subjects while on the radio, the telephone, or via e-mail.

So, YES, people do forget and yes, a revelation that the enemy is listening WILL cause them to stop giving away those secrets to the listening enemy. That's the purpose of reminding the soldiers once a year to stop it.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/502361.asp?cp1=1

Reverend X said...

Soldiers have to take classes once a year to be reminded that their communications are subject to monitoring by the enemy.

They have had classes on Bush's illegal hobbies for years? Oh, and I like the way you call him "the enemy"! Fitting term.

Anonymous said...

These future powers are enumerated on the back of the Constitution in a special buffalo ink obtained from the Seneca tribe. These were not revealed because they were understood at the time. Unfortunately, the original script was smudged during the McKinley administration by a cigar rolling incident. Advanced microscope technology has once again proved that the framers are true visionaries.

Addendum to Amendment I. Congress shall make no law prohibiting the use cell phone cameras to snap pictures "up skirt".

Addendum to Amendment II. Electronic surveilence is also necessary for the security of a free State.

Addendum to Amendment III. Beer and whisky may be requested by Soldiers instead of quarters, but body armor is out of the question.

Addendum to Amendment IV. An electronic ranking hit rate of up to 1 out of 1000 persons is considered not unreasonable for probable cause.

Doctor Biobrain said...

So, YES, people do forget

Right. Some sleeper cell dude with plans to kill thousands is going to suddenly "forget" that we might be listening to him. They live behind enemy lines at all times and hide many of the most basic facts of their lives from everyone around them; yet they're going to blab on the phone about their latest plans.

Yes, that's just like these idiots. Smart enough to hide from our best efforts, but dumb enough to speak openly on the phone to known Al Qaeda members. And this is such a big problem that the Whitehouse has to hide it from us indefinitely. And this has nothing to do with politics. Right.