Morning Briefing
For June 11, 2013
1. Over Criminalization and the NSA
The issue of over criminalization fits well with the issue of government overreach these days.
There is a maxim that one cannot plead ignorance of the law. But that maxim was premised on common law and the basic understanding that Americans should know something is or is not wrong through general common sense and application of obvious laws and rules to similar situations.
Courts, prosecutors, and the government generally still enforce this maxim, but it is harder and harder to see justification for it. In some cases — particularly with businesses — individuals and organizations are expected to know the laws of foreign countries whose laws our government acknowledges via treaty.
The Wall Street Journal has chronicled the absurdity of over criminalization. But what is worse is the abusiveness of the government in trying to get its way. This plays directly into the NSA PRISM program. Beyond the breaches of privacy, I hope disruptive candidates like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul pick up this issue.
One of the best exampled, tied directly to the NSA, is that of Joseph P. Nacchio, the former CEO of Qwest, who is now in jail. . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
2. PRISM Must Go
The Administration’s blithe lack of concern about the threat of terrorism is accentuated by the way in which his Administration completely ignored the concerns the Russian intelligence services had about the visit of deceased Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s to Russia while sending out minions to label evangelicals and Catholics as national security threats. Indeed, while Tsarnaev was obtaining training from fellow Islamic radicals in Russia the US government busied itself with persecuting the notorious “Hutaree militia” for plotting a violent overthrow of the US government (acquitted on all charges) and arresting four geriatrics in Georgia for talking smack in a Waffle House.
So, one might ask, given the Administration’s oft stated position that there is no war on terrorism and the deference it has shown Islamic radicals in our foreign policy and the preference it has shown them in our domestic policy is there any need whatsoever for the NSA to collect any data, much less launch the electronic equivalent of a drift net to trawl up everything within reach? . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
3. Non-accountability marches onward at the IRS
How is the great crusade to bring accountability to the IRS coming along? According to Eliana Johnson at National Review, the Director of Rulings and Agreements, Holly Paz, just became “the fifth Washington D.C.-based IRS official involved in the current scandal to leave her position.” . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
4. A Primer on the Upcoming Senate Immigration Debate
On Tuesday afternoon, Harry Reid plans to bring the amnesty/immigration deform bill (S.744) to the floor for the first procedural vote – cloture on motion to proceed with debate. Harry Reid can probably count on all 54 Democrats voting for cloture, with the possible exception of Mark Pryor (AR). In a sane world, Senate Republicans would all vote against the motion (even assuming we lose the 4 GOP gang members plus Susan Collins and Kelly Ayotte), and this national nightmare would be over. They would recognize that the bill is beyond fatally flawed and cannot (or will not) be salvaged by proceeding to debate with the amendment process. They would demand that Obama implement the current laws on the books before discussing any amnesty and repeating the mistakes of 1986. . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
5. Bill Cassidy’s Complicated Relationship With Obamacare
When the establishment is looking to recruit someone to run for Senate, they first look to find like-minded people in the House. What better person to be a yes-man for McConnell than someone who has been a yes-man for House leadership? Their latest recruit is Congressman Bill Cassidy who is being supported by all of the establishment in his bid for Senate. . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
| >> Today's Sponsor |
No comments:
Post a Comment