Obama Administration Quietly Expands Bush's Legal Defense of Warrantless Wiretapping
Obama taking sides with the Bush administration about warrantless wiretapping, and making it almost impossible for his administration and government agencies to be sued because of their eavesdropping efforts. In response to the lawsuit filed by a civil liberties group, the Justice Department argued that the government was protected by " sovereign immunity" from lawsuits There is a small clause in the Patriot Act.
The Obama Administration's brief discussion that agencies cannot be sued for wiretapping American citizens even if there was intentional violation of U.S. law. They belief that the government may only be sued if wiretaps involve "willful disclosure". " A 'willful violation' in sections 223(c(1) refers to the 'willful disclosure of intelligence information by the government agencies, as described in section 223 (a)(3) and (b)(3), and such disclosures by the government are the only actions that create liability against the U.S. (Byrne 1).
I believe that the Government has the right to wiretap as much as the want to, if it is used for the right purpose. Maybe the government can stop crimes, terrorism, scandals, fraud, and etc. before they begin. This is the type of protection that our country needs, especially in it's time of need.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Iowa Supreme Court Rules Same Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
Iowa Supreme Court Rules Same Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
Iowa now becoming the third state to allow same sex marriages, the other two being Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously the Defense of Marriage Act to be a violation of the state constitution under the equal protection clause. Several cases have been brought about over the course of the last few years in Iowa, resulting in this ruling.
As a human being protected by the Constitution I agree with their ruling. How can we possibly be fair dictating how someone lives their lives? I may not like it, but who am I or anyone else to judge someones happiness. Most people, Judicial systems should think like these three states.
This article is a great example of the power of the Constitution. It was made to protect the rights of citizens and that is what it has done in this case.
Iowa now becoming the third state to allow same sex marriages, the other two being Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously the Defense of Marriage Act to be a violation of the state constitution under the equal protection clause. Several cases have been brought about over the course of the last few years in Iowa, resulting in this ruling.
As a human being protected by the Constitution I agree with their ruling. How can we possibly be fair dictating how someone lives their lives? I may not like it, but who am I or anyone else to judge someones happiness. Most people, Judicial systems should think like these three states.
This article is a great example of the power of the Constitution. It was made to protect the rights of citizens and that is what it has done in this case.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
White House Announces International Meetings to Address Energy and Climate Issues
White House Announces International Meetings to Address Energy and Climate Issues
The Obama administration announced this past Saturday, that meetings have been setup up to meet with the representatives 16 countries and the European Union to discuss energy and climate issues. The meetings will take place in Washington and La Maddalena, Italy basically to discuss problems in the past that blocked the implementation of the international climate treaty. This whole thing came to about two years prior. The Bush Administration attempted to get this together, but was unsuccessful. Bush brought developing and developed countries that were the largest users of heat trapping gases causing global warming. Small countries, European officials and environmental groups criticized Bush's meeting, in efforts to bypass the climate negotiations led by the United Nations.
I think that it would be great to be on the same page as far as global energy goes. The Earths energy is spread to everywhere, and we need to save that. If the earth was to run out of resource it would be a global thing. I think Obama will be more successful at doing this, because I am sure that he will be well organized, to find the proper approach.
The Obama administration announced this past Saturday, that meetings have been setup up to meet with the representatives 16 countries and the European Union to discuss energy and climate issues. The meetings will take place in Washington and La Maddalena, Italy basically to discuss problems in the past that blocked the implementation of the international climate treaty. This whole thing came to about two years prior. The Bush Administration attempted to get this together, but was unsuccessful. Bush brought developing and developed countries that were the largest users of heat trapping gases causing global warming. Small countries, European officials and environmental groups criticized Bush's meeting, in efforts to bypass the climate negotiations led by the United Nations.
I think that it would be great to be on the same page as far as global energy goes. The Earths energy is spread to everywhere, and we need to save that. If the earth was to run out of resource it would be a global thing. I think Obama will be more successful at doing this, because I am sure that he will be well organized, to find the proper approach.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Mining the Minnesota Recount
More than two and a half months after the general election, Minnesota still only has one senator. We try to explain why.
Norm Coleman was leading going into the recount by over two hundred votes Over Al Franken, but On Jan. 5, 2009 the Canvassing Board declared that the result of their recount put Al Franken over Norm Coleman by two hundred and twenty five votes. Norm Coleman is challenging the board's certification. From what the article states, Coleman never suggested any funny business from the five members of the Canvassing Board (Canvassing is the systematic initiation of direct contact with a target group of individuals commonly used during political campaigns. A campaign team (and during elections a candidate) will knock on doors of private residences within a particular geographic area, engaging in face-to-face personal interaction with voters. Canvassing may also be performed by telephone, where it is referred to as telephone canvassing. The main purpose of canvassing is to perform voter identification - how individuals are planning to vote - rather than to argue with or persuade voters.[1] This preparation is an integral part of a 'get out the vote' operation, in which known supporters are contacted on polling day and reminded to cast their ballot) Definition from Dictionary.com. The appeal has gone in front of a three judge panel starting on the 26th of January. It could take several weeks for the panel to come to a decision. If I felt that I was treated unfair, I would express my rights and have it further reviewed. In this situation it seems like someone is just mad because they were beat, but every one is different.
This is an example of a healthy example of a representative democracy, because Coleman is expressing his right to have a fair election. This is an example of the constitution and the branch responsibilities.
Norm Coleman was leading going into the recount by over two hundred votes Over Al Franken, but On Jan. 5, 2009 the Canvassing Board declared that the result of their recount put Al Franken over Norm Coleman by two hundred and twenty five votes. Norm Coleman is challenging the board's certification. From what the article states, Coleman never suggested any funny business from the five members of the Canvassing Board (Canvassing is the systematic initiation of direct contact with a target group of individuals commonly used during political campaigns. A campaign team (and during elections a candidate) will knock on doors of private residences within a particular geographic area, engaging in face-to-face personal interaction with voters. Canvassing may also be performed by telephone, where it is referred to as telephone canvassing. The main purpose of canvassing is to perform voter identification - how individuals are planning to vote - rather than to argue with or persuade voters.[1] This preparation is an integral part of a 'get out the vote' operation, in which known supporters are contacted on polling day and reminded to cast their ballot) Definition from Dictionary.com. The appeal has gone in front of a three judge panel starting on the 26th of January. It could take several weeks for the panel to come to a decision. If I felt that I was treated unfair, I would express my rights and have it further reviewed. In this situation it seems like someone is just mad because they were beat, but every one is different.
This is an example of a healthy example of a representative democracy, because Coleman is expressing his right to have a fair election. This is an example of the constitution and the branch responsibilities.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
After Losses, a Move to Reclaim Executive's Pay
After Losses, a Move to Reclaim Executive's Pay
This article basically talked about how seven major corporations were in the crisis stage along with the country, but still managed to give their executives a lot of money. If I were the government I would want the money back to. One person, who probably didn't deserve that much money over a four year time period got it, and so many people are unemployed, laid off, going bankrupt (people as well as businesses), and so on. A fair amount of money would have been reasonable, but the amount that these guys received was ridiculous. In the article Mr. O'Neal ran Merril for 6 years and received $157.7 million. That is more that $26 million a year. I really wish I had his job.
This is kind of a good example of the representative democracy, but is it for the right reason. I think the guys that started this investigation was only because of their egos and maybe the fact that they don't get this much.
This article basically talked about how seven major corporations were in the crisis stage along with the country, but still managed to give their executives a lot of money. If I were the government I would want the money back to. One person, who probably didn't deserve that much money over a four year time period got it, and so many people are unemployed, laid off, going bankrupt (people as well as businesses), and so on. A fair amount of money would have been reasonable, but the amount that these guys received was ridiculous. In the article Mr. O'Neal ran Merril for 6 years and received $157.7 million. That is more that $26 million a year. I really wish I had his job.
This is kind of a good example of the representative democracy, but is it for the right reason. I think the guys that started this investigation was only because of their egos and maybe the fact that they don't get this much.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Bankrupt Bailout
Basically this article talks about how we need new ideas and a new way of thinking in the White House, this makes a lot of sense. We do need to get away from traditional thinking of the people who have been there and think outside of the box. If the solutions from older government were the right answers, the U.S. would not be heading into recession again. What got us once, should not get us again. I especially like the way that the article compared Obama's work ahead of him to Humpty Dumpty. We'll have to approach this, but one piece at a time. Our economy has taken a big hit and even though we have a new president in office. I don't believe we'll see the changes until well into his term. "Rome wasn't built in a day"!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
President Obama Signs SCHIP Reauthorization and Expansion
President Obama Signs SCHIP Reauthorization and Expansion
SCHIP program is for children who's parents cannot provide private health care insurance. Basically for children who have parent's that have a full-time job and cannot qualify for medicaid. Children are born without having a say in it. They cannot help the economy. They cannot help the fact that their parents have either made bad decisions or cannot find decent work. Children are born into the constitution and have the same rights as anyone else. President Obama realizes that they are humans/people. The bush administration was self-centered and in humane. How is vetoing this bill twice "for the people". That is the reason that in my previous blog I stated that I think our representative democracy will improve with Obama. Already, in the first couple weeks of his presidency he has already shown that he is for the people and making this representative democracy the way it should be.
Steve J.
Gov't 141_095
SCHIP program is for children who's parents cannot provide private health care insurance. Basically for children who have parent's that have a full-time job and cannot qualify for medicaid. Children are born without having a say in it. They cannot help the economy. They cannot help the fact that their parents have either made bad decisions or cannot find decent work. Children are born into the constitution and have the same rights as anyone else. President Obama realizes that they are humans/people. The bush administration was self-centered and in humane. How is vetoing this bill twice "for the people". That is the reason that in my previous blog I stated that I think our representative democracy will improve with Obama. Already, in the first couple weeks of his presidency he has already shown that he is for the people and making this representative democracy the way it should be.
Steve J.
Gov't 141_095
Monday, January 26, 2009
Obama Reverses Key Bush Security Policies
On the second day of his presidency Obama signed executive orders closing the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with in a year. Also, ending the CIA's secret prisons; and requiring all interrogations to follow the non coercive methods of the Army Field Manual.( Jan. 23, 2009 Shane, Mazzetti, and Cooper of the New York Times).
Basically this is an action from our president showing that he is for the people. In an effort to restore constitutional values and morals to the United States of America, he is listening to the people. I believe that also by signing this executive order he is making a statement to redeem diplomacy and at the same time redirecting the country from the Bush Administration. A more humane way of doing things, I think will definitely send a different message, but the secret interrogation methods that they speak of in the article is not a bad idea. We can be humane and not let down our defenses. The Army Field Manual prohibits actions such as the following:
forcing the detainee to be naked, perform sexual acts, or pose in a sexual manner, placing hoods or sacks over the head of a detainee, using duct tape over the eyes, applying beatings, electric shock, burns, or other forms of physical pain, water boarding, using military working dogs, inducing hypothermia or heat injury, conducting mock executions, depriving the detainee of necessary food, water, or medical care.
What better way to be diplomatic than that? So, maybe the United State's relationship with the Middle East will invite help and brotherhood, maybe...?
"Do we live in a healthy representative democracy?"
In the past, no, but I think things are about to change. The sixteen individuals that were present during the signing of this executive orders were retired admirals and generals who previously spoke to all of the presidential candidates about this. Obama invited them to the ceremony as if he were saying thank you for your service and passion about your country. " The people are dictating the changes."
Obama Reverses Key Bush Security Policies
By Scott Shane, Mark Mazzetti, and Helene Cooper
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/us/politics/23obama.html?_r=1&ref=politics
Video can be found @ http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/politics/1194811622221/index.html?r=1311#1231545962740
Steve Jones
Govt 141
Basically this is an action from our president showing that he is for the people. In an effort to restore constitutional values and morals to the United States of America, he is listening to the people. I believe that also by signing this executive order he is making a statement to redeem diplomacy and at the same time redirecting the country from the Bush Administration. A more humane way of doing things, I think will definitely send a different message, but the secret interrogation methods that they speak of in the article is not a bad idea. We can be humane and not let down our defenses. The Army Field Manual prohibits actions such as the following:
forcing the detainee to be naked, perform sexual acts, or pose in a sexual manner, placing hoods or sacks over the head of a detainee, using duct tape over the eyes, applying beatings, electric shock, burns, or other forms of physical pain, water boarding, using military working dogs, inducing hypothermia or heat injury, conducting mock executions, depriving the detainee of necessary food, water, or medical care.
What better way to be diplomatic than that? So, maybe the United State's relationship with the Middle East will invite help and brotherhood, maybe...?
"Do we live in a healthy representative democracy?"
In the past, no, but I think things are about to change. The sixteen individuals that were present during the signing of this executive orders were retired admirals and generals who previously spoke to all of the presidential candidates about this. Obama invited them to the ceremony as if he were saying thank you for your service and passion about your country. " The people are dictating the changes."
Obama Reverses Key Bush Security Policies
By Scott Shane, Mark Mazzetti, and Helene Cooper
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/us/politics/23obama.html?_r=1&ref=politics
Video can be found @ http://video.nytimes.com/video/playlist/politics/1194811622221/index.html?r=1311#1231545962740
Steve Jones
Govt 141
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
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