The arrogance of the IRS being used for political advantage to deprive citizen groups of their non-profit franchise, American diplomatic lives wasted when help was deliberately denied, and the despicable targeting of the media for eavesdropping by the Attorney’s General’s office; these are unmitigated abuses of power. What’s next, jackboots and brown shirts? We are becoming the “banana republic” of the Western Hemisphere and the laughing stock of the world. With so many high ranking officials having such “convenient memories” and “selective amnesia,” it’s a wonder that anything gets accomplished in Washington.
Here’s a question for you, when is testifying not testifying, when it involves a government official? The fifth amendment protects citizens from self-incrimination. When IRS official, Lois Lerner, chose not to answer questions about her department’s involvement in questionable, if not illegal practices, hadn’t she already testified by professing her innocence prior to invoking the 5th and didn’t the Senate committee have the right to question that testimony? Apparently so, since she is being recalled to respond to questions at a future date. It will be interesting to see under which rock her testimony leads.
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The latest layer of this onion of deceit peeled away this week when reporters got access to a search warrant that has allowed NSA to obtain phone records of anyone, not just foreign nationals, using Verizon as their cell phone carrier. E-mails are apparently not exempt either. If anyone thinks they are safe with T-Mobile, AT&T or any of the other major carriers, they must also believe in Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. Apparently, the search warrant is renewed every 90 days – the maximum allowed at any one time for their “fishing expedition.” There is something so Orwellian about what keeps coming to light these days, shades of “Big Brother and George Orwell.” I am beginning to believe that his novel, 1984, should be required reading for all Americans. He just missed it by a few years.
What is going on here? Does anyone else think that “truth in government” is a precious commodity in limited supply today? Why is one of the largest government storage facilities in the world under construction in Utah? What other information will this one need to hide?
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In one of his early campaign speeches for the 2008 presidency, future President Obama chided the Busch administration for all of their “eavesdropping and invasions of privacy,” promising that nothing like that would occur in his administration. What happened Mr. President? The promised transparency of his presidency is a whole lot more like a door than a window. I might be wrong, but, then again, that’s just one man’s opinion. What do you think?