Mr. Cheney Can You Boost My Credit Line?

US Vice President Dick Cheney thinks is acceptable to check and monitor American citizens credit.

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Mr. Cheney said “national security letters” issued to banks and credit agencies were an essential tool for investigating terrorism cases in the United States.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/washington/15spy.html?ei=5094&en=c8bf9a18c6c6e5c4&hp=&ex=1168923600&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1168869819-QMEYtbD4vy0NaKBRvogpgA

Apparently there is no limit to what Cheney and company consider searchable and accessible to them, all in the name of 'national security'. Having ventured beyond plastic sheeting and duct tape, your email, snail mail, internet postings, phone calls, video monitoring, movement and face-to-face conversation monitoring are all being conducted, without court order and without your knowledge. The Department of Homeland Security has some fantastic privacy-violating programs going (how many of you remember the 'Highway Watch' program that encouraged truck drivers and school bus drivers to spy on you?)

http://www.highwaywatch.com/about_us/prog_overview.html

Think turning off your cell phone will keep you safe? Consider this site on how a cell phone can be monitored.

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/ospp/securityguide/V2comint/Cellular.htm

I suspect that our sewer system contents are also being checked, you know, to 'assure no terror threat exists' as it is expulsed from our bowels.

Signing off from the monitored, privacy-denied unfree United States of America.

By the way, thanks for reading, Dick.

Democrats Slam Bush on Troop 'Surge'

http://1010wins.com/pages/181005.php?contentType=4&contentId=286983

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-Long Branch, NJ, said in addition to ignoring the wishes of the American public, Bush is not listening to the suggestions of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group or the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Both groups saw no reason to send more troops to Iraq."Instead, President Bush has chosen to stick his head in the sand, not listen to anyone and continue on a course that is not going to make Iraq any safer for either our brave troops or for the Iraqis themselves,'' Pallone said.

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, NJ, said Bush "hasn't had a good idea regarding Iraq in four years and the content of this speech will be no different.''"The time is up, Mr. President,'' Pascrell said. "You brought us into this region on a faulty premise and mismanaged the conflict every step of the way.''

Rep. Steven Rothman, D-Fair Lawn, said a troop increase "will result in the death and wounding of thousands more American soldiers, costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars more and do nothing to help the Iraqi people.''"President Bush's escalation of the Iraq war will weaken America's national security and I will do everything in my power to stop it,'' Rothman said.

Good to see some Democratic backbone. Keep it up lawmakers.

The MAJORITY of Americans want this fiasco ended. NOW.

Bush to Address Nation Tonight. Any Hope for Iraq? Any Hope for Complete Sentences?

Here's hoping we hear an actual plan for getting out of Iraq. I'm not holding my breath (many Republicans wish I would...for a long time).

According to sources GW Bush did not consult with the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate prior to formulating his new 'plan'. How non-partisian of him.

The only thing I hope for tonight is some good grammar and complete sentences. One can always wish, can't they?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/10/iraq.bush/index.html

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/174420/george_w_bush_slipups/

Democrats Represent REAL National Security

The Democratic Congress does what the Republican-controlled Congress could not since 9/11/01: provide a plan for REAL US national security including searching all inbound US container ships.

Why couldn't the Republicans accomplish this? Is is because they were ready to sell major port operations to a Middle Eastern company for large profits at the expense of our citizens security?

That's right: I forgot: repeat after me...'Republicans tough on Homeland Security...Democrats soft and love terrorists....'

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/09/house.ap/index.html

Nancy Pelosi Becomes Madam Speaker. Our Long National Nightmare is Now Over.

Democrats take control of the United States Congress today as Nancy Pelosi (D-California) is elected Speaker of the House.

Today she will make history as the first woman Speaker. Just wait until 2008 when history may repeat itself with the first woman President. Or will history be made with the first black US President?

Heady, invigorating times indeed! (not for George W Bush however)

Go Nancy! Give em hell Harry!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/04/congress.rdp/index.html

A Democratic 2007: Welcome Govenor Spitzer!

New York Govenor Eliot Spitzer took the Oath of Office at Midnight December 31, 2006 replacing the adversarial and unpopular Republican George Pataki.

"Day One is now," Gov. Spitzer declared yesterday as he used his inaugural address to put the state's hidebound political establishment on notice that he is serious about bringing sweeping reforms to New York's scandal-scarred government.

Here at the Freedom Forum Blog, we hope this is a sign of things to come in 2007 as Democrats take control of the United States Congress.

No more will George W Bush be allowed to 'lead' this country into ruin by his cronies of corrupted Republicans. Let's hope he stays in Crawford for most of this year.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01022007/news/regionalnews/spitz_in_face_of_corruption_regionalnews_fredric_u__dicker_______and_kenneth_lovett________post_correspondents.htm

What Would President Ford Do?

The misery continues for George W Bush. He can't buy a break on the Iraq war. Even former Republican President Gerald Ford (who died Tuesday, December 26) says in a recent interview that he would not have invaded Iraq based on the 'evidence' presented.

"I don't think, if I had been president -- on the basis of the facts as I saw them publicly -- I don't think I would have ordered the Iraqi war," Ford said in a part of the interview broadcast on CNN's "Larry King Live" Wednesday.

"I would have maximized our efforts through sanctions, through restrictions, whatever, to find another answer," the former president said.

Why can't the current President get it? No one wants us in Iraq. Saddam had nothing whatsoever to do with 9/11.

Meanwhile, US troops are still in harm's way in a country where they do not need to be. The White House (in its infinite wisdom) is calling for even more troop deployment to Iraq.

This is insanity defined.

BRING THEM HOME NOW!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/12/27/ford.iraq/index.html