How Many Gates Can America Stand?

It began with Watergate. Following that, we had Iranian Hostagegate, Iran/Contragate, Lewinskygate, Plamegate, and finally Spygate. I am not sure that America can survive too many more "gates." What it does show, however, is how willing our leaders in the White House are to stretch, bend and break the law in the search for further reaching power. The latest scandal, Spygate, may prove to be the biggest of them all. Once again I am going to dig into this story and try to impress upon you the magnitude of it all. This is big, folks. Probably the biggest scandal and abuse of power that I have witnessed during my 50 years on this earth. How our leaders, both Democrats and Republicans respond to this will answer the two big questions that I have had from the moment that George Boosh was appointed president. Is this country worth saving? And, if so, is it salvageable?

More Than Just Spying

Since this story has hit the mainstream media, Boosh and Cheney have been arguing the legalities and necessities of this behavior. They have also sent Attorney General Albert Gonzales to the Hill to try to convince elected officials that everything's okay, no laws have been broken. However, given the mood of Congress at the moment, I doubt that he will be well received. After all, just yesterday Boosh and his minions tried to claim that members of Congress had essentially authorized this activity after 9/11. The problem with that is, that outside of eight members of the intelligence committee, no one even knew of the activity until recently. Most also have doubts about its legality. It has also become obvious that two other issues may well become casualities while this new Boosh travesty is hashed out.

For starters, it puts the confirmation of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court in jeopardy. Republican Senator Arlen Specter has already said that one of the first questions he will ask Judge Alito during the confirmation hearings is whether or not NSA's spying on American people, without benefit of a warrant, is legal. Of course we all know Alito's answer to that question, naturally he will think it's just peachy for Boosh to do whatever the hell he wants to, as long as he gets confirmed. But, how agressively can he back this Idiot president, given that every Democrat and a good number of Republican lawmakers, plus the vast majority of Constitutional Scholars and Judges think that Boosh has broken the law? He is going to be required to walk a fine line when answering questions about this issue. Boosh will expect nothing but total "toe the line" loyalty, while Senators from both sides will want real answers to their questions. If the first question about this subject indeed comes from Specter or another Republican, Alito may become the first casualty of this madness. One can only hope so, anyway.

Secondly, the Patriot Act stands a good chance of falling as well. Many in Congress have realized over the last few years that they may have made a mistake by instantly agreeing to virtually everything Boosh wanted immediately after 9/11, and many soon face re-election. When Michael Moore proudly broadcast to the world that the vast majority of elected officials, both Democrat and Republican, had not even read the damn thing before voting, it served as a wake up call to these politicians. Then after learning that the FBI could go as far as looking up library records, many began to recoil in horror, thinking, "What exactly did that thing say? It sure sounded good at the time." Meanwhile, Boosh simply adds fuel to the fire by stating, "The senators who are filibustering the Patriot Act must stop their delaying tactics," and, by refusing to accept a three month extension while House/Senate negotiators try to reel in some of the more offensive parts of the act. Once again it's Boosh at his finest, using the "you're either for me or against me" bullying tactic. Republican Senator John Sununu wonders how the president can justify vetoing the three month extension, wondering if Boosh thinks that the country is better off without any Patriot Act provisions in place. "And that makes no sense at all," Sununu said. The tide is turning against Booshco, and it's turning at a much more rapid pace than ever before. Republicans are beginning to abandon the ship, and doing so publicly. Good riddance, Patriot Act.

Spygate

Federal Judge James Robertson resigned yesterday. Why is this news? Well, Robertson was one of 11 judges overseeing the FISA court, the court that gives warrants for these wiretapping procedures. Warrants that are very easy to get, so easy in fact that you can get them "after" you do the wiretapping. While not speaking publicly, sources say that Robertson had privately expressed "deep concern" that the warrantless surveillance of American citizens was unlawful and put the FISA court in a bad situation. When a judge who sits on the court that hands out the warrants says that what Boosh is doing is illegal, and is willing to resign over it, what does that tell you? It tells me that Boosh has gone off the deep end without a life preserver. Two more Republican Senators, Chuck Hagel and Olympia Snowe have joined Specter and three Democrats, Dianne Feinstein, Carl Levin and Ron Wyden in calling for a joint investigation by the Senate's Judiciary and Intelligence panels into the surveillance program. The White House, of course, continues to say that key congressional leaders have known of these activities since their inception. However, as Jay Rockefeller's letter from yesterday shows, at least he had some serious concerns about the legality of the activities, but was powerless to even ask an attorney about it.

Democrats across the board and even some Republicans have said that Boosh has gone too far and may have violated the law. The White House, through the punching bag Scott McClellan, has said that the secrecy around the program may prohibit White House cooperation with any congressional investigation. "This is still a highly classified program, and there are details that it's important not be disclosed," McClellan said. I'm stunned that they would not fully cooperate with Congress, given their past record.

So here we are again. Boosh screws something up, this time breaking the law doing so, Cheney says it's about time that the President got some power back, Boosh tells Congress to screw themselves because it's all a big secret, and now Congress has to decide what to do about it. Well, here's the secret. Big brother has been listening to phone calls to or from people overseas, and reading emails to people to or from overseas, all in the name of the "war on terror." I guess it's not a freaking secret anymore. Last night I called all of my friends that live in other countries and asked if they were members of al-Qaeda. If they had said yes, I was going to tell them that I couldn't talk to them anymore, because Boosh said so. But, alas, they all denied having al-Qaeda connections. The ones that I couldn't reach by phone, I sent emails to, asking them the same question. I haven't heard back from any of them yet, but I hope that they aren't terrorists either. I really enjoy their friendships.

Now, Booshco, the secret is out. Quit hiding behind your phony delusions and face Congress like men. You were not anointed emperor, simply appointed to the White House for two terms. You were not given free reign to break laws, or make up laws as you go. You are not allowed to hide because it's war time, you started the damn war. In fact you made up the war, to steal a little oil and get rid of the bad man that we created. Yes, he then turned and tried to kill Daddy Boosh, but I don't care about that. You are poster children for Planned Parenthood, and I'm sorry that your parents didn't get the message. Don't stand up and tell me that you are speaking on behalf of me, or that you are trying to protect me, or that you have one clue what American's want or expect from you. Because you don't. If you want to monitor my phone calls and read my email messages, go ahead. You won't learn anything from either of them. But understand one thing, you have broken the law. And trying to justify it by hiding behind your phony "war on terror" makes you look like bigger fools than you already do. If that is possible. Congress, it's time to put up or shut up. Either do the right thing and get rid of these bastards, or double your salaries and stay at home. Quit masquerading as "representatives" of anything other than yourselves and your buddies. Why? Because I can't take any more of it!

Cyclone