Important post bounced back to top of blog…
Associated Press – March 10, 2006:
Reporters who write about government surveillance could be prosecuted under proposed legislation that would solidify the administration’s eavesdropping authority, according to some legal analysts who are concerned about dramatic changes in U.S. law.
But an aide to the bill’s chief author, Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, said that is not the intention of the legislation.
The draft would add to the criminal penalties for anyone who “intentionally discloses information identifying or describing” the Bush administration’s terrorist surveillance program or any other eavesdropping program conducted under a 1978 surveillance law.
“The bill would make it a crime to tell the American people that the president is breaking the law, and the bill could make it a crime for the newspapers to publish that fact,” said Martin, a civil liberties advocate.
Surely, after the Patriot Act passed again with hardly a wimper, nobody in the USA is surprised by a law that would make criticism of the government illegal.
How is this different from China?
America’s lawmakers are perhaps realizing that Chinese rules WORK better??!!?? That’s why America wants to make similar laws. At least China will give an upfront answer, Yes or No to its people. Well, Americans don’t care anyway, so, it’s cool!
America, the land of the free, “not caring” their basic freedoms away. And what’s gonna happen in a few hundred years? All the Chinese will go back to China, the Indians will go back to India, the Mexicans will go back to Mexico, whats gonna happen to Americans? They are already fast becoming the imigrants in other countries.
Will Americans become the new Sand Jockeys, or Towel Heads, or Wetbacks? Will Canada be trying to keep out Americans with their fences along their borders? Will Canadian minutemen be kicking American ass when they try to illegally cross the border?
Nobody knows, but time will tell.
I am very familliar with the situation in South East Asia. Americans(and some europeans) there are considered imigrants. Locals despise a lot of them for stealing their jobs… Familiar tunes everywhere…
In response to Lavi in post 23, come on up. We have 2 basics rules. Leave your handguns at the border and it is pronounced about, not aboot.
I always thought that the new china had all the facets our leaders would love… A “free” market economy (read: corporate and state power merger) and a one party political rule with a “constitution” that can be as vague as the patriot act. It’s a technocrat’s wet dream!
I always thought that WW2 was fought to free the allies from the evil corporate / facists that were in control of Germany, and give power back to the nation of shopkeepers… I guess the facists won…
Cheer up! We’re living though history. In a decade or so, with a little luck, we’ll be able to tell our kids that we were around during the most disastrous presidency in the history of the country!
What is this, Kos?
not sure what this is Numlock……but it’s starting to sound more like one of those Yahoo *discussion* forums everyday.
Sometimes I think the government has so many laws so they can arrest anyone at any time they want to. Lets face it, law abiding citizens don’t exist because it is impossible to follow all the laws.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Even if the bill doesn’t become law, it’s simply astonishing that the whole idea would even be considered.
I’m just amazed at how the last 6 years have played out, and how very few people are putting all the puzzle pieces together, and seeing where this is headed.
And to the first commenter, saying that Americans don’t care, I think it’s more like most Americans are too busy working three jobs and supporting their family to have the time or energy for much else. That’s just how the “man” wants it.
War is Peace… Freedom is Slavery… Ignorance is Strength…
How about meta-stories? Will it be illegal to publish an article about how it’s illegal to publish an article about theoretical wire-tapping systems the existence of which the article neither confirms nor denies?