Comments on: And If You Talk About The Evil That The Government Does, The Patriot Act’ll Track You To The Type Of Your Blood http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/ Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:59:36 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: OneMarxist http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13400 OneMarxist Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:57:55 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13400 <p>The Dems could have had a real fighter, but they preferred the accommodationist, Barack Obama over Dennis Kucinich or John Edwards</p> The Dems could have had a real fighter, but they preferred the accommodationist, Barack Obama over Dennis Kucinich or John Edwards

]]> By: robspierre http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13372 robspierre Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:16:17 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13372 <p>The ER would probably not raise concern–after all, they all have their concierge doctors on retainer. But I bet the Repugs would be mighty concerned if every bank transfer, check clearance, and credit card transaction was tracked by the NSA and passed directly to the IRS and the BATF for tracking, datamining, and cross-correlation.</p> <p>In fact, the above could already be happening. Maybe that IRS suit demanding that UBS hand over names and account info for US tax evaders is just a smokescreen. Maybe the IRS have all the numbers and IDs already and just need a cover story to take into court. Maybe the BATF already has the serial numbers, names, and addresses for every gun sold and knows how much ammo each bought and whether or not he is a member of a terrorist front organization like the NRA or a group dedicated to the overthrow of the US governement (like the Sons of Confederate War Veterans).</p> <p>We can at least start the rumors and see what they flush out, can’t we?</p> The ER would probably not raise concern–after all, they all have their concierge doctors on retainer. But I bet the Repugs would be mighty concerned if every bank transfer, check clearance, and credit card transaction was tracked by the NSA and passed directly to the IRS and the BATF for tracking, datamining, and cross-correlation.

In fact, the above could already be happening. Maybe that IRS suit demanding that UBS hand over names and account info for US tax evaders is just a smokescreen. Maybe the IRS have all the numbers and IDs already and just need a cover story to take into court. Maybe the BATF already has the serial numbers, names, and addresses for every gun sold and knows how much ammo each bought and whether or not he is a member of a terrorist front organization like the NRA or a group dedicated to the overthrow of the US governement (like the Sons of Confederate War Veterans).

We can at least start the rumors and see what they flush out, can’t we?

]]> By: robspierre http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13370 robspierre Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:15:31 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13370 <p>People have not reacted with hysteria, which may be a healthy sign. People around here–Left and Right–are stunned by the lack of change since the election. It isn’t clear what we do about it. Our legislators seem immune to public opinion, as the healthcare debate shows only to clearly. If you can’t sway a Representative who is a year out from an election with 60-75% of public opinion, what can sway them?</p> <p>I do know that the ultra-right crazies that I happen to know (more than a few, in fact) are with us 100% on the Patriot Act. In fact, a couple of guys I know saw its implications when moderately liberal Democrats that I know were talking about the overwhelming need to keep us all safe. ”We’re all going to be together in Gitmo,” was the general opinion.</p> <p>On the other hand, I doubt that the bulk of even the ultra right take the birther nonsense seriously. Even the racism has limited appeal these days, at least out here. This stuff is just histrionics, acting. It is not even good-faith hysteria. The aim is to drown out real discussion–even on the Right–with babble and thus protect a profitable status quo. After all, gridlock, security hysteria, and nonsense has been good to the incumbents of both parties.</p> People have not reacted with hysteria, which may be a healthy sign. People around here–Left and Right–are stunned by the lack of change since the election. It isn’t clear what we do about it. Our legislators seem immune to public opinion, as the healthcare debate shows only to clearly. If you can’t sway a Representative who is a year out from an election with 60-75% of public opinion, what can sway them?

I do know that the ultra-right crazies that I happen to know (more than a few, in fact) are with us 100% on the Patriot Act. In fact, a couple of guys I know saw its implications when moderately liberal Democrats that I know were talking about the overwhelming need to keep us all safe. ”We’re all going to be together in Gitmo,” was the general opinion.

On the other hand, I doubt that the bulk of even the ultra right take the birther nonsense seriously. Even the racism has limited appeal these days, at least out here. This stuff is just histrionics, acting. It is not even good-faith hysteria. The aim is to drown out real discussion–even on the Right–with babble and thus protect a profitable status quo. After all, gridlock, security hysteria, and nonsense has been good to the incumbents of both parties.

]]> By: SomeGuy http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13366 SomeGuy Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:26:49 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13366 <p>What will it take for Republicans to get concerned? Would they stand up if we all had to all get national IDs to get treated in an ER?</p> What will it take for Republicans to get concerned? Would they stand up if we all had to all get national IDs to get treated in an ER?

]]> By: Spencer Ackerman http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13365 Spencer Ackerman Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:20:50 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13365 <p>Yeah, sorry, the headline is a lyric from an Immortal Technique song.</p> Yeah, sorry, the headline is a lyric from an Immortal Technique song.

]]> By: TexasReader http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13362 TexasReader Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:33:41 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13362 <p>I find the headline of this article very interesting since it would appear to be the same concerns that the conservatives have with government. They want all of your informtion, blood type, DNA, etc. But they never come clean on what purposes they absolutely need them for.</p> I find the headline of this article very interesting since it would appear to be the same concerns that the conservatives have with government. They want all of your informtion, blood type, DNA, etc. But they never come clean on what purposes they absolutely need them for.

]]> By: TexasReader http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13361 TexasReader Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:31:11 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13361 <p>FYI the ACORN people in California were White. The leadership is White. I know that this will sound racist but the workers for ACORN appear to be expendable to the White Power Structure that runs that organization.</p> FYI the ACORN people in California were White. The leadership is White. I know that this will sound racist but the workers for ACORN appear to be expendable to the White Power Structure that runs that organization.

]]> By: temptingfate http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13360 temptingfate Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:30:38 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13360 <p>Actually progressives complain about the DINOs: the DLC. The complain to the Progressive Caucus because they have a small chance of success.</p> Actually progressives complain about the DINOs: the DLC. The complain to the Progressive Caucus because they have a small chance of success.

]]> By: TexasReader http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13359 TexasReader Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:27:51 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13359 <p>As an independent I can assure you that the Republicans are scared to death about a third party. They remember Ross Perot and how he drew votes away from Bush. It appears that both parties are fractured right now and don’t know what to do.</p> As an independent I can assure you that the Republicans are scared to death about a third party. They remember Ross Perot and how he drew votes away from Bush. It appears that both parties are fractured right now and don’t know what to do.

]]> By: temptingfate http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13358 temptingfate Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:27:28 +0000 http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/09/15/and-if-you-talk-about-the-evil-that-the-government-does-the-patriot-actll-track-you-to-the-type-of-your-blood/#comment-13358 <p>While I don’t necessarily disagree, my guess about his motivations is a bit less optimistic. I think he says the words that best sell his position to the public and the corporate press. Openly saying that the financial institutions and the super-rich insiders are more important than the country as a whole does not sell well. Even Bush only referred to the wealthy as his base in a few private meetings. Unfortunately the majority of national politicians are bought and paid for many times over and that appears to include the current Administration. If he rebelled he would be shutdown the majority in Congress as well as the main stream press, much like Carter once his agenda started to take form.</p> <p>As for how to stop any of this - nothing comes to mind outside of campaign contribution reform. Which of course is a classic chicken and egg problem.</p> <p>Whatever the motivations, I doubt he is being naive. Just selling a bit of snake oil to the rubes. Successful three-card-monte appears to require a good patter.</p> While I don’t necessarily disagree, my guess about his motivations is a bit less optimistic. I think he says the words that best sell his position to the public and the corporate press. Openly saying that the financial institutions and the super-rich insiders are more important than the country as a whole does not sell well. Even Bush only referred to the wealthy as his base in a few private meetings. Unfortunately the majority of national politicians are bought and paid for many times over and that appears to include the current Administration. If he rebelled he would be shutdown the majority in Congress as well as the main stream press, much like Carter once his agenda started to take form.

As for how to stop any of this – nothing comes to mind outside of campaign contribution reform. Which of course is a classic chicken and egg problem.

Whatever the motivations, I doubt he is being naive. Just selling a bit of snake oil to the rubes. Successful three-card-monte appears to require a good patter.

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