Monday, July 15, 2013

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaains!


A Zombie Run in St Louis yesterday. I'd like to be a zombie for a day.

13 comments:

Hippo Campus said...

You're an Obama-supporting pro-Junta Democrat.

Same thing.

Hippo Crit said...

I'm not so sure, Campus. As Hank pointed out, his federal pension is at risk of "software malfunction." He may still care about the Constitution, but just be intimidated financially from continuing to write on civil liberties issues.

It is clear that Democrat zombies, self-conscious or not, are coalescing with corporations around Hillary Clinton. Clinton is clearly Clapper's choice for Democratic nominee. At the very least, we are getting lots of Dear-Leader-Hillary hagiography from NSA-controlled outlets like the New York Times.

It isn't clear who Clapper has chosen as the Republican nominee, but I suspect it will be Rubio. The elites have clearly decided to flood the labor market to drive wages down further, though (other than Senator Sanders) the only debate is on racism, not class economics. Rubio in the election will help keep the immigration debate within NSA-approved parameters.

The NSA will give the presidency to Clinton, though, perhaps even without an NSA thumb on the software. I don't think Rubio could win even a non-rigged general.

I am optimistic that an anti-NSA candidate will emerge in both Republican and Democratic primaries though. There will certainly be some non-NSA candidates, at least. They can't win rigged contests, of course, but we might get a few stealthy pro-democracy soundbites.

Either the NSA has nothing substantial on Paul and Wyden, or Clapper is holding it for later use.

2014 may be the last American election with any legitimate play even at the primary level. Unless some visible cracks open up in the ruling 1%, democracy is pretty much a brain sandwich tossed to the zombie hordes.

Hippo, Hungry Hungry said...

I disagree. Clapper etcetera will always need relatively independent candidates in the mix to legitimize elections. Easier to discredit candidates or pull levers than to assume skilled liars like Obama. There is also no reason for them to care about pothole issues.

The Junta is modeling on Chinese electoral processes, and avoiding the Soviet experience. Always let off some steam, never allow the people to hold real power.

Hippolyte said...

Nobody wants to fill the potholes on my poor street, but there is plenty of federal involvement in Spokane surveillance programs. The Fusion Center gets what it demands from our feckless city council. Talk about zombies.

Some of this stuff, particularly audio recording, is clearly illegal and places local taxpayers on the hook for future class actions, should we have a return to the rule of law.

Three Hops said...

I assume the FBI used NSA data to shut down Occupy, so I can believe the spy agencies are shaping election choices and local policy decisions.

But, I think there are some real cracks, evidenced in the House hearing yesterday. Members of Congress are realizing Clapper has cut into their power (and lucre). They are not in the inner "circle of trust." They've been Fockered, and they're angry.

The lawsuits from Big Web are genuinely adversarial, though of course the corps may betray their human plaintiffs. But Obama has left them holding the bag, and they're angry.

And, notice that Obama has disappeared? Here's the discussion he "welcomed," but he's too frightened of Congress and corprate elites (and a 30 year old "hacker") to speak. Obama may be angry at Clapper.

There is a split within Congress between backbenchers and the suddenly silent leadership. Feinstein? Pelosi? McCain? Silent. Rank and file members are vocally angry.

What about SCOTUS? Don't assume that 8 justices will agree with Roberts' unConstitutional FISA seizure of power. At least, Roberts had better be offering power shares. The lawsuits bring us to the critical point, however, where Scotus decides whether it rules Supreme, or if the secret, unConstitutional FISC has review even over SCOTUS itself. The 8 simply must say "no" to preserve their own power. If they aren't angry, they haven't been paying attention.

And the people are rousing. 75% say the political parties are corrupt. A majority side with Snowden. Americans may yet hatch from zombie stupor in an angry mood. People have already roused themselves abroad.

61 stMclud said...

In an hour-long conversation with Williams, Alexander strongly defended the NSA’s surveillance programs, saying they have prevented attacks or disrupted terrorist groups dozens of times.

At the same time, he said, the surveillance programs are tightly focused on stopping terrorism or helping the FBI, not on communication by regular Americans. He said the program receives more oversight than any other similar programs in the world.


Not your smoking gun, Three, but the FBI admitted investigating Occupy. "Or helping the FBI" may well signify that the NSA heloed the FBI illegally shut down Occupy, as well as funnel information to banks and local cops through fusion centers.

Will the media or Congress ask about the NSA's role in spying on political dissent by Americans?

Or are protestors "irregular" by definition?

If the NSA was involved in surveilling Tea Partiers or Occupiers, that is a violation of law and the Constitution.

Jefferson's Ghost said...

Forget the rest of the world, exactly what in the US Constitution gives General Alexander the power to choose who is regular and deserving of Fourth Amendment rights?

And, since the spooks get to judge our worthiness as a prequisite to our rights, let me say that I find Alexander to be a very IRREGULAR person.

I wouldn't let my kids trick or treat at Clapper's house. The realization that that weird liar has unfettered access to their online activity makes me throw up in my mouth.

This "regular" business is much like the "right people" attitude of our council members, and their attempt to pass pre-judgment on initiatives that would restrain their access to corporate corruption.

Are there any democratic leaders out there, beside old guys like Jimmy Carter and Gordon Humphrey?

Why is Obama on vacation? Why isn't he holding press conferences on the hour as our democracy grows ever more "nonfuctioning"? Why do anti-American traitors like Clapper and Alexander still have jobs and elude prison? Why has he continued "disproportionate" retaliation against the very whistleblowers and media people who would save us?

What is wrong with you elites! Read the damn Constitution!

Or risk being named in an amended Declaration.

Paine's Proxy said...

You'll all be happy to know that Obama and Holder just put James Risen--the Pulitzer-winning New York Times reporter who broke the story on Bush's surveillance--a giant step closer to prison.

There's a reason the Times keeps the NSA off the front page.

Obama finally held a "surprise" press conference while the Risen court announced its decision...but Obama spoke about the Zimmerman verdict last week.

On it goes.

Hyphenated said...

The gist of Obama's speech: no federal case because you can't indict every "creepy-ass cracker" in the country. Not even the half-Peruvian ones.

I don't think demonstrators understood the President was using them as tools against both civil liberties and civil rights.

Creepy-ass crackers Clapper, Alexander, and Mueller were happy to get face recognition dossiers on yet another group of street activists.

I'm surprised Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton fall for this manipulation. They seem to judge the President based on the color of his skin rather than the content of his character.

We need more Dr King bullshit-detection and less Jay no-hyphen Z posturing.

Posturized said...

Obama doesn't do any "soul-searching" before he pulls the trigger on Muslim children. And defend his actions in court? Ha, Muslim kids don't deserve civil rights. Not even American ones.

He jokes about murdering the bubblegum Jonas brothers with Predator drones. Not much introspection there.

Then again, those boys really are nothing but creepy-ass crackers.

Ray Z said...

I was thinking about how Obama has inverted every clause of the First Amendment. Any peaceful assembly, petition, press article (accessed or written), all speech or association will be recorded for use against you.

I thought maybe religious association might be the exception, but now Obama even approves of the illegal NYPD-CIA establishment in New York City mosques. Welcome Fascist and bigot Ray Kelly to Homeland Security. Now we all can enjoy surveillance at worship.

Ray "stop and frisk" Kelly is definitely "well qualified" to expand Obama's war on civil liberties and civil rights.

World War K said...

I think you mean NYPD-CIA-NSA.

Kelly's "white shirts" used a brutal technique of targeting violence, based on illegally gathered data, against peaceful protest leaders. Well, people they decided were leaders at least. See the youtube vids.

Any police chief who talks about "data-based" or "computer-based" policing is likely signalling allegiance to the illegal Kelly model. Cities that follow the Kelly model incorprate surveillance in every city project, from parking meters to public transportation to license plate location collection...

Sound familiar.

Say hello to your friendly "local" Fusion Center.

I think Obama is signalling he will continue Kelly's unlawful policies, though, not committing to Kelly himself. Kelly is a known bigot, and there are plenty where he came from.

Creepy Ass-Crack said...

If you're a racist in the West, you live on a mountain ridge, mind your own business, and the feds send a sniper to murder your wife while she's holding your baby.

If you're a racist in NYC, you get appointed police commissioner where you systematically discriminate against blacks and browns, Muslims and the poor and then America's first black President may name you director of Homeland Security.

As DHS director, presumably, you can order snipers to kill racists out West.

What a country!

I think the Trayvon protests are great though. It's more about how guns magnify every suspicion into deadly potential.

Stand Your Ground violates everyone's rights.