Obama: Civil liberty disaster

Quantum Windbag

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May 9, 2010
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The base is getting restless, not a good sign.

Civil libertarians have long had a dysfunctional relationship with the Democratic Party, which treats them as a captive voting bloc with nowhere else to turn in elections. Not even this history, however, prepared civil libertarians for Obama. After the George W. Bush years, they were ready to fight to regain ground lost after Sept. 11. Historically, this country has tended to correct periods of heightened police powers with a pendulum swing back toward greater individual rights. Many were questioning the extreme measures taken by the Bush administration, especially after the disclosure of abuses and illegalities. Candidate Obama capitalized on this swing and portrayed himself as the champion of civil liberties.

However, President Obama not only retained the controversial Bush policies, he expanded on them. The earliest, and most startling, move came quickly. Soon after his election, various military and political figures reported that Obama reportedly promised Bush officials in private that no one would be investigated or prosecuted for torture. In his first year, Obama made good on that promise, announcing that no CIA employee would be prosecuted for torture. Later, his administration refused to prosecute any of the Bush officials responsible for ordering or justifying the program and embraced the "just following orders" defense for other officials, the very defense rejected by the United States at the Nuremberg trials after World War II.

Obama failed to close Guantanamo Bay as promised. He continued warrantless surveillance and military tribunals that denied defendants basic rights. He asserted the right to kill U.S. citizens he views as terrorists. His administration has fought to block dozens of public-interest lawsuits challenging privacy violations and presidential abuses.

But perhaps the biggest blow to civil liberties is what he has done to the movement itself. It has quieted to a whisper, muted by the power of Obama's personality and his symbolic importance as the first black president as well as the liberal who replaced Bush. Indeed, only a few days after he took office, the Nobel committee awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize without his having a single accomplishment to his credit beyond being elected. Many Democrats were, and remain, enraptured.

It's almost a classic case of the Stockholm syndrome, in which a hostage bonds with his captor despite the obvious threat to his existence. Even though many Democrats admit in private that they are shocked by Obama's position on civil liberties, they are incapable of opposing him. Some insist that they are simply motivated by realism: A Republican would be worse. However, realism alone cannot explain the utter absence of a push for an alternative Democratic candidate or organized opposition to Obama's policies on civil liberties in Congress during his term. It looks more like a cult of personality. Obama's policies have become secondary to his persona.

President Obama has been a disaster for civil liberties - latimes.com
 
If Obama is a civil liberty disaster, it is because he had excellent guides and teachers. The Patriot Act was most egregious in its unmitigated attempt to curtail American citizens. And I do believe it was Bush and Cheney who used communication giants like AT&T to spy on American citizens without benefit of first obtaining a subpoena to do so - talk about circumventing the law which is always an attack on America's civil liberties.

The real attack on our civil liberties continue because of arrogant politicians who are unwilling or unable to accept their share of the responsibility and those who blindly support them. Obama may have in too many incidences followed the lead set by Bush and Company with regard to policies aimed at further stripping Americans of their civil rights, but he most certainly did not spearhead it. If you must place blame, which the majority of conservative Americans are driven to do, start at the beginning, not in the middle.
 
If Obama is a civil liberty disaster, it is because he had excellent guides and teachers. The Patriot Act was most egregious in its unmitigated attempt to curtail American citizens. And I do believe it was Bush and Cheney who used communication giants like AT&T to spy on American citizens without benefit of first obtaining a subpoena to do so - talk about circumventing the law which is always an attack on America's civil liberties.

The real attack on our civil liberties continue because of arrogant politicians who are unwilling or unable to accept their share of the responsibility and those who blindly support them. Obama may have in too many incidences followed the lead set by Bush and Company with regard to policies aimed at further stripping Americans of their civil rights, but he most certainly did not spearhead it. If you must place blame, which the majority of conservative Americans are driven to do, start at the beginning, not in the middle.

:rolleyes:

remind me. who is potus now?
 
If Obama is a civil liberty disaster, it is because he had excellent guides and teachers. The Patriot Act was most egregious in its unmitigated attempt to curtail American citizens. And I do believe it was Bush and Cheney who used communication giants like AT&T to spy on American citizens without benefit of first obtaining a subpoena to do so - talk about circumventing the law which is always an attack on America's civil liberties.

The real attack on our civil liberties continue because of arrogant politicians who are unwilling or unable to accept their share of the responsibility and those who blindly support them. Obama may have in too many incidences followed the lead set by Bush and Company with regard to policies aimed at further stripping Americans of their civil rights, but he most certainly did not spearhead it. If you must place blame, which the majority of conservative Americans are driven to do, start at the beginning, not in the middle.

:rolleyes:

remind me. who is potus now?

Booooooooooooooooooooooosh
 
but perhaps the biggest blow to civil liberties is what he has done to the movement itself. It has quieted to a whisper, muted by the power of obama's personality and his symbolic importance as the first black president as well as the liberal who replaced bush. Indeed, only a few days after he took office, the nobel committee awarded him the nobel peace prize without his having a single accomplishment to his credit beyond being elected. Many democrats were, and remain, enraptured.

it's almost a classic case of the stockholm syndrome, in which a hostage bonds with his captor despite the obvious threat to his existence. Even though many democrats admit in private that they are shocked by obama's position on civil liberties, they are incapable of opposing him. some insist that they are simply motivated by realism: A republican would be worse. However, realism alone cannot explain the utter absence of a push for an alternative democratic candidate or organized opposition to obama's policies on civil liberties in congress during his term. It looks more like a cult of personality. Obama's policies have become secondary to his persona.

wow!
 
Many were questioning the extreme measures taken by the Bush administration, especially after the disclosure of abuses and illegalities. Candidate Obama capitalized on this swing and portrayed himself as the champion of civil liberties.

However, President Obama not only retained the controversial Bush policies, he expanded on them. The earliest, and most startling, move came quickly. Soon after his election, various military and political figures reported that Obama reportedly promised Bush officials in private that no one would be investigated or prosecuted for torture. In his first year, Obama made good on that promise, announcing that no CIA employee would be prosecuted for torture. Later, his administration refused to prosecute any of the Bush officials responsible for ordering or justifying the program and embraced the "just following orders" defense for other officials, the very defense rejected by the United States at the Nuremberg trials after World War II.

Obama failed to close Guantanamo Bay as promised. He continued warrantless surveillance and military tribunals that denied defendants basic rights. He asserted the right to kill U.S. citizens he views as terrorists. His administration has fought to block dozens of public-interest lawsuits challenging privacy violations and presidential abuses.

But perhaps the biggest blow to civil liberties is what he has done to the movement itself. It has quieted to a whisper, muted by the power of Obama's personality and his symbolic importance as the first black president as well as the liberal who replaced Bush. Indeed, only a few days after he took office, the Nobel committee awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize without his having a single accomplishment to his credit beyond being elected. Many Democrats were, and remain, enraptured.
Oh! There's a HUGE difference between Bush and Obama!
emot-jerkit.gif
 
If Obama is a civil liberty disaster, it is because he had excellent guides and teachers. The Patriot Act was most egregious in its unmitigated attempt to curtail American citizens. And I do believe it was Bush and Cheney who used communication giants like AT&T to spy on American citizens without benefit of first obtaining a subpoena to do so - talk about circumventing the law which is always an attack on America's civil liberties.

The real attack on our civil liberties continue because of arrogant politicians who are unwilling or unable to accept their share of the responsibility and those who blindly support them. Obama may have in too many incidences followed the lead set by Bush and Company with regard to policies aimed at further stripping Americans of their civil rights, but he most certainly did not spearhead it. If you must place blame, which the majority of conservative Americans are driven to do, start at the beginning, not in the middle.
Bush_Fault.gif
 
November 15, 2001

"Recently, it has come to my attention that there are persons within this great country of ours who are under the misguided impression that the aforementioned initiatives are somehow legally questionable, inasmuch as they infringe upon something known as "civil rights." Well, today it's my duty to inform the good people of America that my advisors have invested tens and dozens of minutes investigating these allegations - and the fact of the matter is that the notion of "civil rights" is, in fact, an utter fallacy. It is an elaborate myth - an "urban legend," if you will - that was conceived and tirelessly disseminated by an unctuous colored preacher by the name of Al Sharpton."


:eusa_whistle:
 
The base is getting restless, not a good sign.

Civil libertarians have long had a dysfunctional relationship with the Democratic Party, which treats them as a captive voting bloc with nowhere else to turn in elections. Not even this history, however, prepared civil libertarians for Obama. After the George W. Bush years, they were ready to fight to regain ground lost after Sept. 11. Historically, this country has tended to correct periods of heightened police powers with a pendulum swing back toward greater individual rights. Many were questioning the extreme measures taken by the Bush administration, especially after the disclosure of abuses and illegalities. Candidate Obama capitalized on this swing and portrayed himself as the champion of civil liberties.

However, President Obama not only retained the controversial Bush policies, he expanded on them. The earliest, and most startling, move came quickly. Soon after his election, various military and political figures reported that Obama reportedly promised Bush officials in private that no one would be investigated or prosecuted for torture. In his first year, Obama made good on that promise, announcing that no CIA employee would be prosecuted for torture. Later, his administration refused to prosecute any of the Bush officials responsible for ordering or justifying the program and embraced the "just following orders" defense for other officials, the very defense rejected by the United States at the Nuremberg trials after World War II.

Obama failed to close Guantanamo Bay as promised. He continued warrantless surveillance and military tribunals that denied defendants basic rights. He asserted the right to kill U.S. citizens he views as terrorists. His administration has fought to block dozens of public-interest lawsuits challenging privacy violations and presidential abuses.

But perhaps the biggest blow to civil liberties is what he has done to the movement itself. It has quieted to a whisper, muted by the power of Obama's personality and his symbolic importance as the first black president as well as the liberal who replaced Bush. Indeed, only a few days after he took office, the Nobel committee awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize without his having a single accomplishment to his credit beyond being elected. Many Democrats were, and remain, enraptured.

It's almost a classic case of the Stockholm syndrome, in which a hostage bonds with his captor despite the obvious threat to his existence. Even though many Democrats admit in private that they are shocked by Obama's position on civil liberties, they are incapable of opposing him. Some insist that they are simply motivated by realism: A Republican would be worse. However, realism alone cannot explain the utter absence of a push for an alternative Democratic candidate or organized opposition to Obama's policies on civil liberties in Congress during his term. It looks more like a cult of personality. Obama's policies have become secondary to his persona.

President Obama has been a disaster for civil liberties - latimes.com

In a nut-shell, this is what Obama is.

We warned everyone to no avail.

Obama is nothing more then a two-faced corrupt political-idealog with narcissistic-personality disorder and dictitorial tendencies.

He believes rules are made to be broken yet needed to keep everyone else (all the suckers) in line.
 
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If Obama is a civil liberty disaster, it is because he had excellent guides and teachers. The Patriot Act was most egregious in its unmitigated attempt to curtail American citizens. And I do believe it was Bush and Cheney who used communication giants like AT&T to spy on American citizens without benefit of first obtaining a subpoena to do so - talk about circumventing the law which is always an attack on America's civil liberties.

The real attack on our civil liberties continue because of arrogant politicians who are unwilling or unable to accept their share of the responsibility and those who blindly support them. Obama may have in too many incidences followed the lead set by Bush and Company with regard to policies aimed at further stripping Americans of their civil rights, but he most certainly did not spearhead it. If you must place blame, which the majority of conservative Americans are driven to do, start at the beginning, not in the middle.

:rolleyes:

remind me. who is potus now?

That's beside the point.

We live in two Americas.

Obama's is in the America where his screw-ups are always somebody else's fault even thought previously a POTUS owned it after 18 months.

Here we are coming up on 3 years and he's still allowed to get away with his usual "I inherited this mess" BS.

The rest of us live in the other America called reality.
 
Obama is nothing more then a two-faced corrupt political-idealog with narcissistic-personality disorder and dictitorial tendencies.
He believes rules are made to be broken yet needed to keep everyone else (all the suckers) in line.

Which has nothing to do with the topic and almost completely baseless.

The alternative would have done very much the same thing..or worse. He was talking about bombing Iran.
 
Obama is nothing more then a two-faced corrupt political-idealog with narcissistic-personality disorder and dictitorial tendencies.
He believes rules are made to be broken yet needed to keep everyone else (all the suckers) in line.

Which has nothing to do with the topic and almost completely baseless.

The alternative would have done very much the same thing..or worse. He was talking about bombing Iran.

My opinion is spot-on, and McCain sang "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran" to an old Beach Boys song, which I thought was clever, even though I can't stand the prick personally.
 

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