The Droning of America

  

“The condition that an operational leader present an ‘imminent’ threat of violent attack against the United States does not require the United States to have clear evidence that a specific attack on U.S. persons and interests will take place in the immediate future.”

This was a quote from a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo landed by NBC’s Michael Isikoff last month. In this white paper memo it’s clear the backdrop has been set; completely trampling over the 4^th, 5^th & 14^th amendments in one fell swoop. The Executive branch will wage its war on your freedoms under the guise of “terror” not just in your backyard in the Middle East but your front yard and everywhere in between.

Per the FAA’s website, they have granted over 1,400 licenses or better known as Certificates of Authorization (COA) to some corporations but mostly government agencies to allow unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to occupy US airspace. Congress, despite its miserable record of futility and utter failure managed to pass a bill that set a September 2015 deadline for “full integration” of UAS into the national airspace.

When the powers that be want to torture and cannot do so because it’s the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, they get “creative”. They just rename it. So "torture" becomes "enhanced interrogation techniques". That’s what these politicians think of your intellect. They just rename an act like your mom used to do when you were four; calling cabbage apple pie.  

When they want to take away your 1st amendment right of free speech and assembly they deem you a terrorist or an enemy combatant. 

The 2011 drone strike in Yemen that killed two alleged al-Qaida operatives Samir Khan and Anwar al-Awlaki were both U.S. citizens. Lest not forget al-Awlaki’s 16 year old son also an American who was also killed in the attack. Neither men (and of course neither was a minor) were indicted nor charged by the US Government for any crimes. Instead they were put onto a list without due process and executed by a remote control airplane in a desert thousands of miles away; the same remote control airplanes we will have patrolling our skies here in the states.  

Some of you might say, but both men were al-Qaida, but how do we know? How do we know what they did if there was no charges or trial? If they are American citizens they are guaranteed their rights by our constitution. The same constitution that each elected representative is sworn to uphold and protect. So how can these elected representatives by the people for the people have the audacity to kill American citizens without a trial or even charge? 

The answer is simple. Americans are too quick to trade freedom for security.

Isikoff also notes a speech from Attorney General Eric Holder in March of 2012 where he endorsed the constitutionality of targeted killings of Americans. Just like seen in the recently discovered DOJ white paper, the narrative is consistent, as Holder states they (those on the kill list) could be legal and justified kills if government officials determine the target poses “an imminent threat of violent attack.”

There is that pesky phrase again: “an imminent threat of violent attack”. How do you go about deciding how imminent a threat is? This falls into the hands of a judge or a jury of ones peers, right? Normally, yes, but in today’s brave new world, it’s just not the case.

No, the President and his appointed Attorney General play both jury and judge. While they give the thumbs up or down on who is to be killed; the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and an army of drones play executioner. This wording is very vague and ambiguous (i sense a trend here) thus the interpretation of these words and how they apply to citizens must be dealt with accordingly. Allowing this power to rest in one mans hands and his attorney general is the way of a monarch or dictatorship not a republic.

If this sounds like something out of communist Russia or Nazi German; it's only because it is.

This JSOC falls under the command of the President making in nothing more than a Gestapo. A force that's militarily superiority is only matched by its geo-political carte blanche. Bound not by borders, sovereignty, neither international nor domestic laws but simply the decision then subsequent command of one man. This is not democracy. This is why we have a constitution. Is it any wonder those in power go at lengths to undermine it?

So, when Rand Paul in epic fashion brings about a filibuster last week to protest the nomination of war monger & drone whore John Brennan, to head the CIA, you can bet he was met with considerable disdain. And this was not just from the usual suspects (namely the President and his minions) but from the likes of none other than neo-con hawks John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Two career politicians dressed up as republican senators who sold their soul long ago to K-Street and two mouth breathers who will do anything to defend their corporate masters in the military industrial complex.

Your rights via the constitution get in the way of those in power. War’s and chasing bogeymen in the sands of Arabia funnel obscene profits to those in power both at the elected and private level. Anyone and I mean ANYONE who defends drones strikes on American soil while promoting endless wars against an “enemy” that’s about as dangerous as street gang in Omaha… is the enemy. They are an enemy to our republic and they are an THE “imminent threat” to our natural born rights as American citizens. Know thy enemy.

Open mouth, insert 86 year - old foot

I have spent many times on this blog blasting the collective, race baiting pimps that make up the Congressional Black Caucus of the US Congress. People for the most part who are elected based solely on their race because of either white liberal guilt or because they live in predominately black areas; so it’s a vote based of their color of their skin and NOT the content on their Character. No, this is not the dream Dr Martin Luther King envisioned some 49 years ago.    

I have spent other times berating the K-Street connection including, but not limited to, the interchangeable seats between public servants and public leeches; however hard to disambiguate the two may be. People like Chris Dodd, Trent Lott or William Delahunt (just to name few of many), scum bag elites who wouldn’t know what a moral compass was if it was stuck on their dashboard GPS giving them directions from one lobby to the next back to Capitol Hill.

But above all and connected to the former two examples (and this by no way means there is not other examples of dead beats and crooks with their fangs in the public coffers) are this notion that being elected into public office is a job. The founders never envisioned people would want to spend their careers in politics.

They had work of their own to do and they made more money doing it. Insert raise after raise, health benefits and a lucrative pensions plan and don’t forget them paid junkets and viola… federally elected officials have one of the most lucrative positions someone with no real world skills can obtain. Don’t believe me, ask recently "retired" Jesse Jackson Jr for his resume.

Now with this in mind, one of the best quotes I have seen in some time came this week over the “Fiscal Cliff” debate.

"We are concluding one of the most unsuccessful Congresses in history, noteworthy not only for its failure to accomplish anything of importance, but also for the poisonous climate of the institution."

This was from Democratic Representative John Dingell of Michigan. Dingell, 86, is the longest serving member of the House, who was elected for the first time in 1955. It was in his Inaugural Address, when Lincoln said that the American people:

''have wisely given their public servants but little power for mischief, and have with equal wisdom provided for the return of that little to their own hands at very short intervals.''

Its safe to Mr Dingell never read the address. Over 50 years in congress it’s apparent he’s been inside the beltway too long that he cant see that the real reason for this poisonous climate of the institution is his (and others like him) refusal to return that power of mischief back in short intervals. Instead, he and his ilk have done nothing but rape the virtue of this country and kick & scream when a little gridlock prevents them from getting their filthy hands in the till. Where is the Queen of Hearts when we need her?

Chris Dodd - Most expensive whore money can buy

Chris Dodd is truly one of, if not the biggest scumbag to crawl out of the gutters of DC since Trent Lott. I would contend that the two of them could be pitted into a classic MTV staple (when it was still semi music television) Celebrity Death match as each being the biggest whores from their respective party’s in the last decade, which would be great theater. Two vile - spineless lawyers clawing each others eyes out for a stack of dollars is must see TV.

From his controversy surrounding his dealings with Countrywide getting sweetheart loans to his contributions and support for Frannie and Freddie even as the two were facing collapse to his AIG bonus “reversal”; Chris Dodd has always taken the sleazy route. I would assume it’s safe to say, the path of most lucrative assistance for sure, no doubt. So its of no surprise he would become a lobbyist after he left office.

He is a lawyer, but I can’t find any record he even practiced. He was in the Peace Corps and then the Army Reserve (thus excluding him from being sent to Vietnam) so what’s a 66 year old man with no job experience supposed to do? Kinda late in the game to take an entry level position… and with the amount of slime dripping off his torso; who would hire him anyway? Enter M.P.A.A.

Dodd (who spent 36 consecutive years in office) is on record saying he wouldn’t go through Washington’s "revolving door”. "No lobbying, no lobbying" was his answer to a question when facing "retirement". That however wouldn’t last long as he was tapped to replace Dan Glickman; a former nine time Congressmen (imagine that) as President of the Motion Picture Association of America last march for a reported cool 1.5 million annually. Within six months came SOPA. You have to tip your cap to the MPAA. You talk about fast-tracked? Six months and you got a bill with overwhelming support brewing? Money well spent, do doubt.

But we know SOPA failed. The grassroots movement is what makes the internet dangerous. It takes the power out of the elite and puts it back in the hands of the masses. And the representatives listened. This is what our Republic is about, is it not? Constituents prodding their elected leaders for changes they want... not their elected leaders beholden to corporate interests. 

The establishment was furious and Dodd led the charge; saying that websites that participated in the blackouts were somehow guilty of: "abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace." Dodd, then assumed it was a timing issue. He had the nerve to assume a “Slow timeline” would have produced different results. Code word for: If we rammed this bill through faster, maybe on the eve of a holiday or as a rider on another bill we would have been fine. Transparency is not something Dodd has to worry about anymore, as if.  

To top this off and the most despicable of all was Dodd’s message to Congress and the Senate. In a moment of stupidity or some might say clarity, Dodd summarizes the rotten core of politics today in one fell swoop of a paragraph.  

“Those who count on quote ‘Hollywood’ for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who’s going to stand up for them when their job is at stake," Dodd said. "Don’t ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don’t pay any attention to me when my job is at stake.” 

I loathe lobbying, but what I loathe even more so is former elected leaders lobbying and talking out of both sides of their mouth. This issue is the single most treacherous and destructive action against our Republic today and in the days to come. Special interest and “K-Street” will bring this country to its knees before they suck every last dollar out of the public’s jugular without any constraint or admission of guilt. If this isnt an example of how in drastic need we are of strict term limits, what is?