Last Thursday, Barack Obama's nominee for Attorney General, Eric Holder, admitted during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing that he supported renewing the part of the Patriot Act that allows for the FBI to seek records from businesses, libraries and bookstores as the policing agency investigates suspects in this country. For years we've seen news agencies and opinionists rail against the expanded power of the FBI to search such records. But, now with Obama's AG announcing in his confirmation hearing that he agrees that the FBI should have this power, all anti-Bush administration voices are silent on the matter that had them so exercised for 6 years.
Since 2002 the debate has raged about the efficacy and Constitutionality of the Patriot Act with the power of the FBI to search bookstore and library records coming in for special condemnation. Even as the Supreme Court of the United States has upheld the law, right to privacy groups, the media and anti-Bushies have pointed to this particular policy and cried Orwell or worse.
USA Today talked about the situation in 2002. Not unexpectedly, the American Library Association has been worriedly writing of this business for years. Some librarians have even forced the FBI to jump through hoops to seize computers during investigations. And, of course, the ACLU has fought the provisions, too.
Over the years many challenges to the library and bookstore search power have been made and thus far the law has withstood the onslaught. As a result, the Bush administration has been accused of indulging any manner of imperialist, unconstitutional, Orwellian motives.
Holder publicly announces his support for the hated library search provision yet we are met with silence from the very people that made Bush out to be the most evil man in history for his support of the same power. This is the sort of news that would have made its way around the Internet at least 10 times by now if it were a Bush administration official saying so. Yes, now we get silence.
Where is the condemnation of Eric Holder on this issue? Where is the ACLU to demand Obama ditch Holder? Where are the many Huffington Posters and DailyKossacks railing against this junior Orwell, Holder?
The newspapers are strangely silent, though I did see this reported in the San Francisco Chronicle. Olbermann and Matthews, still nursing their tingles, seem to have turned away from this story. Maddow and the DailyKos seem to have lost their voices over it.
It makes one wonder if their conviction is informed by courage and principle or convenience? Are they only to rail against an FBI that intrudes into bookstore and library records when it is Bush’s FBI? Are they suddenly not so worried about their claims of invasion of privacy and unconstitutionality when they feel the FBI is about to become their FBI?
And where are the multi part stories from the Old Media? Where are the stern voices and grave concerns of The New York Times or the L.A. Times that Eric Holder and Barack Obama are about to continue the Bush outrages against the average American’s privacy?
It is, of course, highly doubtful that such stories will materialize. After all, the Old Media are fully prepared to give Barack Obama a pass on the same sorts of things that they claimed made Bush into Bushhitler and Vice President Cheney into the Dark Prince, Darth Cheney.
In the real world is it spelled H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y. In the Democratic Party we call it business as usual.
(Photo credit UPI.com)
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They don't want to admit
January 18, 2009 - 05:41 ET by thebutlerdiditThey don't want to admit what Darth Cheney said so eloquently recently. That he felt after they had time to peruse the Bush policies and see how effective they have been, that they will keep most of the Bush team's policies. Now that it is no longer campaign time, Obama will quietly continue most all of Bush's plans, but nothing will be said of this, or else revisionism will continue, and it will be declared as "their" policies, not Chimpy McBush's. Hypocrisy is right. And I just want to say, I agree fully with Dennis Miller, Holder is a dead ringer for Oprah's man, Stedman Graham. I just hope he stays as invisible as well as Steddy has.
Bringing the government in to run Wall Street is like saying, "Dad burned the dinner, let's get the dog to cook." PJ O'Rourke
I feel better...
January 18, 2009 - 06:36 ET by BronxBomberI know they are hypocrites... but I feel a bit more optimistic that The Dear Leader will come to realize that President Bush's' policies are what has kept us safe from another terrorist attack...
If Holder is approved will he maintain his role as clan patriarch Whiskers on MEERKAT MANOR...<:~)
I gotta find a new planet...
The Sad Part
January 18, 2009 - 06:48 ET by richb313The real sad part of this whole mess is that the great majority of Americans are totally unaware of this. I don't refer to the ones who visit this site but the ones who live thier lives and trust the MSM and Govt. to do thier jobs. I have long said we get the Govt. we deserve. I do not have any answers for this. We all can see the problem here but if the majority of Americans buy into what is showed to them repeatedly and do not confirm things for themselves there is no way out. I remember what a wise Chief Petty Officer in the Navy told me years ago: "Don't believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see." He was talking about roumors but I have applied it more broadly to good effect.
Illegal for thee..........
January 18, 2009 - 06:55 ET by old crobut not for me.
The mantra of the lunatic left. Please be prepared for 4 or more years of this behavior. They will also take ownership of everything "good" happening because of the Bush administration, and assign blame to President Bush everything they do that goes bad.
Another campaign promise to be broken? Let's hope so...
January 18, 2009 - 08:22 ET by Army BratThere are rumors that Obambi will provide himself with a loophole that will allow him to order the "enhanced interrogation", of folks that wanna kill us if it will save American lives. (I guess it was just done for entertainment purposes under President Bush.)
Under President Bush, "enhanced interrogation" is torture. Under Obambi...we'll have to wait and see I guess.
I hear he's backin' off on the whole stem cell thing as well. How many promises made to his lefty friends will he have to break before the Messiah loses his luster in their adoring eyes? The list is growin' all the time.
Happy Trails...
Purge this!
January 18, 2009 - 08:21 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsWell, this policy is now a good thing, you see. The Obamaites can now use this to ferret out those who want to read Coulter, O'Reilly, etc. (good luck finding them, undamaged, in a public library). These lists, along with voting records will be used in the coming purges.
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
It comes down to the same
January 18, 2009 - 08:37 ET by motherbeltIt comes down to the same double standard they always use. What is evil in the hands of a Republican is good when a Democrat does it.
Because, you see, now it's in the "right" hands. (As Ron Silver famously said, "Oh, those are OUR planes now!")
They will wield the power for "good" reasons. (Definition of good: whatever they say it is)
These are the same clowns who think socialism can work if it's controlled by the "right" people.
→ RINOs do it too
January 18, 2009 - 09:02 ET by Cool ArrowIt was RINO Juiliani who took Newt Gingrich's Line Item Veto SCOTUS and had it struck down.
A Republican Congress gave that tool to a Democrat President, and a RINO couldn't live without his pork.
So basically they really
January 18, 2009 - 09:23 ET by Dave DSo basically they really didn't hate the Bush because of his policies. (They don't really have a problem with that) They hate the guy because of his background.(IE because he's a Republican.) Wow, that's kind of ironic because racism is basically prejudging people not based on their actions(policies) but their background.(IE skin color or ethnical group.)
Get used to it
January 18, 2009 - 09:21 ET by expatriotThe Dhimms are going to use whatever they now say is good, which used to be bad, and they are the party that will abuse the system. They have proved themselves to be the party without standards or moral compass. Look for more in the future and don't expect any reporting about any of these issues unless it is on this site or sites like it.
"...they are the party that will abuse the system."
January 18, 2009 - 10:05 ET by TailgunnerDamn good point.
Look what they've already done with illegal wiretaps on Newt Gingrich, illegal seizure of Rush Limbaugh's medical record, illegal access of JTP's privacy protected public records, illegal release of Linda Tripp's personnel file, etc. etc.
LIBERALS LIE, ALL THE TIME, ABOUT EVERYTHING.
Warner Great Column!
January 18, 2009 - 09:21 ET by Retired GeekWiretapping made Legal
Democrats didn't like the 'Illegal' or 'Warrantless' eavesdropping, so Senator Barack Obama and Hoyer, Pelosi and Reid made it LEGAL.
Democrats made wiretapping legal!
Surely not!
Is that 'Change' we can all believe in?
There is no outrage because
January 18, 2009 - 10:59 ET by SeashellThere is no outrage because most people don't know, and those that do know don't dare mention it as to prevent a black mark against Obama. (It's their job to see that his Presidency is a success.)
I hope Fox will not cower to the Obama machine in covering things like this. They will be our only hope as far as television is concerned to get the word out. Stories that land here are known to Fox. I'm eager to see if they report them.
Warner - Holder - SF Chronicle, etc.
January 18, 2009 - 13:33 ET by Gary HallYou noted: "The newspapers are strangely silent, though I did see this reported in the San Francisco Chronicle."
The SF Chronicle is indeed a liberal newspaper - but time and time again, I have noticed often enough that, unlike most of the MSM, they don't shy away from reporting news that challenges Democrats as well. I suspect that this is because they are very far to the left, and openly seek to move the party further to the left.
The rest of the MSM is concerned first and formost in damaging the Republican party, while protecting the Democrat party. If they were to report the news and offer opinions on Democrats, as they do on Republicans, it is my view that corruption in politics would be the big looser - and of course, there'd be fewer radical liberal Democrats getting elected. (;~> gary
You all don't get it.
January 18, 2009 - 16:35 ET by jdhawkYou all don't get it. Holder isn't monitoring the libraries and bookstores databases for terrorists. He will be monitoring those databases to see which of us has the Ann Coulter Boxed Set of Best Sellers. Watch out if you already have checked yours out at your local library (fat chance of them having that, right!) or bought it at your local bookstore. Once you are found out, welcome to endless IRS audits, anonymous calls about abusing your wife and kids, and your name being added to the sexual predators list.
While you all are busy fend off the above, President Bush and his administrations will be arrested, found guilty of "war" crimes, and incarcerated.
Meanwhile that bogus ammendment curtailing a President's term to two, will be deleted. It will be all bambi all the time!!!
Now, don't bother me, I have to get back to watching my Dish Network bambi inauguration channel. Hopefully, that will make up for watching Fox News for 15 minutes earlier today. Shsssssssh . . please don't tell anyone!
And, yes, I am already self administering the Unfairness Doctrine until it is reenacted. I have been on the Democratic Underground blog all morning.
Repeat after me: I will obey bambi; bambi is the "One!" Wash, repeat, rinse . . .
Does anyone know where I can get my hands on more of those coveted bambi coins?
I get it.
January 18, 2009 - 20:49 ET by BlueCat57How else will Obama's service corp, which should be as powerful as the military, monitor their fellow Americans? You're the only one that understands how the liberal mind works. The only people who have nothing to fear from Obama and his administration are those who wish to harm America. The sooner Obama's "test" comes the sooner he can implement policies to silence opposition to his administration's intrusive policies.
I knew from the biginning
January 18, 2009 - 17:39 ET by pitter43I knew from the biginning that the loon going into the White House couldn't abandon the things that President Bush has done to keep us safe. He did the normal thing, for him, and lied to all the fools that listened to him. This isn't the only time they'll regret voting for him, it's just the beginning.
Uh-oh, now there's going to
January 18, 2009 - 21:31 ET by RR GOPUh-oh, now there's going to be a mad scramble to get rid of all those copies of The Turner Diaries out there!(and replace them with copies of Prairie Fire and Dreams From My Father no doubt...LOL.
According to the MSM and associated Commie knuckleheads, Bush was the Hitler/Mussolini/Napoleon/anti-Christ who was going to accrue all this power and become Supreme Dictator.
Though this hysterical propaganda has come to nought, they still hate him and still think he's a dangerous megalomaniac bent on taking over the country.
Oh, but if their boy uses these same powers to maintain political power, then that will automatically be quite OK...of course.
One of the 24% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 89% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.