I was listening to Jane Harman on NPR the other day, and she was incensed, denying the conversations occurred, and finally was spouting things like how dare they, and why would the NSA be tapping her calls!?!?!?

WHAT did she think authorizing warrantless wiretapping of people in the US meant?????

Good thing we went to Iraq and saved them from their evil leader. Otherwise, they wouldn't have had the freedom to start killing their own countrymen. We sure did make things better, eh?

I want to know how the conversation went when they decided gluing the assholes shut and giving them the runs was a good idea...

For some reason whenever I try to picture how the conversation went, the Iraqis always have southern accents and wear NASCAR t-shirts.

I can't imagine why....

Wow, Ron Paul has a pretty small mind about such matters, we live in the UNITED STATES of America, it makes me wonder what kind of country he thinks he's living in. Perhaps a Coalition of Independent minded States. Hmm, lesse. CIS, oh shit, that's the Confederacy! There's nothing healthy or American talking openly about rebellion and secession, it's simply retarded. And what's this about the American currency failure he keeps alluding to, unregulated free-market principles are what's gotten this country into the shit hole we're in now. Now that the effluent of greed has caused the system to back-up, the political turds of our time have come bobbing up to the surface as if they had no responsibility at all for causing this situation. Disgusting.

I've been watching the Harman issue pretty closely and she's really wrapped herself up tight in saran wrap trying to keep any of the crap that's been thrown her way from sticking. Problem is, despite the amount of shit that's being sprayed her direction, we can all can still see who's trying to hide behind all that cling wrap. Likely, she'll just be able to just peel off all that patina of dried feces and leave a lovely mold for others to admire yet remain completely untouched. Meanwhile, the guts of the case that's related to Haman being under the microscope are busy getting ripped out because the Gonzo Department of Injustice did such a lousy job of being just. So, the AIPAC employees may go free, Harman gets to take a bite of a shit sandwich in the media and congress still gets swept up in a storm over the torture memos (what did you think it was unrelated)?

In all fairness, if you look at the reported timeline of events, Harman agreed to look into the AIPAC issue before any quid pro quo arrangements were brokered, and once they were she got off the phone pretty quickly. It may not sound like much to most, but it would mean she committed no wrongdoing and the whole event is much ado about nothing. I guess it'll all come out in the wash since she's asked AG Holder to release the tapes along with unredacted transcripts, but we'll see...

It's beyond inhuman what's being done to the gay Iraqis, words cannot describe the level of disgust I feel. How on earth could someone do this to another human being? Still though, when I remember we have cops that sodomize people with their nightsticks, this type of shit doesn't surprise me. Sadistic bastards, we should invade their country and put an end to these heinous crimes against humanity... Oh fuck. Good times too if you happen to be an Iranian pilgrim in Iraq and like going out to eat or visiting holy shrines.

thanks for making me hate caring ftr.

im actually speechless at this weeks fuckfacery. People are disgusting. It's not even funny this week, it just makes me want to kill some of these people.

Yes. The American Way is to shut up and do as your told. Your Government has everything under control. Including you. I dont agree with secession, but at what point IS it American to stop and say, "WTF?!" Dont worry, by that time, they will have taken away that right, too.

that is absolutely and positively untrue. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, has at least one quote on the topic that shows strong support for the idea of threatening the government with armed, open rebellion if it ceases to represent the people.

OK, fine. You guys both have made your points, however, is this really the time to be making such comments? Sure, if the government started to become an oppressive regime that restricted and imprisoned its citizens for speaking out or exercising their rights, then perhaps dissolution of the Union might not be such a bad idea.

However, this is hardly the case and having Governors, Senators and Representatives are crying wolf; when they bandy about ideas of secession when no such threat against the populace exists, it is unhealthy and foolish. Inciting such hysteria and stoking anger among people for reasons that are really beyond most of their grasp is retarded.

The strength of a democracy depends upon the will of the people, a majority of the people expressed their will and if those who lost want to indulge themselves in a highly imaginative persecution complex, then by all means, they can and should. However, calling for secession because they don't like the outcome of a fair an honest election is retarded.

Perhaps among some of the more paranoid citizens, they already perceive the Government as an all-controlling entity to be feared. Thus, their every move is carefully considered, every effort directed towards resisting the "evil" government until one day, their every fantasy is realized in a self-fulfilling prophecy once the man comes to collect on unpaid taxes... To them "sic semper tyrannis" and secession are the rallying cries of resistance, and they are also retarded.

Oh, poor Jane!

Actually, I have heard conflicting stories on this Harman wiretap; some sources I've seen claim the conversation was recorded via a FISA wiretapping warrant, which is technically "legal." Then again, even if it was conducted with a FISA warrant, exactly how many warrants has the FISA court —a secret panel that meets in an undisclosed location— ever refused to grant?

http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0603c.asp

This is what's so retarded about Bush and the rest of them: they already had a mechanism in place to spy on Americans for the flimsiest of pretexts, but somehow this wasn't fucked-up enough for them. Their evil is the injury. Their stupidity is the insult.

As for Dr. Paul, I have friends who remain drooling fanboys of his because he wants to decriminalize cannabis. They are one-issue voters who couldn't reason their way out of a wet paper bag. I get tired of yelling at them.

The Iraq thing is just . . . wow.

To the sum total of all of these arguments-
While I do agree with the points herein made, I would just like to point out that, under the Texas constitution and the terms with which Texas joined the United States, Texas does in fact have the right to secede. No, it wouldn't be American and no, it doesn't make much sense, but it is the only state that is provided that right.
So, while Rick Perry is in fact somewhat brain-damaged, he isn't entirely so in that regard.
...
Also, I'm very curious as to see what Iraq will come up with for lesbians.

That's incorrect. Texas only has the right to split into 5 smaller states.

Here is some more info on Texas and the idea of secession:

Texas Secede

If it ever happens. it better be for the right reason. Unfortunately, this is mostly empty rhetoric to fan the flames of the ignorant and stupid into voting for two parties who have no intention of helping anyone but themselves to solidify their own power structures and means of continual public/private funding.

Ya, I am pointing at the Libertarian and Republican party leaders. Real Texans don't fall for party line bullshit and shenanigans. Shenanigans!! Shenanigans!! Take yer tea bags and shove it.

I'm sorry, I did re-do my research, and no, Texas no longer has any right to secede- but then, there hasn't ever been a secession that hasn't been the equivalent of countries throwing tantrums.
I did so want to defend my governor.
I can't agree that Republicans as a whole are fucking idiots, though... as the article itself points out, there are Democratic fuckfaces, too, and all Democrats aren't considered fuckfaces. Why do the republicans get the term?