What specific impact has this “perpetual” war had on your privacy?

You don’t get it. And I bet you call yourself a conservative. It doesn’t matter whether or not it affects me or will affect me in the future. It’s a matter of principle, a matter of rights guaranteed to everyone in our Constitution. But if immense government intrusion is okay with you it must be right, right?

We are in the freest country on Earth

I smell a fallacy. Nobody is debating this, but I must commend you for getting in some free points and racking up your America cred.

When does the war end? When it does will you support the dismemberment of FISA? I’m not paranoid that the government is attempting to grab all the power they can, it’s already happening. And don’t use the excuse of a terrorist attack to turn yourself into a “big Government” type of guy.

Abuses have happened (Sedition Laws, etc.) during past Administrations, but we always corrected our mistakes.

As I’m sure we’ll correct our current mistakes, but until then I’m free to criticize this abuse as much as I so choose.

We can kill jihadis and chew gum at the same time.

profitsbeard on September 29, 2007 at 9:23 PM

How simplistic.

I think somebody attacked us.

Don’t you remember?

All of this “perpetual state of war” silliness is just that.

What specific impact has this “perpetual” war had on your privacy?

Can’t chat with a jihadist in Syria freely?

Can’t take out copies of “The Anarchist’s Cookbook” from the lending library with the ease you wish?

We are in the freest country on Earth and enjoy the greatest degree of legal security, where our Constitutional liberties are concerned, so the faux worrying about any “perpetual war” power grab theory strikes me as one more absurd bit of politicized mock-paranoia.

But, even if some liberties were temporarily-infringed for the survival of the nation, once it has survived the assaults of terroristic Islamic imperialism, we can revoke those pragmatic infringements (as Lincoln’s haebus corpus ruling was changed back to its peacetime status after the Civil War ended) and return to peacetime footing’s full liberties.

Abuses have happened (Sedition Laws, etc.) during past Administrations, but we always corrected our mistakes.

You’re ignoring the core strength of our people by assuming that we would kowtow to a crypto-dictatorship. And minimizing the fact that we are a freedom-loving country that wants to remain alive, first, and then debate the legal nicities, second.

We can kill jihadis and chew gum at the same time.

Troy Rasmussen Good luck on that paper. Let us know if your professor tries to persecute you in anyway.

My professor rocks! I have no idea what his political persuasion is and I’ve taken three classes from him. He is the epitome of what a professor should present in class. He is also a HUGE Con Law Geek. He wrote a Q/A for Constitutional Law. I can’t wait for next semester when he teaches First Amendment.

During wartime, security trumps suicidal adherence to the strict letter of the law.

The Constitution need not allow its own (and our) destruction by pretending that our enemies do not sometimes require bending the (purposely flexible) rules.

See: Lincoln, Civil War; Wilson, WW I, FDR, WWII; Truman, WW II; Truman/Eisenhower, Korean War; etc.
Better to debate the “violations” after you survive than toe the line so purely that you end up dead, but smug.

profitsbeard on September 29, 2007 at 9:47 AM

Precisely. In fact, not only is the Constitution not a “suicide pact,” but the Congress and the President are constitutionally bound to protect and defend this country and its citizens. If another attack happens on our soil, the fault can be laid directly at the feet of Congress and the Executive.

Don’t forget to include how the very idea of secret courts violates the Constitution of the United States of America.

Nonfactor on September 29, 2007 at 5:00 AM

Take a gander at the text of the Constitution, Nonfactor. It might help you to understand how our gov’t is supposed to defend this country. Furthermore, the FISA Courts have been held to be constitutional by the SCOTUS for decades now. Try again.

profitsbeard on September 29, 2007 at 9:47 AM

All the more reason for a politician to keep us in a perpetual war state, right? Who wouldn’t want more power?

And I love how anecdotes like that are created out of convenience. “It’s okay to violate the very fabric this country was based upon if we’re at war (and it doesn’t even have to be a declared war).”

trailortrash on September 28, 2007 at 9:06 PM

couldn’t have put it better myself…un-freaking-believable!

mscott82 on September 28, 2007 at 9:18 PM

You guys are both wrong, this is what passes for rational sane though among liberals.

During wartime, security trumps suicidal adherence to the strict letter of the law.

profitsbeard on September 29, 2007 at 9:47 AM

And that’s the problem. Too many people really don’t get it…that we’re actually at war.

…violates the Constitution of the United States…

During wartime, security trumps suicidal adherence to the strict letter of the law.

The Constitution need not allow its own (and our) destruction by pretending that our enemies do not sometimes require bending the (purposely flexible) rules.

See: Lincoln, Civil War; Wilson, WW I, FDR, WWII; Truman, WW II; Truman/Eisenhower, Korean War; etc.
Better to debate the “violations” after you survive than toe the line so purely that you end up dead, but smug.

Troy Rasmussen on September 28, 2007 at 10:44 PM

Don’t forget to include how the very idea of secret courts violates the Constitution of the United States of America.

Only 20 years from now will that be finally revealed. Just like Soros’s funding for the overthrow of democracy and all American used to stand for (plus his corrupt campaign financing of Democrats).

Sad fact: the guys crying about the patriot act being unconstitutional, are probably going to be the first ones to be decapitated or blown up when radical islam shows its ugly face here like it has in the ME, Asia, and Europe, since they represent the gays and non-religious.

THEY, the Democratic leadership, and the ACLU are costing American lives and are doing for partisan political gain, and I personally think they should be on trial for treason.

Try getting all of your wisdom teathe pulled at once by someone being supervised because they are working on their “qualifications”. God bless military medicine.

Good luck Allahpundit.

P.S. I just noticed that Allah is not around. I hope he is just on vacation. Details anyone?

Troy Rasmussen on September 28, 2007 at 10:45 PM

I believe he’s having some dental surgery. That can’t be pleasant.

Troy Rasmussen Good luck on that paper. Let us know if your professor tries to persecute you in anyway.

Fellas, I am telling you, that is only the tip of the iceberg we have to endure and go thru out there. It really is worse than being a regular cop.

I think I’ll join AP in the sick category.

Troy Rasmussen on September 28, 2007 at 10:45 PM

He volunteered for some torture.

By dentist.

When the old couple that were out for a sunday drive,accidently as they claim overheard Newt,and at the time Newt was talking strategy.They just happened to have listened in and by some miracle had a tape recorder.
After they taped Newt’s conversation they claimed to have a duty and turned it over to the DNC.
So are Liberals worring about peoples rights,or are they just p!ssed !ff that their the ones not doing the surveillance!

Right, so why are the Dems so afraid of wiretaps with foreigners, who are they talking to?

I seem to remember that durng the live blogging event Bryan mentioned that Allah was out sick

Get well soon Allah, meanwhile Bryan is doing an excellent job holding down the fort — as always.

P.S. I just noticed that Allah is not around. I hope he is just on vacation. Details anyone?

Troy Rasmussen on September 28, 2007 at 10:45 PM

I seem to remember that durng the live blogging event Bryan mentioned that Allah was out sick

Sorry, that’s a little of topic I guess.