High Crimes and Distractions - Dubai Ports World vs Wiretapping

The level of outrage is palpable. The Republicans lead the charge against the infringement by the President. All claim they will not back down, and the President threatens to veto legislation. What is the hot issue? Is it the mass infringement of our Constitutional rights, or is it the contract for Dubai Ports World. You guessed it, or you watch the news. The uproar is over Dubai Ports World - House Agrees To Vote On Ports. In fact, the hunt and anger has spread from DPW to foreign control of our ports in general. Some are even looking to other aspects of our infrastructure. They act as if this is all something new and that they never approved to signing of GATT, of NAFTA. They never had a hand in facilitating the corporatization of the United States. It rings hollow folks.

Meanwhile, the use of Total Information Awareness technology (defunded by the Congress) to engage in mass wiretapping and datamining on the people of the United States goes on virtually unchallenged. To add insult to injury, they passed the USA PATRIOT ACT ... again ... and offer a deal to make the illegal legal - G.O.P. Senators Say Accord Is Set on Wiretapping.

Is the DPW uproar a handy distraction? Do they hope that in passing legislation to regain control of U.S. ports that they are (belatedly) protecting the "security" of the country? To dwarf a big issues and impeachable offense by the President of the United States, you need a big smoky fire. Surely they know that ultimately the WTO will rule against the U.S. on DPW, but by then it will be well out of sight of the public. It was also a convenient distraction for the beleaguered USA PATRIOT Act.

How idiotic can the USA PATRIOT Act get? I highly encourage you to read The 'Approved' Story by Doug Thompson of the Capitol Hill Blue.

Note: Patriot Act is an Acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism