TSA gone wild

The TSA has become an acronym many Americans have come to dread. From too-close-for-comfort pat-downs to virtually nude snapshots, people are accusing the Transportation Security Administration of going too far time and time again. The federal government has spent an estimated 60 billion dollars on the TSA since 9/11, but the agency has seen an approval rating of only 54 percent as of late which, oddly enough, is more support than even President Obama or Mitt Romney has received in the polls. So why is the TSA more popular than politicians? Amie Stepanovich, associate litigation counsel for EPIC, joins RTs Liz Wahl to discuss this….

Army Tests Spy Blimp Over NJ

The Army is testing its $517 million spy blimp in the skies over the New Jersey military base where the German airship Hindenburg crashed in 1937.

The Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle spent more than 90 minutes around Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Ocean County on Tuesday….

via Army Tests Spy Blimp Over NJ | NBC New York

Gazillions — thats the number of times our government has spied on Americans since 9/11

Gazillions. That’s the number of times the federal government has spied on Americans since 9/11 through the use of drones, legal search warrants, illegal search warrants, federal agent-written search warrants and just plain government spying. This is according to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who, when he asked the government to tell him what it was doing to violate our privacy, was given a classified briefing. The senator — one of just a few in the U.S. Senate who believes that the Constitution means what it says — was required by federal law to agree not to reveal what spies and bureaucrats told him during the briefing.

The rules for classified briefings of members of Congress on areas of government behavior that the government wants to keep from its employers — the American people — are a real Catch-22. Those rules allow representatives and senators to interrogate government officials about government behavior that they are afraid to reveal, and they require those officials to answer honestly and completely. But the rules keep the interrogations secret, and they expressly prohibit members of Congress from telling anyone what they have learned….

via Gazillions — thats the number of times our government has spied on Americans since 9/11 | Fox News

Maine Ron Paul supporters creds being challenged by Cianchette

HUGE DEVELOPING STORY:

Ive told you for months about the GOP establishments efforts to control the Republican National Convention… here is more unbelievable proof of how far they are willing to go. In the state of Maine, it is well documented that 21 of the 24 delegates are strong supporters of Congressman Ron Paul. Those 21 delegates plan to go to Tampa later this month and cast a vote for Dr. Paul to receive the nomination.

A little over a week ago, 20 of those 21 delegates were told that their credentials were being challenged by Mr. Peter Cianchette who headed the Romney campaign in Maine. The grounds for the challenge… that 20 of these 21 delegates were illegally elected to represent Maine. As a result, the RNC planned to not seat the entire Maine delegation at the RNC in Tampa.

Now, here is where it gets really interesting. This weekend, the RNC, via Maine Republican Party Chairman Charlie Webster offered a “compromise”…

Take a look:

1. A majority of the delegates sign a statement agreeing that, if Ron Paul is not on the ballot, they will vote at the Convention for Mitt Romney.

2. Instead of Brent Tweed, Charlie Webster or Paul LePage would serve as the spokesperson for the delegation and announce the votes cast for president. That spokesperson would also handle all media on behalf of the Maine delegation.

3. There will be nothing negative said about Mitt Romney or positive said about Obama especially to media.

4. The Delegation will be admitted to the Convention, and to all committee assignments, without barrier.

5. The Contest brought by Jan Staples and Peter Cianchette will be withdrawn

via Ben Swann Maine Delegate Story Update – 08/07/2012 | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

Obama: Everyone wants to be us

A curious bit of hyperbole when one considers that Muslim countries have a decidedly negative view of America. In a recent Pew survey, disapproval of the United States was above 70 percent in Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan and hit 86 percent in Jordan….

via Obama: Everyone wants to be us – POLITICO.com

Blackwater changed its name, not habits

The firm formerly known as Blackwater – now Academi LLC- will be paying a 7.5 million dollar fine on top of its already 42 million dollar settlement reached regarding civil arms export violations. They recently admitted to wrongdoing in connection to 17 federal criminal charges and the funds that they will use to pay off those fines will come from already existing contracts from the Pentagon. So what seems to be an act of accountability boils down to a continued revolving door between defense contractors and the government – all amid the talks on how terrible it is to cut the Pentagon budget. Douglas McGregor, a retired US Army colonel, shares his views on the matter.

Obama Campaigns Top Ten Most Audacious Lies And Why Theyre Working

Before we get started, though, I want to back up some because this isn’t meant to only be a har-har top ten list thats fun to read and pass around. What Im trying to do here is make a case for what I believe is the over-arching strategy of the Obama campaign and why I think, at least for now, its working pretty well.

Admittedly, there are all kinds of people much smarter than I out there making the case that Team Obamas primary goal is to disqualify Mitt Romney by portraying him as a rich, venal, out-of-touch corporate raider determined to grab hold of presidential power in order to enslave the middle class. This, I think, is wrong. Those attacks are merely the tools the Obama campaign is using to attain a much bigger and more effective goal

.The real goal of the Obama campaign is to rob Romney of an aura of competence; to disqualify him in the minds of voters by making them believe Romney isnt up to the job of being president. After all, voters will ask themselves consciously and subconsciously, if you cant run a presidential campaign, how can you run the federal government and the military…?

via Obama Campaigns Top Ten Most Audacious Lies And Why Theyre Working