"USA... A Police State?" -- Robert Folsom.. Bill S 3081

Quote from Blotto:

I wonder if there is yet an informal society of prosperous free thinkers who are working behind closed doors on ways and means of avoiding as much as possible the creeping tentacles of The State.

If there isn't, there ought to be. Perhaps there ought to be a group of interested individuals who start working together on planning, pool resources, expertise, etc. Perhaps also research folk like JJ Luna, Bruce Schnier, etc with a view to retaining them as consultants.

Obviously we cannot rely on Joe Public to be sensible, and have little to no chance of stopping the underlying political agenda. The only real chance of living free is to understand the weaknesses in the protocols adopted by those who seek to rule over us. Thankfully what they have in mind is enslaving the average Joe, so there ought to be ways the more intelligent and courageous amongst us can get on. Especially those who are not and will never be employees.

It's like herding cats.

What we really need is a John Galt, V, or Manuel O'Kelly to step up and lead the revolution before it's too late. Maybe that's why I like Libertarian fiction so much... it's the only 'place' where we can actually win.
 
Quote from Rearden Metal:

It's like herding cats.

What we really need is a John Galt, V, or Manuel O'Kelly to step up and lead the revolution before it's too late. Maybe that's why I like Libertarian fiction so much... it's the only 'place' where we can actually win.

Thanks for The Moon. I've not read it yet.

I'm closer to being a Winston Smith or an Eddie Willers - certainly no John Galt. My ambition is getting off the grid rather than saving the world. Libertarian fiction is all we have as the revolution will never come - except in our minds, and how we choose to live our lives.

My only goal is to put enough away that I have no further obligations - from there, emigrate and live as privately as possible while still taking part in activities I find enriching. This feels hollow, but I have no delusions about changing anything.

My only fear is that the looters manage to somehow fuck up trading before I can retire.

Legislation like this and the ID cards thing puts the horrors in me like nothing else on earth. The glib use of torture does not bode well for the future. How long before this is used domestically, as a matter of routine? How long before there are practically no economic freedoms left? All of these regulations forced down from on high in the guise of preventing "money laundering" and "terrorist financing" are nothing more than the foundations for a system of capital controls. A future with no privacy, needing to seek government permission for everything (see validation of ID cards for employment, financial transactions, etc- if the State "accidentally" turn you off, you can't make any transactions). Horrifying.

The worst thing of all is that 99.9% of the population would think you are a kook for talking about any of this. The "nothing to hide" crowd. All kept ignorant and fearful and anxious for their next fix of American Idol (or similar regional equivalents). Our enemy is not corrupt officials, or the state itself, but nearly every person in the world as they cannot think!

Trading truly is a lonely business. I doubt there is a single truly successful trader who has not grasped the implications of this beyond the markets. In working out how the markets are made to work you crack the rest of it too. This is our punishment for having the courage to examine ourselves and ask the difficult questions. I do not complain, as the alternative is ignorance.

Herding cats...sounds like you talk from personal experience...I am sorry
 
Quote from Illum:

This one is introduced by McCain isn't it? Whoever is behind it, probably the biggest traitor in our history.

It is happening today, although I suspect they want to get it in writing. There is a great disconnect today between those governing and the governed. A bad omen for US future.
 
Quote from Scataphagos:

By Robert Folsom
Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:30:00 ET

Suppose the U.S. Senate passed a law which gives the Federal Government the power to do the following to American citizens who are suspected of a crime:


1. Forbid interrogators from telling the person of their right to remain silent.
2. Forbid interrogators from telling the person of their right to legal counsel.
3. Deny the person habeas corpus protection (the government cannot keep a person in custody without charge).
4. Do all the above not only to a person suspected of a crime, but also to a person who may know about a possible future crime.

Note that I began with "Suppose," because the U.S. Senate has not passed such a law. But I know for a fact that the Senate is considering a bill that undeniably will grant the government those powers and more. Senators McCain and Lieberman introduced the legislation early last month (March 4).

Not much information is available about the bill (S 3081), apart from snippets on blogs and websites I've never heard of. You may find my description too outrageous to accept: I understand. I didn't believe it either. That's why I went to the Library of Congress database (THOMAS), found the bill and read the language myself.

Your initial response to such a law may be a loud "Why?" If so please keep reading -- I can at least offer a very plausible explanation regarding "Why now?"

In the interest of accuracy, the bill's title is "Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010" -- in other words, how to treat terrorists. Yet the supposed purpose of a law is one thing, while the actual language may be a different thing indeed.

In this case, the bill's broad language is different from its purpose in the same way the Mississippi River is different from a spring-fed creek. For example:


* "An individual who is suspected...shall not, during interrogation...be informed of any rights...to counsel or to remain silent consistent with Miranda v. Arizona."
* "An individual, including a citizen of the United States...may be detained without criminal charges and without trial..."
* It even says that a citizen can be designated a suspect based on "uch other matters as the President considers appropriate."

You read that right: "Such other matters as the President considers appropriate." Broad enough for you? Why has the mainstream media said virtually nothing? Good question; this bill came to my attention about 10 days ago, and I expected the stuff was surely about to hit the proverbial fan. But it's no more on the radar now than it was then.

Habeas corpus protection is far older than the Constitution, dating from the Magna Carta in 1215. The bill's sponsors are surely aware that much of the language is flagrantly unconstitutional. They introduced it anyway.


+10

The long and plodding march towards a Police State accelerated dramatically since 911.

The end of Habeus, Miranda Rights, and the President a defacto King George empowered to assassinate and disappear any American citizen on a whim, IS Tyranny.

This IS Tyranny.

Then there's the homegrown terrorist act. All this legislation just sets the table. Once passed, and another 911 *conveniently* flies under the radar, that's it. The biggest Gestpo in history will be going door-to-door for us Patriots while the Velvet Glove blitzes TV to scare the shit out of America. "Don't worry. Be Calm. It's all for your safety. The evil American terrorists will hurt you. We need to round them up to protect the Country." Except those terrorists are you. Now you're being rounded up, along with your family. No lawyer. No rights. No charges. You're gone. American Citizens.

This is a nightmare, folks.

A lot of people laughed at guys like me, gnome and ratboy 5 years ago when Bush doubled Government and turned the military apparatia inward, on the American People. Now, Mr Hope and Change flies three sheets to the wind, and sends the Police State Agenda into overdrive.

Look whose behind it. The Executive and Congress. They are setting up a Dictatorship in this Country. Right now. Infront of our eyes.

We're in danger.
 
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