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I thought obama was supposed to be transparent?

IOWA

Mr. Logic Pants
Dec 2, 2009
8,898
2,484
Chicago
Obama Quietly Issues Ruling Saying It's Legal For The FBI To Break The Law On Accessing Phone Records | Techdirt

Following the report earlier this week that the FBI regularly broke the ECPA law, in obtaining information from telcos without going through the proper process (and, in some cases using just a post it note!), some interesting details from the full report have come to light. The two key ones? First, "the Obama administration issued a secret rule almost two weeks ago saying it was legal for the FBI to have skirted federal privacy protections." And, second, the original idea to use these bogus "exigent letters" didn't come from the FBI, but from an AT&T employee. We noted in the original report that no one seemed to be placing any blame on the telcos for allowing this, and why they're clearly abusing the law, in giving out such info without the proper rules being followed, seems like a big question:
The telecom employees were supposed to be responding to National Security Letters, which are essentially FBI-issued subpoenas. But those Patriot Act powers say the target must be part of an open investigation and that a supervisor has to approve it. While they require some paperwork, FBI agents have been issuing about 40,000 such NSLs a year.

But an AT&T employee provided the unit with a way around some of those requirements. The employee introduced them to so-called 'exigent letters.' Those letters, first used immediately following 9/11, asked for information by saying that the request was an emergency and that prosecutors were preparing a grand jury subpoena. The letter falsely promised that the subpoena, which gives the telecoms legal immunity, would be delivered later, the report said.

What's more, the report noted that the cozy relationship between the bureau and the telecoms made it hard to differentiate between the FBI and the nation's phone companies.

"The FBI's use of exigent letters became so casual, routine and unsupervised that employees of all three communication service providers told us that they -- the company employees-- sometimes generated the exigent letters for CAU personnel to sign and return," the inspector general reported.

In fact, one AT&T employee even created a short cut on his desktop to a form letter that he could print out for a requesting FBI agent to sign.

Even that became too much. Agents would request "sneak peeks," where they'd ask if it was worth their time to file a request on a given phone number, the inspector general noted. The telecom agents complied. Soon it graduated to numbers on Post-it notes, in e-mails or just oral requests.
No wonder the telcos were so adamant about getting immunity on the warrantless wiretapping. It appears that the issue of telcos ignoring the rules when it came to your privacy goes pretty deep.

As for Obama issuing a rule saying that breaking the law is legal... how does that work? The president doesn't get to just declare something legal, especially when it clearly violates both the letter and intent of the law.
 
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Your point? After eight years of a presidency in which the principal should have been removed for gross incompetence and his veep for gross felonies, the "Obama transgressions" you fellas come up with make me sleepy.
So you admit that Bush made you want to stomp your little feets, but you would rather take a nap and give your Kenyan a free pass when he does the same or worse. Thanks again for proving my point!
 
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So you admit that Bush made you want to stomp your little feets, but you would rather take a nap and give your Kenyan a free pass when he does the same or worse. Thanks again for proving my point!


You're funnier than a possum eating persimmons...

I doubt in his entire life Obama has done anything negative in a major way that would be the "same or worse" than the incompetencies or crimes perpetrated by the previous administration.

That the far right thinks that or tries to convince others of it only makes the far right look sillier...if that is possible.

You're not really trying to convince, are you? Not really, right?
 
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You're funnier than a possum eating persimmons...

I doubt in his entire life Obama has done anything negative in a major way that would be the "same or worse" than the incompetencies or crimes perpetrated by the previous administration.

That the far right thinks that or tries to convince others of it only makes the far right look sillier...if that is possible.

You're not really trying to convince, are you? Not really, right?
It's always hilarious to see the far lefties run in circles from their dizzying denial to protect their Kenyan!

Remember far left wingnuts screaming about the Patriot Act? Hmm? Your Kenyan supported the Act since he took office, so....

After a lot of huffing and puffing, about the need to add more civil liberties protections to a law already teeming with them, the Democrat-controlled Senate quietly voted to extend the three Patriot Act provisions that would have expired without reauthorization.
crying.gif


And now Obama is making you stomp yours. Get over it.
No because I have faith in what few libs can actually think for themselves and tune out the group-think, hive mind of their fellow far lefties. November is coming....
 
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No because I have faith in what few libs can actually think for themselves and tune out the group-think, hive mind of their fellow far lefties. November is coming....

It's pleasing that the far righties are so angry...it fortifies my belief that the current admin is doing mostly the right things.

In november, the repubs likely will not pick up enough seats to control either house and will be left with only more obstructionism. The republic will still be safe from their machinations.
 
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It's always hilarious to see the far lefties run in circles from their dizzying denial to protect their Kenyan!

Remember far left wingnuts screaming about the Patriot Act? Hmm? Your Kenyan supported the Act since he took office, so....

crying.gif


No because I have faith in what few libs can actually think for themselves and tune out the group-think, hive mind of their fellow far lefties. November is coming....

Oh, but the libs were supposed to just get over it when bush was president?
Like the right wasn't in denial when jr. was in office. You are no better than the people you complain about.
 
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It's pleasing that the far righties are so angry...it fortifies my belief that the current admin is doing mostly the right things.

In november, the repubs likely will not pick up enough seats to control either house and will be left with only more obstructionism. The republic will still be safe from their machinations.
The hate and hostility spewed by lefty wingnuts and their Marxist leaders is what you find good for America. Jesus, that says a lot about you. Nothing good, but it says a lot.

Oh, but the libs were supposed to just get over it when bush was president?
Like the right wasn't in denial when jr. was in office. You are no better than the people you complain about.
You still whining about Bush? Get with the program, your Kenyan is the POTUS and responsible for keeping the Patriot Act in place now. But now you're fine with that. Your party of Hate & Hypocrisy™ knows no bounds.
 
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The hate and hostility spewed by lefty wingnuts and their Marxist leaders is what you find good for America. Jesus, that says a lot about you. Nothing good, but it says a lot.

You still whining about Bush? Get with the program, your Kenyan is the POTUS and responsible for keeping the Patriot Act in place now. But now you're fine with that. Your party of Hate & Hypocrisy™ knows no bounds.


One, I don't read anything in my post that could be considered whining.
Two, I never stated my stance on anything. So, I'm not sure where you got that I now support something I have never supported from. I find it interesting that you now no longer support it now that Obama does though.
I also never stated what party I am part of. For the record, I am part of no party as I support views from both sides.

You come in here spewing hatred, hypocrisy and racist undertones, yet you want to throw that label on some-one else that has done neither.

I'm done feeding the trolls now.
 
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Yep. Sure was a lie. You know, the twin towers thing was all made up.

Iraq was not involved with the twin towers.

As someone who does support Obama, I am disappointed so far in his ability to govern. I am all about giving a guy chances, but he has been timid and his policies (besides the health care bill) has been very similar to Bush Jr. The man is very inspiring when he gives a speech, but after awhiles it is rhetoric. Just so happens his is "happy" rhetoric and Republican uses "doom and gloom" rhetoric. While I understand a single person can't do everything, I am not happy with things that he can control.

But for now, the main advantage Obama has going for him is I feel like pretty much any Republican running for office is downright bad. Sadly though, Democrats are not far behind.
 
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Yep. Sure was a lie. You know, the twin towers thing was all made up.

What was "made up" was the Bush Admin's claims about Iraq's deep involvement in 9-11.

For the Bush Admin, Iraq was a diversion. It couldn't nail Osama or the rest of those involved in 9-11, so it trumped up reasons to invade Iraq. Nothing Obama has done or will do will add up to the deceits of the Bush Admin.
 
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Yep. Sure was a lie. You know, the twin towers thing was all made up.

What was "made up" was the Bush Admin's claims about Iraq's deep involvement in 9-11.

For the Bush Admin, Iraq was a diversion. It couldn't nail Osama or the rest of those involved in 9-11, so it trumped up reasons to invade Iraq. Nothing Obama has done or will do will add up to the deceits of the Bush Admin.

So you'd honestly rather have a guy secretly inching us towards socalism/communism, and slowly trying to take away freedoms promised to us through the us constituion, than go to war with a nation that refuses to help find terrorists?

:lost:

Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.
 
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So you'd honestly rather have a guy secretly inching us towards socalism/communism, and slowly trying to take away freedoms promised to us through the us constituion, than go to war with a nation that refuses to help find terrorists?

:lost:

Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.


Is that the latest right-wing reason for attacking Iraq? That it refused to help us find terrorists? :rolleyes:

Are you asking if I am happier with Obama/Biden than I would have been with McCain/Palin? You betcha.
 
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This is exactly what is wrong with our leaders. I would rather have neither! I'd rather have a competent leader...

Be thankful for Obama/Biden...you might have had Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency. :)

Thankful? Yeah I'm thankful a muslim socialist is president. Yeah, right.

And honestly, I would rather have had neither as well. I'm still supporting robin williams for president. Sadly, we need to pick between the lesser of two evils these days. There is no reason in a presidential race that 4 or 5 or more candidates should be present. Also sadly, it seems the greatest of the two evils won in 2008. It was funny watching the house speaker on CNN get booed off the stage by DEMOCRAT LIBERALS no less regarding the obamacare plan. There is hope after all.


Tapatalk. Samsung Moment. Yep.
 
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