Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Showing posts with label Security vs. Freedom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Security vs. Freedom. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, July 02, 2011
The Bill of Rights - Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Paul gets CPAC crowd on their feet
Paul gets CPAC crowd on their feet – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs
"There is truly a revolution going on in this country. We live in a time where we don't just need a change in attitude and a change in ideas," Paul also said.
"We need to change our philosophy about what this country is all about. " Paul, who ran a quixotic presidential bid in 2008 that caught fire with many fiscal conservatives and libertarians, added the crisis in Egypt is further proof American needs to disentangle from its foreign engagements.
"We need to do a lot less, a lot sooner, not only in Egypt, but around the world," he said. "The people don't like us propping up our dictators no more than we would like it if a foreign country propped up a dictator here."
"We need to change our philosophy about what this country is all about. " Paul, who ran a quixotic presidential bid in 2008 that caught fire with many fiscal conservatives and libertarians, added the crisis in Egypt is further proof American needs to disentangle from its foreign engagements.
"We need to do a lot less, a lot sooner, not only in Egypt, but around the world," he said. "The people don't like us propping up our dictators no more than we would like it if a foreign country propped up a dictator here."
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Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Hizb Ut-Tahrir
Hizb Ut-Tahrir: Shariah Takes Precedence over U.S. Constitution: Imam Promises to Fight "Until Islam Becomes Victorious or We Die in the Attempt" :: The Investigative Project on Terrorism
Oak Lawn, Illinois - Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT), the international movement to re-establish an international Islamic state or Caliphate - kicked off a new campaign to win American recruits Sunday afternoon in this Chicago suburb. Nearly 300 people packed the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel for its Khalifah Conference on "The Fall of Capitalism and the Rise of Islam" to listen to HT ideologues blame capitalism for World War I and World War II; the U.S. subprime mortgage meltdown; the current violence in Iraq and Afghanistan; world poverty and malnutrition and inner-city drug use.
A speaker identified as Abu Atallah even blamed capitalism for the late singer Michael Jackson's decision "to shed his black skin." Hizb ut-Tahrir aims to restore the Caliphate that existed during the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. Turkish leader Kemal Ataturk abolished it in 1924 in an effort to create a secular, Europeanized state.
A speaker identified as Abu Atallah even blamed capitalism for the late singer Michael Jackson's decision "to shed his black skin." Hizb ut-Tahrir aims to restore the Caliphate that existed during the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. Turkish leader Kemal Ataturk abolished it in 1924 in an effort to create a secular, Europeanized state.
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ACLU Blasts Chicago’s Network Of Cameras « CBS Chicago
ACLU Blasts Chicago’s Network Of Cameras « CBS Chicago: "CHICAGO (CBS) – Are Chicago’s blue-light police cameras crime fighters or invasions of privacy?
As CBS 2’s Susanna Song reports, some activists say the cameras are an excuse for Big Brother to keep an eye on people in Chicago.
Blue-light cameras have been strategically placed in high-crime areas since 2003. As a whole, Chicago Police have praised the initiative, and Mayor Richard M. Daley has said it has helped authorities respond more quickly to crimes and helped make thousands of arrests.
When the program first began, many city residents were also praising the blue-light camera system. However, the main complaint for some was that gangs and criminals had transferred their activity from major streets with cameras to side streets without them.
The system has been called the most extensive and integrated camera network of any U.S. city by former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
In the Bucktown neighborhood Tuesday morning, some people still said the cameras are helpful for fighting crime.
“I actually think they keep us safe,” one man said. “So long as no one’s dong anything private in the corner, no one’s invading your privacy. So as long as it’s not in my living room window, it’s OK.”
“There’s no invasion of privacy because it’s obvious that the camera is there,” another man said. “So if everybody knows that the camera is there, why don’t you operate is if the camera is there and don’t do anything illegal.”
But now, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois called for a full review of the cameras – which number at least 10,000 and are at locations from skyscrapers to utility poles – saying city officials won’t release basic information like the exact number, cost and any incidents of misuse.
Those concerns, along with city officials’ plans for expansion, put Chicago a step closer to a Big Brother invasion of privacy, the ACLU alleged.
“Chicago’s camera network invades the freedom to be anonymous in public places, a key aspect of the fundamental American right to be left alone,” the report states. “Each of us then will wonder whether the government is watching and recording us when we walk into a psychiatrist’s office, a reproductive health care center, a political meeting, a theater performance, or a bookstore.”
The network includes private cameras and those installed by city agencies, like the Chicago Transit Authority. While many of the cameras are visible – like those with flashing blue lights affixed to street poles – countless others are unmarked.
City officials have been tight-lipped about how many cameras Chicago has in place, but no one has disputed that there are at least 10,000, including more than 4,000 installed by Chicago Public Schools and at least 1,000 at O’Hare International Airport.
In its report, the ACLU outlined three specific technologies that exceed the powers of ordinary human observation and increase the government’s power to watch the public: zoom, facial recognition capacity and automatic tracking.
“Chicago’s growing camera network is part of an expanding culture of surveillance in America. Combined with other government surveillance technologies, cameras can turn our lives into open books for government scrutiny,” the report says.
“Chicago’s camera network chills and deters lawful expressive activities protected by the First Amendment, like attending a political demonstration in the public way.”
ACLU officials said the city declined to give the group information on the cameras, including a tour of its operation center, statistics on crime and cost estimates. According to the report, surrounding communities have paid hefty sums for cameras; suburban Cicero has 30 cameras which cost $580,000.
The group said that money could be better spent on adding more police officers to Chicago streets, among other things. It added that there has been little research showing the cameras deter crime.
In addition to the moratorium, the agency recommended more public input, regular audits, rules and regulation on who can view the images, public notice before installing a camera and disclosure of any abuse. The report cites cases in other cities where “male camera operators have ogled women.”
Public complaints about the cameras haven’t been widespread and are generally limited to those who get caught for a minor offense or if the cameras fail to record a violent attack.
Authorities say cameras played a prominent role in several high-profile cases. Footage from a city bus camera helped persuade a suspected gang member to plead guilty to shooting a 16-year-old high school student in 2007. Cameras helped police determine that the 2009 death of a school board president was a suicide.
Chicago Police spokeswoman Lt. Maureen Biggane said she had not seen the ACLU report. “The Chicago Police Department is committed to safeguarding the civil liberties of city residents and visitors alike,” she said in a statement.
Only an idiot would expect “privacy” outside of their home these days. The ACLU is a useless group of people with nothing better to do than attack anything that rubs them the wrong way. Why doesn’t the ACLU help out those neighborhoods riddled with crime and gangs?
I’d like to know the arrest conviction rate per dollar spent on the camera program. It’s just another indication that officials aren’t really concerned with the safety of the public, for these cameras do not deter crime. they are only of use following the commission of a crime. More officers on the streets is the better option, and while a uniform certainly can’t be there to stop all crimes, the odds are far better than that of a fixed object.
Over 181,000 arrests in 2009 alone with about 11,500 CPD uniforms. Well over 10,000 cameras and a mere 4,500 arrests in over 4 years. You do the math.
Deterrent?
I know where the cameras on the stoplights in my hometown. I can say with certainty that it is a deterrent for me when the light is yellow… I don’t push that light. I don’t want a ticket in the mail.
Just like a patrolling police officer… their presence is known. The drug dealers and thieves know they stand a higher chance of getting caught with the lights around. Chicago is mainly putting the cameras in higher crime areas… probably areas that police officers (who want to go home to their wives after their shift) are reluctant to patrol due to their safety.
Did the ACLU consult the law-abiding citizens who are affected by the cameras before they got the lawyers involved costing the city much more money than the cameras to begin with? Nope…
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
As CBS 2’s Susanna Song reports, some activists say the cameras are an excuse for Big Brother to keep an eye on people in Chicago.
Blue-light cameras have been strategically placed in high-crime areas since 2003. As a whole, Chicago Police have praised the initiative, and Mayor Richard M. Daley has said it has helped authorities respond more quickly to crimes and helped make thousands of arrests.
When the program first began, many city residents were also praising the blue-light camera system. However, the main complaint for some was that gangs and criminals had transferred their activity from major streets with cameras to side streets without them.
The system has been called the most extensive and integrated camera network of any U.S. city by former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
In the Bucktown neighborhood Tuesday morning, some people still said the cameras are helpful for fighting crime.
“I actually think they keep us safe,” one man said. “So long as no one’s dong anything private in the corner, no one’s invading your privacy. So as long as it’s not in my living room window, it’s OK.”
“There’s no invasion of privacy because it’s obvious that the camera is there,” another man said. “So if everybody knows that the camera is there, why don’t you operate is if the camera is there and don’t do anything illegal.”
But now, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois called for a full review of the cameras – which number at least 10,000 and are at locations from skyscrapers to utility poles – saying city officials won’t release basic information like the exact number, cost and any incidents of misuse.
Those concerns, along with city officials’ plans for expansion, put Chicago a step closer to a Big Brother invasion of privacy, the ACLU alleged.
“Chicago’s camera network invades the freedom to be anonymous in public places, a key aspect of the fundamental American right to be left alone,” the report states. “Each of us then will wonder whether the government is watching and recording us when we walk into a psychiatrist’s office, a reproductive health care center, a political meeting, a theater performance, or a bookstore.”
The network includes private cameras and those installed by city agencies, like the Chicago Transit Authority. While many of the cameras are visible – like those with flashing blue lights affixed to street poles – countless others are unmarked.
City officials have been tight-lipped about how many cameras Chicago has in place, but no one has disputed that there are at least 10,000, including more than 4,000 installed by Chicago Public Schools and at least 1,000 at O’Hare International Airport.
In its report, the ACLU outlined three specific technologies that exceed the powers of ordinary human observation and increase the government’s power to watch the public: zoom, facial recognition capacity and automatic tracking.
“Chicago’s growing camera network is part of an expanding culture of surveillance in America. Combined with other government surveillance technologies, cameras can turn our lives into open books for government scrutiny,” the report says.
“Chicago’s camera network chills and deters lawful expressive activities protected by the First Amendment, like attending a political demonstration in the public way.”
ACLU officials said the city declined to give the group information on the cameras, including a tour of its operation center, statistics on crime and cost estimates. According to the report, surrounding communities have paid hefty sums for cameras; suburban Cicero has 30 cameras which cost $580,000.
The group said that money could be better spent on adding more police officers to Chicago streets, among other things. It added that there has been little research showing the cameras deter crime.
In addition to the moratorium, the agency recommended more public input, regular audits, rules and regulation on who can view the images, public notice before installing a camera and disclosure of any abuse. The report cites cases in other cities where “male camera operators have ogled women.”
Public complaints about the cameras haven’t been widespread and are generally limited to those who get caught for a minor offense or if the cameras fail to record a violent attack.
Authorities say cameras played a prominent role in several high-profile cases. Footage from a city bus camera helped persuade a suspected gang member to plead guilty to shooting a 16-year-old high school student in 2007. Cameras helped police determine that the 2009 death of a school board president was a suicide.
Chicago Police spokeswoman Lt. Maureen Biggane said she had not seen the ACLU report. “The Chicago Police Department is committed to safeguarding the civil liberties of city residents and visitors alike,” she said in a statement.
Only an idiot would expect “privacy” outside of their home these days. The ACLU is a useless group of people with nothing better to do than attack anything that rubs them the wrong way. Why doesn’t the ACLU help out those neighborhoods riddled with crime and gangs?
I’d like to know the arrest conviction rate per dollar spent on the camera program. It’s just another indication that officials aren’t really concerned with the safety of the public, for these cameras do not deter crime. they are only of use following the commission of a crime. More officers on the streets is the better option, and while a uniform certainly can’t be there to stop all crimes, the odds are far better than that of a fixed object.
Over 181,000 arrests in 2009 alone with about 11,500 CPD uniforms. Well over 10,000 cameras and a mere 4,500 arrests in over 4 years. You do the math.
Deterrent?
I know where the cameras on the stoplights in my hometown. I can say with certainty that it is a deterrent for me when the light is yellow… I don’t push that light. I don’t want a ticket in the mail.
Just like a patrolling police officer… their presence is known. The drug dealers and thieves know they stand a higher chance of getting caught with the lights around. Chicago is mainly putting the cameras in higher crime areas… probably areas that police officers (who want to go home to their wives after their shift) are reluctant to patrol due to their safety.
Did the ACLU consult the law-abiding citizens who are affected by the cameras before they got the lawyers involved costing the city much more money than the cameras to begin with? Nope…
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Friday, February 04, 2011
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
State of the State: Brown cites unrest in Egypt to make his case for budget vote| PolitiCal | Los Angeles Times
State of the State: Brown cites unrest in Egypt to make his case for budget vote| PolitiCal | Los Angeles Times
Jerry brown Citing the pro-democracy unrest in Egypt and Tunisia, called it "unconscionable" that GOP legislators are vowing to block his attempt to ask voters to extend tax hikes to balance the budget. "When democratic ideals and calls for the right to vote are stirring the imagination of young people in Egypt and Tunisia and other parts of the world, we in California can't say now is the time to block a vote of the people," Brown said in his first State of the State address in nearly 30 years. He said the budget has tough choices but that the people "have a right to vote" on the package. He challenged both parties to take the difficult votes necessary to balance the budget.
Jerry brown Citing the pro-democracy unrest in Egypt and Tunisia, called it "unconscionable" that GOP legislators are vowing to block his attempt to ask voters to extend tax hikes to balance the budget. "When democratic ideals and calls for the right to vote are stirring the imagination of young people in Egypt and Tunisia and other parts of the world, we in California can't say now is the time to block a vote of the people," Brown said in his first State of the State address in nearly 30 years. He said the budget has tough choices but that the people "have a right to vote" on the package. He challenged both parties to take the difficult votes necessary to balance the budget.
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Record Food Prices Causing Africa Riots Stoking U.S. - Businessweek
Record Food Prices Causing Africa Riots Stoking U.S. - Businessweek
Jan. 18 (Bloomberg) -- The same record food prices causing riots in Algeria and export bans in India are allowing President Barack Obama to combine the biggest-ever U.S. farm exports with the tamest inflation since the 1960s. Global food costs jumped 25 percent last year to an all- time high in December, according to the United Nations. Countries probably spent at least $1 trillion on imports, with the poorest paying as much as 20 percent more than in 2009, the UN says.
In the U.S., the largest exporter, retail food rose 1.5 percent last year and will gain as little as 2 percent in 2011, the Department of Agriculture estimates. Governments from Beijing to Belgrade are boosting imports, limiting sales or releasing stockpiles to curb food inflation. Higher prices will push U.S. agricultural exports up 16 percent to a record $126.5 billion this year, according to a USDA forecast.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Egypt Shows How Easily Internet Can Be Silenced - CNBC
Egypt Shows How Easily Internet Can Be Silenced - CNBC: "The move by Egyptian authorities to seal off the country almost entirely from the Internet shows how easily a state can isolate its people when telecoms providers are few and compliant.
In an attempt to stop the frenzied online spread of dissent against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule, not only Facebook and Twitter but the entire Internet was shut down overnight, leaving some 20 million users stranded.
Daniel Karrenberg, chief scientist at RIPE NCC, a European not-for-profit Internet infrastructure forum, says immature markets with few providers can achieve such shutdowns relatively easily.
'The more simple the topology is and the fewer Internet services providers there are, the easier it is for any government or the telco themselves to control access into any geographical area,' he said.
'If you have a relatively diverse telecoms market and a very much meshed Internet topology then it's much more difficult to do than if you have the traditional telecoms structure of two decades ago and they control all the international connections. Obviously that creates a choke point,' he said.
Despite the rapid transformation of the Web during its short history, and the unprecedented freedom of expression it has enabled, the Internet still has vulnerable points that can be exploited by governments or for commercial interests.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
In an attempt to stop the frenzied online spread of dissent against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule, not only Facebook and Twitter but the entire Internet was shut down overnight, leaving some 20 million users stranded.
Daniel Karrenberg, chief scientist at RIPE NCC, a European not-for-profit Internet infrastructure forum, says immature markets with few providers can achieve such shutdowns relatively easily.
'The more simple the topology is and the fewer Internet services providers there are, the easier it is for any government or the telco themselves to control access into any geographical area,' he said.
'If you have a relatively diverse telecoms market and a very much meshed Internet topology then it's much more difficult to do than if you have the traditional telecoms structure of two decades ago and they control all the international connections. Obviously that creates a choke point,' he said.
Despite the rapid transformation of the Web during its short history, and the unprecedented freedom of expression it has enabled, the Internet still has vulnerable points that can be exploited by governments or for commercial interests.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Renewed Push to Give Obama an Internet "Kill Switch" - Tech Talk - CBS News
Renewed Push to Give Obama an Internet "Kill Switch" - Tech Talk - CBS News: "A controversial bill handing President Obama power over privately owned computer systems during a 'national cyberemergency,' and prohibiting any review by the court system, will return this year.
Internet companies should not be alarmed by the legislation, first introduced last summer by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), a Senate aide said last week. Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
'We're not trying to mandate any requirements for the entire Internet, the entire Internet backbone,' said Brandon Milhorn, Republican staff director and counsel for the committee.
Instead, Milhorn said at a conference in Washington, D.C., the point of the proposal is to assert governmental control only over those 'crucial components that form our nation's critical infrastructure.'
Portions of the Lieberman-Collins bill, which was not uniformly well-received when it became public in June 2010, became even more restrictive when a Senate committee approved a modified version on December 15. The full Senate did not act on the measure.
The revised version includes new language saying that the federal government's designation of vital Internet or other computer systems 'shall not be subject to judicial review.' Another addition expanded the definition of critical infrastructure to include 'provider of information technology,' and a third authorized the submission of 'classified' reports on security vulnerabilities.
The idea of creating what some critics have called an Internet 'kill switch' that the president could flip in an emergency is not exactly new.
A draft Senate proposal that CNET obtained in August 2009 authorized the White House to 'declare a cybersecurity emergency,' and another from Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) would have explicitly given the government the power to 'order the disconnection' of certain networks or Web sites. House Democrats have taken a similar approach in their own proposals.
Lieberman, who recently announced he would not seek re-election in 2012, said last year that enactment of his bill needed to be a top congressional priority. 'For all of its 'user-friendly' allure, the Internet can also be a dangerous place with electronic pipelines that run directly into everything from our personal bank accounts to key infrastructure to government and industrial secrets,' he said.
Civil libertarians and some industry representatives have repeatedly raised concerns about the various proposals to give the executive branch such broad emergency power. On the other hand, as Lieberman and Collins have highlighted before, some companies, including Microsoft, Verizon, and EMC Corporation, have said positive things about the initial version of the bill.
But last month's rewrite that bans courts from reviewing executive branch decrees has given companies new reason to worry. 'Judicial review is our main concern,' said Steve DelBianco, director of the NetChoice coalition, which includes eBay, Oracle, Verisign, and Yahoo as members. 'A designation of critical information infrastructure brings with it huge obligations for upgrades and compliance.'
In some cases, DelBianco said, a company may have a 'good-faith disagreement' with the government's ruling and would want to seek court review. 'The country we're seeking to protect is a country that respects the right of any individual to have their day in court,' he said. 'Yet this bill would deny that day in court to the owner of infrastructure.'
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Internet companies should not be alarmed by the legislation, first introduced last summer by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), a Senate aide said last week. Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, is chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
'We're not trying to mandate any requirements for the entire Internet, the entire Internet backbone,' said Brandon Milhorn, Republican staff director and counsel for the committee.
Instead, Milhorn said at a conference in Washington, D.C., the point of the proposal is to assert governmental control only over those 'crucial components that form our nation's critical infrastructure.'
Portions of the Lieberman-Collins bill, which was not uniformly well-received when it became public in June 2010, became even more restrictive when a Senate committee approved a modified version on December 15. The full Senate did not act on the measure.
The revised version includes new language saying that the federal government's designation of vital Internet or other computer systems 'shall not be subject to judicial review.' Another addition expanded the definition of critical infrastructure to include 'provider of information technology,' and a third authorized the submission of 'classified' reports on security vulnerabilities.
The idea of creating what some critics have called an Internet 'kill switch' that the president could flip in an emergency is not exactly new.
A draft Senate proposal that CNET obtained in August 2009 authorized the White House to 'declare a cybersecurity emergency,' and another from Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) would have explicitly given the government the power to 'order the disconnection' of certain networks or Web sites. House Democrats have taken a similar approach in their own proposals.
Lieberman, who recently announced he would not seek re-election in 2012, said last year that enactment of his bill needed to be a top congressional priority. 'For all of its 'user-friendly' allure, the Internet can also be a dangerous place with electronic pipelines that run directly into everything from our personal bank accounts to key infrastructure to government and industrial secrets,' he said.
Civil libertarians and some industry representatives have repeatedly raised concerns about the various proposals to give the executive branch such broad emergency power. On the other hand, as Lieberman and Collins have highlighted before, some companies, including Microsoft, Verizon, and EMC Corporation, have said positive things about the initial version of the bill.
But last month's rewrite that bans courts from reviewing executive branch decrees has given companies new reason to worry. 'Judicial review is our main concern,' said Steve DelBianco, director of the NetChoice coalition, which includes eBay, Oracle, Verisign, and Yahoo as members. 'A designation of critical information infrastructure brings with it huge obligations for upgrades and compliance.'
In some cases, DelBianco said, a company may have a 'good-faith disagreement' with the government's ruling and would want to seek court review. 'The country we're seeking to protect is a country that respects the right of any individual to have their day in court,' he said. 'Yet this bill would deny that day in court to the owner of infrastructure.'
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Obama to Push New Spending in State of the Union - WSJ.com
Obama to Push New Spending in State of the Union - WSJ.com: "President Barack Obama will call for new government spending on infrastructure, education and research in his State of the Union address Tuesday, sharpening his response to Republicans in Congress who are demanding deep budget cuts, people familiar with the speech said.
Mr. Obama will argue that the U.S., even while trying to reduce its budget deficit, must make targeted investments to foster job growth and boost U.S. competitiveness in the world economy. The new spending could include initiatives aimed at building the renewable-energy sector—which received billions of dollars in stimulus funding—and rebuilding roads to improve transportation, people familiar with the matter said. Money to restructure the No Child Left Behind law's testing mandates and institute more competitive grants also could be included.
While proposing new spending, Mr. Obama also will lay out significant budget cuts elsewhere, people familiar with the plans say, though they will likely fall short of what Republican lawmakers have requested.
In arguing that U.S. competitiveness is at stake, Mr. Obama plans to use his nationally televised speech to try to frame the spending debate with Republicans that is expected to dominate Congress in the coming months. 'We seek to do everything we can to spur hiring and ensure our nation can compete with anybody on the planet,' Mr. Obama said Friday after touring a General Electric Co. plant in Schenectady, N.Y. He cited clean-energy manufacturing, infrastructure and education as keys to competitiveness.
Previewing the expected theme of his speech, Mr. Obama on Friday appointed GE Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt to lead a new President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.
Commenting on the new advisory panel, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said that unless its 'first recommendations are to reverse the damage the policies of the last two years have done to the business climate, job creation and the exploding national debt, I fear it will do more to create good public relations for the White House than good jobs for struggling Americans.'
Republicans are casting the White House's pivot toward competitiveness as an excuse for bigger government and more spending. They say a surge in federal spending and a $1.3 trillion budget deficit are impeding job creation, and dramatic spending cuts are needed immediately.
In the House, Republicans are pushing to cut $100 billion from the annual budget as soon as this year. A coalition of House Republicans proposed Thursday cutting $2.5 trillion in spending over a decade, pushing nondefense discretionary spending down to 2006 levels for 10 years.
'Today's the day we finally stop kicking the can down the road,' Rep. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.) said as the proposal was introduced Thursday.
White House officials have said that spending cuts of the magnitude proposed by Republicans could stall the economic recovery. Still, Mr. Obama is expected to pair his calls for investment with an admonition that the country must embark on targeted spending cuts. Late last year, he called for a two-year wage freeze for all federal civilian employees to save $5 billion. He's expected to push for spending cuts on Tuesday, particularly in duplicative or dysfunctional federal programs.
Details of those cuts couldn't be learned Friday evening. Programs he has gone after in the past include agricultural subsidies, defense programs such as C-17 military transport planes, and an alternate engine for the Pentagon's Joint Strike Fighter.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Mr. Obama will argue that the U.S., even while trying to reduce its budget deficit, must make targeted investments to foster job growth and boost U.S. competitiveness in the world economy. The new spending could include initiatives aimed at building the renewable-energy sector—which received billions of dollars in stimulus funding—and rebuilding roads to improve transportation, people familiar with the matter said. Money to restructure the No Child Left Behind law's testing mandates and institute more competitive grants also could be included.
While proposing new spending, Mr. Obama also will lay out significant budget cuts elsewhere, people familiar with the plans say, though they will likely fall short of what Republican lawmakers have requested.
In arguing that U.S. competitiveness is at stake, Mr. Obama plans to use his nationally televised speech to try to frame the spending debate with Republicans that is expected to dominate Congress in the coming months. 'We seek to do everything we can to spur hiring and ensure our nation can compete with anybody on the planet,' Mr. Obama said Friday after touring a General Electric Co. plant in Schenectady, N.Y. He cited clean-energy manufacturing, infrastructure and education as keys to competitiveness.
Previewing the expected theme of his speech, Mr. Obama on Friday appointed GE Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt to lead a new President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.
Commenting on the new advisory panel, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said that unless its 'first recommendations are to reverse the damage the policies of the last two years have done to the business climate, job creation and the exploding national debt, I fear it will do more to create good public relations for the White House than good jobs for struggling Americans.'
Republicans are casting the White House's pivot toward competitiveness as an excuse for bigger government and more spending. They say a surge in federal spending and a $1.3 trillion budget deficit are impeding job creation, and dramatic spending cuts are needed immediately.
In the House, Republicans are pushing to cut $100 billion from the annual budget as soon as this year. A coalition of House Republicans proposed Thursday cutting $2.5 trillion in spending over a decade, pushing nondefense discretionary spending down to 2006 levels for 10 years.
'Today's the day we finally stop kicking the can down the road,' Rep. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.) said as the proposal was introduced Thursday.
White House officials have said that spending cuts of the magnitude proposed by Republicans could stall the economic recovery. Still, Mr. Obama is expected to pair his calls for investment with an admonition that the country must embark on targeted spending cuts. Late last year, he called for a two-year wage freeze for all federal civilian employees to save $5 billion. He's expected to push for spending cuts on Tuesday, particularly in duplicative or dysfunctional federal programs.
Details of those cuts couldn't be learned Friday evening. Programs he has gone after in the past include agricultural subsidies, defense programs such as C-17 military transport planes, and an alternate engine for the Pentagon's Joint Strike Fighter.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Thursday, January 20, 2011
How the Happy Meal ban explains San Francisco - Page 1 - News - San Francisco - SF Weekly
How the Happy Meal ban explains San Francisco - Page 1 - News - San Francisco - SF Weekly: "In August 2010, San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar decided that city intervention was needed to help him raise his daughter.
As Mar later told reporters, he was shocked to discover a trove of toys from McDonald's Happy Meals stashed in her room. Mar was the one taking his daughter to McDonald's and buying the food — but he said that the 'pester power' of a preteen was simply too much for him to withstand on his own. So he proposed that the city ban restaurants from including toys with meals of more than 600 calories that lack agreed-upon amounts of fruits and vegetables.
Mar's 'Healthy Meal Incentive Ordinance' subsequently passed in November by an 8-3 vote in the Board of Supervisors — a veto-proof majority. Barring legal action, the Happy Meal as we know it will be verboten in San Francisco come Dec. 1. Eric Mar's daughter has been saved.
Both conservative blowhard Bill O'Reilly and left-leaning comedian Lewis Black — and many, many people in-between — were left to wonder 'What the hell?' in the wake of San Francisco's ban. It's not the first time. In recent years, San Francisco government has passed numerous laws to make us healthier, greener, and — in the city's eyes — all-around better people. Whether we like it or not. This includes banning the sale of cigarettes in drugstores, and, later, supermarkets; banning plastic bags in large chain stores; banning bottled water in City Hall, and the sale of soft drinks on government property; banning the declawing of cats; making composting mandatory; and forbidding city departments from doing business with companies that were involved in the (pre–Civil War) slave trade, yet haven't publicly atoned.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
As Mar later told reporters, he was shocked to discover a trove of toys from McDonald's Happy Meals stashed in her room. Mar was the one taking his daughter to McDonald's and buying the food — but he said that the 'pester power' of a preteen was simply too much for him to withstand on his own. So he proposed that the city ban restaurants from including toys with meals of more than 600 calories that lack agreed-upon amounts of fruits and vegetables.
Mar's 'Healthy Meal Incentive Ordinance' subsequently passed in November by an 8-3 vote in the Board of Supervisors — a veto-proof majority. Barring legal action, the Happy Meal as we know it will be verboten in San Francisco come Dec. 1. Eric Mar's daughter has been saved.
Both conservative blowhard Bill O'Reilly and left-leaning comedian Lewis Black — and many, many people in-between — were left to wonder 'What the hell?' in the wake of San Francisco's ban. It's not the first time. In recent years, San Francisco government has passed numerous laws to make us healthier, greener, and — in the city's eyes — all-around better people. Whether we like it or not. This includes banning the sale of cigarettes in drugstores, and, later, supermarkets; banning plastic bags in large chain stores; banning bottled water in City Hall, and the sale of soft drinks on government property; banning the declawing of cats; making composting mandatory; and forbidding city departments from doing business with companies that were involved in the (pre–Civil War) slave trade, yet haven't publicly atoned.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Monday, January 17, 2011
Oil price over $100 'not unrealistic': Iran
Oil price over $100 'not unrealistic': Iran: "Oil prices crossing the 100 dollars a barrel mark is possible but would not merit an emergency meeting of OPEC, Iran's Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi who currently heads the cartel said on Sunday.
'The price of 100 dollars is not unrealistic in this situation,' Mirkazemi told reporters.
'Even if the oil price crosses 100 dollars a barrel there is no need for an emergency OPEC meeting. Some OPEC members believe there is no need for an emergency meeting even if oil reaches 110 or 120 dollars a barrel.'
At the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of light sweet crude for delivery in February closed at 91.54 dollars on Friday.
The rise in global oil prices has been attributed to a harsh winter hitting Europe and parts of North America, as well as growth in China and other developing nations.
The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries has said speculation was also fuelling the price rise.
At its last meeting at Quito, the 12-nation cartel decided to leave production quotas unchanged, stressing the looming risks to the fragile global economic recovery.
Some OPEC members -- Iran, Venezuela and Libya -- were urging higher prices at Quito to above 100 dollars a barrel to offset what they said were rising production costs.
But OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia differed, saying between 70 and 80 dollars a barrel was a 'fair price.'
Iran took over the cartel's rotating presidency from January 1, the first time in 36 years that Tehran holds the leadership of the cartel which accounts for 40 percent of world output.
Mirkazemi also announced that Iran has discovered a new onshore gas field with reserves valued at 50 billion dollars east of Assaluyeh on the Gulf.
'It has 260 billion cubic metres (9.18 trillion cubic feet) of gas, of which 210 (billion) can be exploited, which is about 24 million cubic metres per day,' the minister said.
Iran is OPEC's second largest crude exporter and holds the world's second largest gas reserves.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
'The price of 100 dollars is not unrealistic in this situation,' Mirkazemi told reporters.
'Even if the oil price crosses 100 dollars a barrel there is no need for an emergency OPEC meeting. Some OPEC members believe there is no need for an emergency meeting even if oil reaches 110 or 120 dollars a barrel.'
At the New York Mercantile Exchange, a barrel of light sweet crude for delivery in February closed at 91.54 dollars on Friday.
The rise in global oil prices has been attributed to a harsh winter hitting Europe and parts of North America, as well as growth in China and other developing nations.
The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries has said speculation was also fuelling the price rise.
At its last meeting at Quito, the 12-nation cartel decided to leave production quotas unchanged, stressing the looming risks to the fragile global economic recovery.
Some OPEC members -- Iran, Venezuela and Libya -- were urging higher prices at Quito to above 100 dollars a barrel to offset what they said were rising production costs.
But OPEC heavyweight Saudi Arabia differed, saying between 70 and 80 dollars a barrel was a 'fair price.'
Iran took over the cartel's rotating presidency from January 1, the first time in 36 years that Tehran holds the leadership of the cartel which accounts for 40 percent of world output.
Mirkazemi also announced that Iran has discovered a new onshore gas field with reserves valued at 50 billion dollars east of Assaluyeh on the Gulf.
'It has 260 billion cubic metres (9.18 trillion cubic feet) of gas, of which 210 (billion) can be exploited, which is about 24 million cubic metres per day,' the minister said.
Iran is OPEC's second largest crude exporter and holds the world's second largest gas reserves.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Could Your Pension be seized?
European nations begin seizing private pensions - CSMonitor.com:
Could this ever happen in the USA?
"People’s retirement savings are a convenient source of revenue for governments that don’t want to reduce spending or make privatizations. As most pension schemes in Europe are organised by the state, European ministers of finance have a facilitated access to the savings accumulated there, and it is only logical that they try to get a hold of this money for their own ends. In recent weeks I have noted five such attempts: Three situations concern private personal savings; two others refer to national funds.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Could this ever happen in the USA?
"People’s retirement savings are a convenient source of revenue for governments that don’t want to reduce spending or make privatizations. As most pension schemes in Europe are organised by the state, European ministers of finance have a facilitated access to the savings accumulated there, and it is only logical that they try to get a hold of this money for their own ends. In recent weeks I have noted five such attempts: Three situations concern private personal savings; two others refer to national funds.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Obama ready to deploy executive powers against GOP Hill | Washington Examiner
Obama ready to deploy executive powers against GOP Hill | Washington Examiner: "President Obama challenged congressional Republicans to embrace the 'shared responsibility' of governance even as the White House appears ready to use unilateral executive powers to battle Capitol Hill. With Republicans taking over the House and increasing their number in the Senate, Obama faces the possibility of having his agenda stalled with limited room to maneuver -- making for tough sledding in the two years leading up to his 2012 re-election bid.
In response, Obama is expected to make more frequent use of executive orders, vetoes, signing statements and policy initiatives that originate within the federal agencies to maneuver around congressional Republicans who are threatening to derail initiatives he has already put in place, including health care reforms, and to launch serial investigations into his administration's spending.
'There is going to be an effort on the president's part to use [executive powers] to satisfy his base and institutionalize what he can,' said John Kenneth White, professor of politics at the Catholic University of America.
This week, the Environmental Protection Agency begins regulating greenhouse gas emissions at some energy plants and factories -- a move Obama pushed for after his cap-and-trade environmental legislation stalled in Congress.
The move angered many Republicans, who are vowing to block the new regulations they say threatens the nation's fragile economic recovery and who objected to an end-run around the legislative process.
'It's unclear what recourse Republicans have, but I think you will see a lot of battles where Obama's nominees are held up over regulatory decisions that are not directly related,' said Matt Mackowiak, a Republican strategist and former Senate staffer. 'The legislative branch really feels they should control the laws that affect people.'
Obama said during his 2008 campaign that he wouldn't use signing statements, codicils presidents can attach to bills challenging
or refusing to enforce parts of a law, the way his predecessor, President George W. Bush, did. But since taking office, Obama issued signing statements on budgetary matters, foreign aid, commission appointments and more -- along with a memorandum promising to use 'restraint' whenever exercising that power.
The administration defended Obama's use of such powers, including making recess appointments, as a proper exercise of his authority and often as a response to Republican obstructionism. On signing statements, press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama used them to highlight 'what problems might be inherent in a piece of legislation, without asking that the federal government disallow or ignore congressional intent.'
Obama also hasn't hesitated to make policy through executive order, including freezing federal workers' pay, launching an investigation of the BP oil spill and cracking down on Somali outlaws.
'He is the manager in chief, and things like signing statements and however you thwart the will of Congress, sure -- there are lots of things that go on other than passing new laws and giving out money that are all part of managing this incredible enterprise,' said Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution expert on the presidency.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
In response, Obama is expected to make more frequent use of executive orders, vetoes, signing statements and policy initiatives that originate within the federal agencies to maneuver around congressional Republicans who are threatening to derail initiatives he has already put in place, including health care reforms, and to launch serial investigations into his administration's spending.
'There is going to be an effort on the president's part to use [executive powers] to satisfy his base and institutionalize what he can,' said John Kenneth White, professor of politics at the Catholic University of America.
This week, the Environmental Protection Agency begins regulating greenhouse gas emissions at some energy plants and factories -- a move Obama pushed for after his cap-and-trade environmental legislation stalled in Congress.
The move angered many Republicans, who are vowing to block the new regulations they say threatens the nation's fragile economic recovery and who objected to an end-run around the legislative process.
'It's unclear what recourse Republicans have, but I think you will see a lot of battles where Obama's nominees are held up over regulatory decisions that are not directly related,' said Matt Mackowiak, a Republican strategist and former Senate staffer. 'The legislative branch really feels they should control the laws that affect people.'
Obama said during his 2008 campaign that he wouldn't use signing statements, codicils presidents can attach to bills challenging
or refusing to enforce parts of a law, the way his predecessor, President George W. Bush, did. But since taking office, Obama issued signing statements on budgetary matters, foreign aid, commission appointments and more -- along with a memorandum promising to use 'restraint' whenever exercising that power.
The administration defended Obama's use of such powers, including making recess appointments, as a proper exercise of his authority and often as a response to Republican obstructionism. On signing statements, press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama used them to highlight 'what problems might be inherent in a piece of legislation, without asking that the federal government disallow or ignore congressional intent.'
Obama also hasn't hesitated to make policy through executive order, including freezing federal workers' pay, launching an investigation of the BP oil spill and cracking down on Somali outlaws.
'He is the manager in chief, and things like signing statements and however you thwart the will of Congress, sure -- there are lots of things that go on other than passing new laws and giving out money that are all part of managing this incredible enterprise,' said Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution expert on the presidency.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Monday, January 03, 2011
At Inaugurations, Governors Warn of Tough Times - WSJ.com
At Inaugurations, Governors Warn of Tough Times - WSJ.com: "Fresh Starts
26 new governors are taking the reins following November's elections, in which Republicans picked up 11 statehouses for a total of 29 governorships.
Inaugurated Dec. 6:
* Hawaii: Neil Abercrombie (D)
Jan. 1
* Michigan: Rick Snyder (R)
* N.M.: Susana Martinez (R)
* N.Y. : Andrew Cuomo (D)
Jan. 3
* California: Jerry Brown (D)
* Minnesota: Mark Dayton (D)
* Nevada: Brian Sandoval (R)
* Wisconsin: Scott Walker (R)
* Wyoming: Matt Mead (R)
Jan. 4
* Florida: Rick Scott (R)
* Rhode Island: Lincoln Chafee (I)
Jan. 5
* Connecticut: Dan Malloy (D)
* Maine: Paul LePage (R)
Jan. 6
* Vermont: Peter Shumlin (D)
Jan. 8
* S. Dakota: Dennis Daugaard (R)
Jan. 10
* Georgia: Nathan Deal (R)
* Kansas: Sam Brownback (R)
* Ohio: John Kasich (R)
* Oklahoma: Mary Fallin (R)
* Oregon: John Kitzhaber (D)
Jan. 11
* Colorado: John Hickenlooper (D)
Jan. 12
* S. Carolina: Nikki Haley (R)
Jan. 14
* Iowa: Terry Branstad (R)
Jan. 15
* Tennessee: Bill Haslam (R)
Jan. 17
* Alabama: Robert Bentley (R)
Jan. 18
* Pennsylvania: Tom Corbett (R)
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
26 new governors are taking the reins following November's elections, in which Republicans picked up 11 statehouses for a total of 29 governorships.
Inaugurated Dec. 6:
* Hawaii: Neil Abercrombie (D)
Jan. 1
* Michigan: Rick Snyder (R)
* N.M.: Susana Martinez (R)
* N.Y. : Andrew Cuomo (D)
Jan. 3
* California: Jerry Brown (D)
* Minnesota: Mark Dayton (D)
* Nevada: Brian Sandoval (R)
* Wisconsin: Scott Walker (R)
* Wyoming: Matt Mead (R)
Jan. 4
* Florida: Rick Scott (R)
* Rhode Island: Lincoln Chafee (I)
Jan. 5
* Connecticut: Dan Malloy (D)
* Maine: Paul LePage (R)
Jan. 6
* Vermont: Peter Shumlin (D)
Jan. 8
* S. Dakota: Dennis Daugaard (R)
Jan. 10
* Georgia: Nathan Deal (R)
* Kansas: Sam Brownback (R)
* Ohio: John Kasich (R)
* Oklahoma: Mary Fallin (R)
* Oregon: John Kitzhaber (D)
Jan. 11
* Colorado: John Hickenlooper (D)
Jan. 12
* S. Carolina: Nikki Haley (R)
Jan. 14
* Iowa: Terry Branstad (R)
Jan. 15
* Tennessee: Bill Haslam (R)
Jan. 17
* Alabama: Robert Bentley (R)
Jan. 18
* Pennsylvania: Tom Corbett (R)
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Hey, Congress: Keep Your Day Jobs : NPR
Hey, Congress: Keep Your Day Jobs : NPR: "Next week, hordes of conservative Republican lawmakers will descend on Washington to take their seats in the freshman class of the 112th Congress. But some prominent conservatives suggest the best thing lawmakers can do to fix Capitol Hill is to stay the heck away from it.
'We used to pay farmers not to grow crops. Let's pay congressmen to stay out of Washington, D.C.,' Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal recently told Human Events. In a new book, Jindal makes a serious case for a return to a part-time Congress, among other things. He argues that once elected, lawmakers who once promised to change Washington 'become part of the problem' and turn into a 'permanent governing political class.'
His solution? 'Make them part-time, give them term limits. Don't let them become lobbyists. When they have to live under the same rules and laws they pass for the rest of us, maybe you'd see some more common sense coming out of Washington, D.C.'
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
'We used to pay farmers not to grow crops. Let's pay congressmen to stay out of Washington, D.C.,' Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal recently told Human Events. In a new book, Jindal makes a serious case for a return to a part-time Congress, among other things. He argues that once elected, lawmakers who once promised to change Washington 'become part of the problem' and turn into a 'permanent governing political class.'
His solution? 'Make them part-time, give them term limits. Don't let them become lobbyists. When they have to live under the same rules and laws they pass for the rest of us, maybe you'd see some more common sense coming out of Washington, D.C.'
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
China has carrier-killer missile, U.S. admiral says - Washington Times
China has carrier-killer missile, U.S. admiral says - Washington Times: "China's military is deploying a new anti-ship ballistic missile that can sink U.S. aircraft carriers, a weapon that specialists say gives Beijing new power-projection capabilities that will affect U.S. support for its Pacific allies.
Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, disclosed to a Japanese newspaper on Sunday that the new anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is now in the early stages of deployment after having undergone extensive testing.
'An analogy using a Western term would be 'initial operational capability (IOC),' whereby I think China would perceive that it has an operational capability now, but they continue to develop it,' Adm. Willard told the Asahi Shimbun. 'I would gauge it as about the equivalent of a U.S. system that has achieved IOC.'
The four-star admiral, who has been an outspoken skeptic of China's claims that its large-scale military buildup is peaceful, said the U.S. deployment assessment is based on China's press reports and continued testing.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Adm. Robert F. Willard, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, disclosed to a Japanese newspaper on Sunday that the new anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is now in the early stages of deployment after having undergone extensive testing.
'An analogy using a Western term would be 'initial operational capability (IOC),' whereby I think China would perceive that it has an operational capability now, but they continue to develop it,' Adm. Willard told the Asahi Shimbun. 'I would gauge it as about the equivalent of a U.S. system that has achieved IOC.'
The four-star admiral, who has been an outspoken skeptic of China's claims that its large-scale military buildup is peaceful, said the U.S. deployment assessment is based on China's press reports and continued testing.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Metro begins random bag searches | Washington Examiner
Metro begins random bag searches | Washington Examiner: "Metro kicked off tighter security controls Tuesday, beginning randomized searches of riders' bags at two stations during the morning commute.
The first screenings, typically running well under a minute each, lasted for an hour at the Green Line's College Park station and Braddock Road stop on the Yellow/Blue lines in Alexandria.
No explosives were found, and no terrorist suspects were arrested, according to spokeswoman Cathy Asato. 'It went off as intended,' she said.
Metro started the searches five days after announcing the new policy -- and the same day a defective bomb was found in Rome's subway. But Metro officials said the timing was merely coincidental. They also have denied any connection to the recent arrests of two men accused of threatening Metro.
It is not clear when, where or how often more searches will occur as the transit agency does not plan to announce them. Metro officials had alerted media about Tuesday's screenings in advance on the condition the information not be published until they began.
Opposition to them is mounting. The local branches of the American Civil Liberties Union are questioning their constitutionality. The D.C. Bill of Rights Coalition and the Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition posted an online petition, saying the searches attack riders' civil liberties. And Metro's Riders' Advisory Council, which opposed such searches two years ago, plans to host a Jan. 3 public forum.
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Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
The first screenings, typically running well under a minute each, lasted for an hour at the Green Line's College Park station and Braddock Road stop on the Yellow/Blue lines in Alexandria.
No explosives were found, and no terrorist suspects were arrested, according to spokeswoman Cathy Asato. 'It went off as intended,' she said.
Metro started the searches five days after announcing the new policy -- and the same day a defective bomb was found in Rome's subway. But Metro officials said the timing was merely coincidental. They also have denied any connection to the recent arrests of two men accused of threatening Metro.
It is not clear when, where or how often more searches will occur as the transit agency does not plan to announce them. Metro officials had alerted media about Tuesday's screenings in advance on the condition the information not be published until they began.
Opposition to them is mounting. The local branches of the American Civil Liberties Union are questioning their constitutionality. The D.C. Bill of Rights Coalition and the Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition posted an online petition, saying the searches attack riders' civil liberties. And Metro's Riders' Advisory Council, which opposed such searches two years ago, plans to host a Jan. 3 public forum.
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Happiness
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