Motley Moose – Archive

  Make sure you let your peeps

  know where to find you!  

January 17, 2014, from the White House at 11am Eastern:

Official White House Transcript: Remarks by the President on Review of Signals Intelligence

[Post 9/11], in our rush to respond to a very real and novel set of threats, the risk of government overreach — the possibility that we lose some of our core liberties in pursuit of security — also became more pronounced.  We saw, in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, our government engaged in enhanced interrogation techniques that contradicted our values.  As a Senator, I was critical of several practices, such as warrantless wiretaps.  And all too often new authorities were instituted without adequate public debate.

Through a combination of action by the courts, increased congressional oversight, and adjustments by the previous administration, some of the worst excesses that emerged after 9/11 were curbed by the time I took office.  But a variety of factors have continued to complicate America’s efforts to both defend our nation and uphold our civil liberties.

[…]

Now, to say that our intelligence community follows the law, and is staffed by patriots, is not to suggest that I or others in my administration felt complacent about the potential impact of these programs.  Those of us who hold office in America have a responsibility to our Constitution, and while I was confident in the integrity of those who lead our intelligence community, it was clear to me in observing our intelligence operations on a regular basis that changes in our technological capabilities were raising new questions about the privacy safeguards currently in place.

[…]

First, everyone who has looked at these problems, including skeptics of existing programs, recognizes that we have real enemies and threats, and that intelligence serves a vital role in confronting them.  We cannot prevent terrorist attacks or cyber threats without some capability to penetrate digital communications — whether it’s to unravel a terrorist plot; to intercept malware that targets a stock exchange; to make sure air traffic control systems are not compromised; or to ensure that hackers do not empty your bank accounts.  We are expected to protect the American people; that requires us to have capabilities in this field.

[…]

As the nation that developed the Internet, the world expects us to ensure that the digital revolution works as a tool for individual empowerment, not government control.  Having faced down the dangers of totalitarianism and fascism and communism, the world expects us to stand up for the principle that every person has the right to think and write and form relationships freely — because individual freedom is the wellspring of human progress.

Those values make us who we are.  And because of the strength of our own democracy, we should not shy away from high expectations.  For more than two centuries, our Constitution has weathered every type of change because we have been willing to defend it, and because we have been willing to question the actions that have been taken in its defense.  Today is no different.  I believe we can meet high expectations.  Together, let us chart a way forward that secures the life of our nation while preserving the liberties that make our nation worth fighting for.

Interrogatories

Ever purchase vanity plates? What did they say? Did you get your money’s worth of vanity?

Ever sing in a choir? Ensemble? Along with the radio, to the annoyance of your neighbors?

Describe perfect weather.

The Twitter Emitter

Temperature in Hollywood just dropped to 81 degrees. Pray for us.

— Steve Weinstein (@steveweinstein) January 15, 2014

Is it okay to hang out in front of Sunday schools and tell the kids that religion is bullshit? I'm asking for the Supreme Court.

— TBogg (@tbogg) January 16, 2014

If you can't directly yell in a woman's face as she seeks medical help, how will she know that you're a Christian?

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) January 16, 2014

Rand Paul announced he joined SnapChat today, though he says he's "getting sick of all the sex messages from some Carlos Danger guy."

— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) January 16, 2014

PLEASE NOTE: If "propaganda" can make you gay, it wasn't that hard.

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) January 16, 2014

Just saw a guy with a tramp stamp. The death panels can't come fast enough.

— TBogg (@tbogg) January 16, 2014

Trent Franks: "My bill will have the IRS focus on what's good for America– auditing rape victims instead of billionaires buying elections."

— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) January 17, 2014

"Muslim headscarves? What a cruel & primitive supertstition" said the circumcised Western man.

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) January 17, 2014

Nadya Suleman has trademarked the term 'Octomom.' Her children, meanwhile, have trademarked the term 'Somebody Help Us.'

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) January 17, 2014

First, GOP cut Food Stamps to preserve tax breaks for corporate polluters. Then corporate polluters poisoned the water supply. #freedom

— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) January 16, 2014

Good morning, Moosekind. TGIF!

Today: The saga of the self-healing Jeep. Last August our daughter had an unfortunate incident that resulted in the heavy plastic back corner of my Jeep being dented in pretty significantly. We chose not to fix it because A) Jeep and B) 2003. Anyway a couple of days ago we noticed that the dent had spontaneously popped back out. A little Armor All and you can’t tell it ever happened.

Working theory is that the shrink/expand cycle from our recent temperature roller coaster somehow popped it out, but still. Creepy in an awesome kinda way. Or awesome in a creepy kinda way. Not exactly sure which.

Interrogatories

How hot and spicy do you like your food? What’s your favorite hot and spicy food?

Do you use coupons? If so, do you save a lot of money?

Do you ever correct people’s English if they make really bad mistakes while speaking?

The Twitter Emitter

All these judges overturning gay marriage bans. Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah. It's like they think gays have rights under the Constitution.

— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) January 15, 2014

Buffer zones around Supreme Courts are unconstitutional. I just want to talk to them.

— David Waldman (@KagroX) January 15, 2014

When corporations poison our water and the #GOP threatens to blow up the global economy, the terrorists not only win, they take the day off

— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) January 15, 2014

“Senate has been unable to extend unemployment benefits.” “At Fort Sumter the states have been unable to end slavery”

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) January 15, 2014

If the long-term unemployed were threatening to cause Republicans in Congress flight delays, they'd have their unemployment by sundown.

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) January 15, 2014

Obscure Florida law states that car dealerships may only make tv commercials that feature untalented grandchildren.

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) January 15, 2014

GOP economic policy is driven by their dripping contempt for the POOR.

— Don Millard (@OTOOLEFAN) January 15, 2014

Louie Gohmert's performance art is cruel and condescending to ignorant hayseeds.

— Chris Dashiell (@cdashiell) January 15, 2014

Sarah Palin: "I hope my friends know not to call me when Duck Dynasty is on tonight. #StandWithPhil Also anyone know what time and channel?"

— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) January 15, 2014

Rand Paul: I joined Snapchat. Now send me your reproductive rights and watch them disappear 🙂

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) January 15, 2014

  Make sure you let your peeps

  know where to find you!  

Unemployment Benefits Extension fails to pass cloture vote with ‘only’ 55 Senators in favor

“We’re shocked, shocked, to see gambling meanspiritedness here!”

– Unemployed Republican Voters Looking at the Republicans in the U.S. Senate

Sadly, Republicans around the country were ill represented by Republicans in the Senate today. pic.twitter.com/Tb4AkSEEV4

— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) January 14, 2014

Interrogatories

How many hats do you own? What kinds?

Do you still have friends from grade school?

Have you violated any “Terms of Agreement” in any way? Have you been caught?

The Twitter Emitter

What's the diff btw Americans on unemployment insurance & Congress? Americans on unemployment insurance want to work. #p2

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) January 14, 2014

Justin Bieber's home has now been thoroughly searched, but police have uncovered no evidence of talent.

— God (@TheTweetOfGod) January 15, 2014

"The bigger the government, the smaller the people," he said, as he waited for the okay to begin drinking the water from his faucets again.

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) January 15, 2014

If I prayed, I'd ask God to stop making Republicans.

— Danforth France (@danforthfrance) January 14, 2014

People are really making too big a deal out of this West Virginia thing. Now that we have bottled water, do you really need a working tap?

— Jack Kimble (@RepJackKimble) January 14, 2014

Also, please stop the white-on-white gun violence at the movies.

— David Waldman (@KagroX) January 14, 2014

Money doesn't make the world go round. It just increases the rate of spin.

— Peter Flom (@peterflom) January 13, 2014

Why is it everyone on Twitter who have "loves Freedom" in their bio actually hates that the rest of us have it? #GOPFail

— Eileen (@taboo1099) January 15, 2014

Performance Review = when someone tells you you're doing a perfect job, & we'll need you to start doing everything differently.

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) January 13, 2014

Good morning meese! Happy happy Wednesday!

The common Moose, Alces alces, unlike other members of the deer family, is a solitary animal that doesn’t form herds. Not so its rarer but nearest relative, Alces purplius, the Motley Moose. Though sometimes solitary, the Motley Moose herds in ever shifting groups at the local watering hole to exchange news and just pass the time.

The New York Times reports that the liaison of Chief Justice John Roberts, Judge John Bates, penned a letter to Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein:

In a letter made public on Tuesday, Judge John D. Bates urged Congress and President Obama to not alter Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.’s unilateral power to select which judges will sit on the court, or to create a public advocate with “independent authority to intervene at will” in the court’s cases to provide adversarial views to the Justice Department’s briefs.

Perhaps the most chilling aspect of the letter, beyond the clear desire to keep power in the hands of the chief justice, is the argument that the primary concern should be the ability of the court to function with ease rather than preserve rights and raise constitutional issues.  On the idea of a public advocate The Times notes:

Giving such an official freestanding ability to intervene at will, [Bates] wrote, even when the judges are not interested in hearing from him, could be disruptive to their work.