Setting The Record Straight - Government Contractors

[bfishn]

The popular misconception that "if you've done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about" deserves serious reconsideration.

Section 802 of the USA Patriot Act expanded the definition of terrorism to cover "domestic" terrorism;

A person engages in domestic terrorism if

they do an act ""dangerous to human life"" that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping.

By that broad definition, most all of us could be considered domestic terrorists. Lets say you drove your car (an act potentially dangerous to human life) without your seatbelt on (a violation of a state law) with a "Vote for XXXXX" bumper sticker (an attempt to coerce a civilian population). You're now subject to the myriad of "investigative disclosures" the law allows.

And you don't even have to be convicted of the offense, all it takes is for a single law officer (your ex's new lover?, your bad neighbor's brother-in-law?) to say you did.

In defense of these activities, law enforcement points out the beneficial results; solved cold cases, recovered missing children, etc. However, in doing so, they also admit to going waaaay beyond the intent and letter of the law (preventing terroristic acts). What they're not admitting to is the same extra-legal "investigative disclosures" done for personal or political reasons.

If one is so naive as to believe "they'd never do that", well... maybe you'll be the next Powerball winner.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I can see where you would feel that way comrade Jack, you work in a regimented atmosphere. You promise to bend over and behave and you get all the taxpayers gravy. Executive order 13502 guaranteed that union members would get most of the stimulus.

[Jack Jones]

Ah Wayne....if only I were union. Somewher Joe Hill is weeping in heaven after seeing his hard work wasted.

Government contractors = zero accountability. Unlike the government, when the private contractor wastes the taxpayers money, they can always just declare bankruptcy, reform under a new name, and suck more money away. Read "Blackwater".

Just say NO to PMCs.

[Feathers and Fins]

So yesterday phone numbers. Today we here its Facebook an d other e-mail providers. I guess you are OK next week with our snail mail being opened and read

[Wayne SW/MO]

Well Jack Solyndra might be a better example. I wasn't aware that Blackwater was a government contractor, so can't comment.

I thought you were a union member, sorry about that. I'm not anti union, but I do think they should stand on they're own. The 13502 is an insult in light of the Bacon-Davis act.

[mic]

What price liberty? Where is the warrants to gain this information? Enough we have a constitution for a reason and a violation of it in any name is still a offense to liberty. OK you say if you don't have anything to worry about then who cares. Ask those who visited France June of 1944 that question

F&F, they did have warrants for these collections. The warrants was one of the items that he disclosed.

[Feathers and Fins]

Who knows the secret court to give the warrants proceedings are secret... That in and of itself should scare the hell out of people that we have a secret court.

[Mitch f]

joeD, yeah to bad he wasn't around in June of 1944 to let the world know the lying Allied troops were really going to invade at Normandy rather than at Calais where Hitler thought we were and moved a major number of Nazi troops away from Normandy.

Excellent Point

[mic]

Who knows the secret court to give the warrants proceedings are secret... That in and of itself should scare the hell out of people that we have a secret court.

The court is not secret. The proceedings are. For goodness sake, are we just supposed to tell all the bad guys how we are going to keep an eye on things or do you not want any oversight. Seriously, pick your poison.

[fishinwrench]

The court is not secret. The proceedings are. For goodness sake, are we just supposed to tell all the bad guys how we are going to keep an eye on things or do you not want any oversight. Seriously, pick your poison.

As long as they don't start screwing with innocent folks over rediculis assumptions, or allow personal financial access slip out to god knows who I could care less what they data-mine.

There was one incident concerning a guy posting photos of a dam that got pretty stupid. The guy finally got fed up with being jacked with and started being a smartass (which obviously didn't help matters) but in all honesty I probably would have reacted the same way. I tried to find a link to the fiasco but forgot where I read about it.