“We’re using the leverage of holding up the vote,” he said on Beck’s show Thursday morning.. "And I can keep [the Senate] here through Saturday and they hate to work on weekends."

Oh wow - you mean they really do work?? Who knew.

Better not start adding up all of Barry's speeches.....

I feel it was a legitimate question to ask, given the white paper that was released suggesting the instances where it might occur. It's nice to see that now we can suggest putting it in the shredder and moving on.

That said, let's get the Brennan nomination finished and complete. Straight up or down vote, please.

No, Steve, they're not going to be targeting us. Or you. But if any FBI agent ever showed up at the library in a much more likely scenario asking if he could have access to the information on your library card, of if you accessed certain right-wing websites, or militia websites, or books or sites about Ruby Ridge, etc. (these are just examples - hell, I've looked at militia sites for the handy canning recipes), that agent would get a very polite, controlled, and ladylike Go To Hell from me.

Be afraid of the bureaucratic drones in chairs. For your information, it was not only the left wing that opposed the Patriot Act.

American Girl-724855

It wasn't, which is Lindsey Graham said so in no uncertain terms.

The fact is, the question had been asked and answered both in writing and in sworn testimony by the United States Attorney General.

Rand didn't do his homework, or else in his exhaustion during his 13 hour filibuster, he forgot.

I understand that is your opinion that you feel the question was illegitimate. Lindsey Graham doesn't represent me or my state. When the Obama administration released a white paper saying they could in fact target american citizens, I still think it's well within Rand Paul's right to ask that question.

Saying "I cannot imagine the circumstances where they would be used" is very different from saying "No, the administration does not have the right to kill an American Citizen with a drone". I can't imagine a situation where I would want to do something that is perfectly legal, such as buying a sewing machine or a sweater for my dog, either.

Jim,

If he's on US soil and we know his location good enough to target a drone strike perhaps we could attempt to use the multitudes of other law enforcement options at our disposal before we ram a hellfire missle up his rear. City LEO's, County LEO's, Federal LEO's, etc, etc.

He is on his way now to the super bowl ,dirty nuclear bomb next to him

Pretty safe to say that with hightened security at a Superbowl, local/state/federal law enforcement would be able to properly handle the situation.

The issue is not drone stikes the issue is do we as citizens want the Executive Branch to have the authority to suspend the Fifth Amendment?

So am I to understand you some of you don't want the right to a jury trial?

In your eyes was Paul only standing up for the people on the right here?

Jim Wilson, are you so stupid that you don't understand what Paul was asking? Of course in your scenario that would do whatever necessary. That wasn't the question, the question was if that guy was made it back and was sitting in his home or driving down the road.

Remember some day the other team will win and people like American Girl will be considered a threat because she is a communist and now guess what she can't be targeted by a drone.

Now I don't think PBO would do that here, but that doesn't mean a President in the future might not.

American Girl - Why didn't Holder give Paul that answer when he asked him that same question?

Kanic,

1. Are you saying the president and his family are not entitled to vacation?

2. Was George Bush 1, George Bush 2, and Reagan also not entitled to vacation?

Bush/Cheney administration, the war criminals ran amuck for eight years blowing the hell out of whoever they wanted and there were no theatrics like this going on. This guy is a spoiled little snot and thinks his you know what doesn't stink. He thinks he's a rock star. Puke, puke

The question of targeting US citizens for drone attacks on US soil definitely needed to be answered. Thank God they gave the right answer.

But, John's Brennan's appointment to the directorship of the CIA should be confirmed ASAP, now that the Obama administration gave its response.

I'm not an Obama fan. Anyone who's bothered to read my rather insignificant posts would know that.

However, I remember all throughout the middle and late 2000's, when Republicans and George Bush complained about Democrats filibustering, or even stalling his appointments. They should think that it is improper now, if they thought it was improper then.

Anything less would indeed be pure hypocrisy.

Oh, and by the way; Rand Paul was never going to be President of The United States, whether he did this or not.

What a dumbass. We need people to lead this country, not idiots.

Lets face it, the only reason the guy was targeted by a drone was that he was in a foreign country , in active war against the united states, was an enemy combatant and capturing him or just telling him to report to the closest airport wasnt going to work. Your left will few options. I would much rather take him out with a remote controlled plane than a bunch of guys on the ground.

Rand Paul held the Senate floor for 13 hours last night.

I know I didn't lose any sleep over it.

ZMan, - "Democrats filibustering, or even stalling his appointments."

I was lead to believe by the Dems on this board that this is the first time ever, are you saying the Dems have done this and now are complaining?

Anything less would indeed be pure hypocrisy.

So now we have different standards for each party? Oh we already had that, sorry.

Ursula -

The filibuster was designed and originally used as Senator Paul did yesterday. You also "assume" he is running for President. It appears you are not one of his constituents anyway so you would not have even considered him if he did decide to run.

The fact that some of you don't understand WHY he did this is just mind boggling. Others of you who are slamming this man for standing up for your RIGHT to not get droned via a government who has decided you are a bad guy with no due process quite frankly is idiotic.

Why don't you drop the R or D bickering and understand this man just stood up for YOU to have due process.

While you are at it, you may want to get an education on who the new CIA director really is, what he stands for and what that means to you.

I look around at the comments to this story and I see sheep being lead to a slaughter.

Hey Michael, I hope you and your family never travel out of this country and are mistakenly considered a terrorist and they do to you what they did to that guy. Oh that would never right?

How many people do yo know that have been placed on the no fly list because of their name?

I know a few.

American Girl-724855

I understand that Lindsey Graham doesn't represent Alabama, but is that a legitimate reason for Republicans to refuse to accept common sense, even when it's coming from your Republicans Leaders?

I don't live in Alabama. I'm not a Republican. I also understand Lindsey Graham doesn't like the question. That's all good and well. It still doesn't change the fact that he had the right to ask the question when we have a white paper suggesting that it could be done.

He didn't get his answer until today. He asked the question regarding this yesterday. Yesterday the suggestion was that it wouldn't be appropriate, but not that it would not be legal. I have seen the statement too many times that a statement was inappropriate or that an action was inappropriate even if they were both perfectly legal.

I'm not worried about Obama sending drones out anymore than I was worried about Bush warrantlessly wiretapping me. When precedent is set, future decisions can be used along precedents that occurred years ago.

"This is a major victory for American civil liberties and ensures the protection of our basic Constitutional rights. We have Separation of Powers to protect our rights," he said. "That's what government was organized to do and that's what the Constitution was put in place to do."

He needs Eric Holder to tell him that?

The only one who's humiliated himself is Rand Paul.

The humiliation is all yours Rand! Hope you like it. You will lose in the next election you are eligible for. Even with gerrymandering, you are a goner. I can't wait!!

Hey Kanic, I guess it is all right with you that 800 congressmen are on vacation constantly when they don't want to do their work in DC. Heck the Pres is on duty 24hrs a day everyday, what about you? Lord use your brain and think about it before you just spout nonsense. Do you people have anything constructive to offer?? When any of us dems hear any more of the hate from the right we just right it off to racism, just to obvious and we were hopeful that the US was able to get beyond that in the 60's and 70's. Don't bother telling me you aren't racist, when someone tells me how great they are I know they are lying. Actions are proof, verbage is just BS.

URSULA,,, you do know it's Rand not Ron, don't you???

I'm sorry to say this but I think Rand Paul is a Zombie !!!

John McCain and Lindsey Graham made Rand Paul look like a Clown, good work boys !!!

YA'LL must be IDIOTS if you did wait for him to finish then aren't you!

Seems like all you reciprocating back-patters are happy with yourselves.

Isn't "HILARIOUS" how the WHITE HOUSE didn't like to answer the question? NO, it wasn't! AND that should be rhetorical!

Rand, Ron. What's the difference? They are cut from the same cloth.

Tommy in Ply.....in your mind, everything the president does is bad....getting Bin Laden...bad.....making the economy recover despite republicons pledging against America...bad.....ending the war in Iraq...bad etc......We see the pattern day in and day out with your posts......the problem is you Tommy.....and it eats you up inside...day after day, night after night......aaaahahahahahahahahaha......more good stuff coming from the president that is good for America.......coming to getcha....booga booga.....monsters under your bed!

The guy they killed in Yemen was NOT a war combatant, he was speaking out and saying that people should do harm to the U.S. There was no immediate danger of him doing any damage and his child and his child's friend (both also U.S. citizens) were killed as well. The response to that is that the kid should have chosen a better father. So now we kill children because of who their parents are, that is disgusting.

Now, I don't pretend to understand exactly the situation there, but I do know that anyone answering whether or not the President feels that he has the power to suspend your Constitutional RIGHT to due process with vague answers such as "I don't see any circumstance where he'd use it" is plain and simple being vague for a reason, most likely it is because this administration reeks with arrogance, they actually think that answering questions about suspending people's Constitutional rights are beneath them. The President does not have the right to kill an American citizen in the United States without there being an IMMEDIATE threat. No different than a police officer can kill an immediate threat but is not allowed to kill someone who can be detained.

The simple fact that Obama and Holder hold themselves in such high regard should be scary to both Conservatives and Liberals. McCain and Lindsey are idiots, they have lost all of my respect, filibustering an executive nomination to get an answer to an important question does not hurt anyone. The fact that so many on this board have their noses so far up Obama's backside is also troubling. People really need to divorce themselves from the Left/Right sides they cling to and learn to think for themselves, perhaps we'd start clearing out the cancer that our government representatives have become, because let's be honest, neither Democrats or Republicans are for us, they are for special interest.

Interesting that Rand Paul claims victory in the battle but loses the war. Brennen to be confirmed as CIA Director.

It seems the only thing that the Republicans are able to do is give President Obama what he wants at a slower pace than what the President would like.

I guess that is a victory for the Republicans.

Rand Paul just blew a small boy. His chances in 2016 were nonexistent.

Kanic, Taxpayers do not pay for the President or First Lady's vacations. We pay for the secret service protection and other staff, which we would be paying for whether they were on vacation or not.

The fact that some of you don't understand WHY he did this is just mind boggling. Others of you who are slamming this man for standing up for your RIGHT to not get droned via a government who has decided you are a bad guy with no due process quite frankly is idiotic.

You have to understand, this is firstread and they hate all things republican. Rand Paul could personally save their lives and they would find something to bitch about. This man is standing up for WE THE PEOPLE, which is what he was elected to do. You lefty liberals getting your panties in a twist have to be the absolute dumbest asses alive.

TO: Tom - Plymouth-3672298 who wrote:

"American Girl - Why didn't Holder give Paul that answer when he asked him that same question?"

Holder was probably at home fast asleep during some portions of Rand Paul's 13 hour useless filibuster.

Just because Attorney General Eric Holder and the White House spared Rand Paul a bit of embarassment, where they could have cited the many times Holder had already answered the question in writing and under oath, doesn't make it a stupid, repeated question.

Lindsey Graham also tried to point out that fact, but there again, wackos just don't listen.

Geez, when Republicans want to take something the absolute wrong way, or make a mountain out of a mole hill there is no voice of reason to stop them.

he gets some respect for his little show imo, but not much since he was doing it just to block another one of obamas picks. Just wondering where was this 13 hour speech when it was really needed, you know before the NDAA was passed by some of the very people who are trying to attach themselves to this current position.

The NDAA is a gross attack on our rights, possibly even more so than the bush and obama patriot act since those did not go as far as legalizing the murder of an american citizen without due processes.

For those on the left that are ignoring this because you trust obama not to abuse this power or you are just too far up anyone with D after their name's butt, how do you feel about a future right wing president with this power? How about Jeb bush or any other R from texas? Would you trust them with the ability to declare you a terrorist with no concrete evidence other than some rumors or a grudge, then classify all so called evidence to the highest levels so no one will ever know they were not justified in bombing you and your family (since they were cohorts of a suspected terrorist). Yes most of us sane people believe this senario is unlikely, but why open yourself or your descendants to this possibility?

For those on the right, if you do not stand up for others rights (the reason you claim to need your guns) to free speech, due process, the right to vote uninhibited by petty laws, or the rights to live your life how you see fit (as long as it doesn't erode the rights of others, than do not be surprised when we do not stand for your right to own those guns.

Jane Fonda called Capitol Hill and asked John McCain and Lindsey Graham to tell Rand Paul to stop talking about bombing her home with drones at his filibuster, she said this kind of talk is getting out of hand !!!

He took you down Democraps!!! Whine and moan and whinge all you want! He called you out and proved what a bunch of whiners you actually are!"

It's time for all true democrats (not die hard socialists) to admit that Obama is leading us down an every slippery slope into socialistic hell!

TO: alan_static who wrote:

"... What does that guy [Eric Holder] do all day except let the real criminals do whatever they want all day..."

Apparently he helps corner and capture terrorists, and answers dumb questions submitted by Republican Congressmen who either don't do their homework or have problems with amnesia.

So, he was satisfied with the answer he got which was the exact same answer Holder gave when the committee asked him to clarify. But what do you expect, Rand seems a little slow and likes to drag things out. Afterall he gave the republican response to the republican response to the Sate of the Union speech.

Holder: No. I said no. I thought I was saying no. The answer is no.

Lookup the video for yourself instead of trusting someone who is trying to create an image for his next election. Holder said "No" 4 times in a matter of seconds. I'm not sure how that isn't clear and how Rand Paul missed it.

TO: US Houtkop who wrote:

"He took you down Democraps!!! Whine and moan and whinge all you want! He called you out and proved what a bunch of whiners you actually are!"..."

And what did John McCain and Lindsey Graham do, anything?

Both McCain and Graham called Rand Paul out for "cheapening the debate", or were you trying to ignore those facts.

Rand Paul was an embarassment, and just because he got some sympathy instead of being called a fool doesn't make him right, but I guess being "just" an embarassment makes him a Teabagging hero!

I'm going to trust Holder, who sent guns to Mexico while stomping his feet about American citizens buying them legally and ordering Border Patrol agents to use bean bags so they can become fodder for the cartel killers.

I'm going to trust Homeland Security who says the border is safer than it has ever been when families who have been ranching on land there for generations are moving away because of the danger and say they can't trust the US government to protect either their homes or their lives, and they are warned not to endanger the illegals coming across.

I'm going to trust Homeland Security who has babies and toddlers on Do Not Fly lists.

I'm going to trust Homeland Security who has Native Americans, Metis and Anishanaabe (Creek) on a Terrorist Watch List simply because they observe the Treaty signed by the US government and their tribes to allow them to travel without restriction by canoe to fish and trap the narrow water border between Canada and the US without providing a passport.

I'm going to believe that without being called out on the subject of the drones, to openly and definitely say, "It is unconstitutional," this government would not sneak around and declare an American citizen a probable terrorist.

I applaud Rand Paul, and those who stood with him. I curse George Bush and the Patriot Act, and the cowardice and attraction of power that has made this president sign it into continuous, unconstitutional law.

"Holder's letter reads: "It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question:"

I don't even care who Rand Paul is, why is this media whore always in the news wasting peoples time and money, there was a right time and place to ask his question which apparently he didn't. Way to many folks attracted to these nut cases.

I really don't understand why people are so upset about Paul filibustering. It's a legitimate process. I think it was a great way to bring this situation of drones to the American public. It's never stupid nor a waste of time to question the authority of the Executive Branch. Especially when it's those from the Legislative branch doing the asking. I suspect Graham and McCain were more upset about being forced to sit there for 13 hours, more than the question being asked by Paul. And don't be so naive to think that a President could not get away with such drone attacks. He wouldn't be impeached if the Legislative Branch supported his/her actions.

Speaking of a President not completely getting away from using drones to kill Americans. Panetta (ie the Executive Branch) is currently being sued by the family of Al-Aulaqi, backed by the ACLU. A 16 year old American boy was killed in Yemen by such a drone attack, and this is what made the family angry enough to sue. They were not engaged in "combat" at the time of the drone attack. They were just sitting around when targeted by the executive Branch to be murdered.

"The ACLU and CCR have filed a lawsuit challenging the government's targeted killing of three U.S. citizens in drone strikes far from any armed conflict zone.

In Al-Aulaqi v. Panetta (Al-Awlaki v. Panetta) the groups charge that the U.S. government's killings of U.S. citizens Anwar Al-Aulaqi, Samir Khan, and 16-year-old Abdulrahman Al-Aulaqi in Yemen last year violated the Constitution's fundamental guarantee against the deprivation of life without due process of law.

The killings were part of a broader program of "targeted killing" by the United States outside the context of armed conflict and based on vague legal standards, a closed executive process, and evidence never presented to the courts."

http://www.aclu.org/national-security/aclu-ccr-lawsuit-american-boy-killed-us-drone-strike

So really all you need to be is associated with a terrorist group or sitting around with family members who are considered a terrorist, or even merely associated with a possible terrorist, for the Executive branch to decide if they will kill you or not. Knowing this, don't you think Paul's question is very legit? What makes you think think it wouldn't happen in America? Don't you know history? No citizen is ever safe from a government who defines it's citizens as an enemy. And that definition of enemy can change. I will list such definitions next post, as to keep this one from getting way to long.

US Houtkop

He took you down Democraps!!! Whine and moan and whinge all you want! He called you out and proved what a bunch of whiners you actually are!"

It's time for all true democrats (not die hard socialists) to admit that Obama is leading us down an every slippery slope into socialistic hell!

Into a socialistic hell?

Good grief. Why not just go ahead and declare him the second incarnation of Hitler and suggest he's dragging our youth to camps and teaching them old german pride songs and the best way to use Zyklon-B in a shower.

If you're going to ratchet up the ridiculous and dishonest rhetoric, just take it all the way.

Tom-Plymouth- In President Obama's 1st term he racked up 131 days and Bush in his 1,020 days, President Obama is no where near that number. What you're really implying is, the black man is lazy and the white man deserves the time off. SMH

wow you guys are so pissed....pissed that he got clarification on a serious subject....and you are pissed, so pissed I can see it oozing out of this thread...

wow, I cant believe I live among people who think its about his "evil agenda" to hold up progress (lol), and not about what the laws are and should be...I cannot believe I live among these people #1, 1.2, 1.3 and so on...its gross

(imo best 13hrs in the last 5 years!!!)

I love how this self-important weasel in human form is carrying on like he personally authored the Constitution, and the Justice Dept. is responding to him personally. As noted before, he already had his response before his pitiful grandstanding stunt. Now if only Harry Reid would grow a pair and use the fact that Paul did in fact perform a traditional filibuster as leverage for meaningful filibuster reform, since we now have evidence that Senators can in fact identify themselves as a filibusterer (new word?), stand up and speak.

Awesome job GOP/TeaBaggers...once again you have proven me right...all you guys have to do is open your mouths, and the republican party puts, yet another foot in the grave. You guys are gonna lose in 2014 AND 2016...Keep up the good work!

MEMO TO AL QAIDA TERRORISTS:

From the offices of Senate Republicans Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn of Texas, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio of Florida, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Tim Scott of South Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota and John Barrasso of Wyoming

Dear Terrorists,

We of the GOP Senate would like to take this opportunity to let you know that we will stop the workings of the US Government to ensure that any members of your group that hold US citizenship will be exempt from drone attacks by our own military, CIA, and executive branch. We trust you more than we trust our own President to "do the right thing". And we're willing to shut down the business of the US Senate to make sure your people are protected. In fact, we'd like to take this opportunity to encourage any of your members that don't have US citizenship to seek it out, as this will protect you from drone attacks when you are planning terrorist attacks within the United States.

We'd also like to take this opportunity to invite you to contribute to our new political action committee, "REASON TO TREASON" which finances the campaigns of right wing nut job GOP politicians that would rather see the US attacked by terrorists than give Obama an ounce of credit for anything. Please join us, and make sure you recruit US citizens if you wish to be immune from drone attacks.

Sincerely,

Senate Republicans

Mike Lee of Utah

Ted Cruz of Texas

John Cornyn of Texas

Jerry Moran of Kansas

Saxby Chambliss of Georgia

Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania

Marco Rubio of Florida

Jeff Flake of Arizona

Ron Johnson of Wisconsin

Tim Scott of South Carolina

John Thune of South Dakota

John Barrasso of Wyoming

This is from a Washington Post blog, but I know that it's correct in what it asserts. Look up the info for yourself. You don't have to be a part of Al-Qaeda, nor even be planning an actual attack on America to be suspect in the eyes of our government. It's truly frightening.

"The following actions may get an American citizen living on U.S. soil labeled as a “suspected terrorist” today:

• Speaking out against government policies

• Protesting anything

• Questioning war (even though war reduces our national security; and see this)

• Criticizing the government’s targeting of innocent civilians with drones (although killing innocent civilians with drones is one of the main things which increases terrorism. And see this)

• Asking questions about pollution (even at a public Congressional hearing?)

• Paying cash at an Internet cafe

• Asking questions about Wall Street shenanigans

• Holding gold

• Creating alternative currencies

• Stocking up on more than 7 days of food (even though all Mormons are taught to stockpile food, and most Hawaiians store up on extra food)

• Having bumper stickers saying things like “Know Your Rights Or Lose Them”

• Investigating factory farming

• Infringing a copyright

• Taking pictures or videos

• Talking to police officers

• Wearing a hoodie

• Driving a van

• Writing on a piece of paper

• (Not having a Facebook account may soon be added)

Holding the following beliefs may also be considered grounds for suspected terrorism:

• Valuing online privacy

• Supporting Ron Paul or being a libertarian

• Liking the Founding Fathers

• Being a Christian

• Being anti-tax, anti-regulation or for the gold standard

• Being “reverent of individual liberty”

• Being “anti-nuclear”

• “Believe in conspiracy theories”

• “A belief that one’s personal and/or national “way of life” is under attack”

• “Impose strict religious tenets or laws on society (fundamentalists)”

• “Insert religion into the political sphere”

• “Those who seek to politicize religion”

• “Supported political movements for autonomy”

• Being “anti-abortion”

• Being “anti-Catholic”

• Being “anti-global”

• “Suspicious of centralized federal authority”

• “Fiercely nationalistic (as opposed to universal and international in orientation)”

• “A belief in the need to be prepared for an attack either by participating in … survivalism”

• Opposing genetically engineered food

• Opposing surveillance"

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/09/take-the-test-to-see-if-you-might-be-considered-a-potential-terrorist-by-government-officials.html

CONGRATULATIONS SENATOR PAUL!!!!!!!!!!

It's an embarrassment that you have to resort to a protracted filibuster to get the criminal Holder to finally commit to a simple answer that should have just been given during the hearings.

But then again, we real Americans know that most of the Liberals/Progressives, including those in office, hate our great Republic and our Constitution. Their goal of destroying our nation and constantly trampling on our Constitution is obvious to us.

The most embarrassing thing is when they insist we are a Democracy rather than a Republic. This is most evidenced with our Comandante-in-Chief, Barrack Hussein, when he openly admits he doesn't believe the Constitution is a Charter of Negative Liberties. His constant abrogation of it is of course supported by the unwashed massed and low information voters that voted him in not once, but twice.

The ruination of of our nation and the repetitive usurpation of our rights is a result of Progressivisms corruption. It's refreshing to see a young well informed Senator making the Liberals/Progressives look foolish in their ignorance.

Hopefully the American people appreciate this effort to protect their Liberties and Rights. We know the Liberals only worry about how much they will get from their sacrosanct entitlements and social programs as they refuse to contribute to the benefit of our Republic. I’m sure they would have been supporting you the filibuster if it was to steal more from the real Americans who work and strive to succeed to give to the Liberals/Progressives.

Thank your for your patriotism and American exceptionalism.

Now if we can only get this incompetent government to clarify the legality of using drones against Americans on foreign soils.

Why can't Democrats understand that an incredible number of Republicans opposed the Patriot act as well? Bush was wrong then, and this question needed to be asked to clear up Obama's less than clear intentions on this current matter. This is a process that we all deserve. This was not about R's and D's. This was about all of our rights.

American Girl-724855

I think you are incapable of grasping the concept of common sense, so I find it difficult to understand how you believe you have justification to dispense it. I have repeatedly read posts by you that state that it is your priority to maintain SS and Medicare, we should pay for the poor, and at the same time state that our kids should not have to pay for it. Which is it? Who should? Oh thats right, your perceived rich.

If you are on SS, you voted for everyone that put us in this situation. You voted for everyone who allowed the Congress to steal the fund. You voted for everyone who allowed welfare to deplete the fund. You voted for everyone who diminished our civil liberties while granting exponential civil liberties to others. You voted for those that have bankrupted this country, for your own selfish gains. Therefore YOU are responsible. How is that for common sense.

Don't even remotely try to justify status quo behavior when it is YOU that has cost and is costing our kids their future.

Perhaps you would like them to have due process that you take so lightly.

13 Hrs. of stupidity and Rand Paul gets a "No" now everything is OK, Tell me this was some kind of a joke !!!

What a total waste of hard earn tax payers money !!!

When Rand Paul started talking about bombing Jane fonda's home with drones on the senate floor, I now know that this guy is not playing with a full deck !!!

I respected you until now, Rand.

Saying the Obama administration response was a victory just shows how low you had set your sights. Unless there is IMMINENT danger (you know, using a dictionary for definition of the word "imminent"), they shouldn't be assassinating non-combatant US citizens without the slightest bit judicial review AT ALL...ANYWHERE...PERIOD! In America, Brazil, Yemen...ANWHERE! Also you should have demanded an answer to the question of who all gave approval for the targeted murder of the 16 year-old boy, American citizen Abdulrahman al-Awlaki.

i just watched the big spanking Rand got from Lindsay Graham and John McCain. Ha! I couldn't believe my ears. Graham mentioned that when Bush was playing war hero with the drones no one questioned whether he was going to kill Americans or anything close to that. Rand the ass got nailed and nailed good. Damn, I love it.

MkeMike

MEMO TO AL QAIDA TERRORISTS:

From the offices of Senate Republicans Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn of Texas, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Marco Rubio of Florida, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Tim Scott of South Carolina, John Thune of South Dakota and John Barrasso of Wyoming

You forgot Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon.

I'm sure it wasn't intentional.

American Girl-

Graham and McCain also say often that they are conservatives. Yet, you still want to believe their opinions on this issue? Now, that's funny.

Scremin, I understand if you don't trust Holder, that's fair. But the letter form the White House was directly from Holder. So if Rand Paul was fillibustering because he didn't trust what Holder said in the hearing, why did he then trust Holder in the letter repeating exactly what he said during the hearing? So if you don't trust someone at first, make them repeat what they said, and then trust them. Yeah, let's applaud Rand Paul and those who stood with him for that. There's no substance in this filibuster except to create an image of righteousness in the eyes of those who can't put 2 and 2 together.

The law already defines what the President can and can't do. 'Opinion' is irrelevant here, and any President using a drone to kill someone sitting at a Starbucks would be quickly impeached and imprisoned. What a waste of time and taxpayer money.

So, the White House couldn't have said this themselves? They just decided to let Mr. Paul speak all day and night because...?

Reaffirmation of existing policy is common on the "floor". Christ, look at the gun control hearings from last month alone. Can ANY liberal NOT regurgitate what they just saw on CNN or NBC...just ONCE?

I find it ironic that the #1 cable show right now is The Walking Dead. Just look at the stupidity in this comment thread.

Kate Indigo

I really don't understand why people are so upset about Paul filibustering. It's a legitimate process.

Kate, the insignificant Liberals/Progressives don't care about Rights, Freedoms, Liberty, Life or America. All they concern themselves with is how many hand outs they can get so they can continue their self-pity driven social and economic justice. They continue their quest of finding something that offends them so they can demand the government do more for them.

It's so sad to see so many Americans that willingly submit to just being mediocre. Barrack Hussein brainwashes them to believe the best they will ever be is middle-class. He is a statist that doesn't believe in the Constitution unless it supports his convoluted ideology. They will gladly relinquish more Liberties for the sake of some mythical safety. Just look how easily they are willing to give up their 1st, 2nd and 5th Amendment Rights.

It must be terrible to go through life constantly looking for another opportunity to be a victim.

RedRoverRedRover

Interesting that Rand Paul claims victory in the battle but loses the war. Brennen to be confirmed as CIA Director.

It seems the only thing that the Republicans are able to do is give President Obama what he wants at a slower pace than what the President would like.

I guess that is a victory for the Republicans.

wow maybe you should start over....

he never not wanted Brennan for CIA, he was holding up the vote so that this issue could be addressed (stomp your damn feet if you have to but this needs addressing now)

it happened to be tied to Brennan because his position is what some would call "conflict of interests" (imo), so Paul set out to make a big deal out of this issue, but never to completely block Brennan, just the timely vote...ok do you get it...I may be a little off with the conflict part but its at least understood how the filibuster worked

and it did work, if this does happen, we can now bring charges, before it would have been too vague and it would have just been a fight between us, not them...now we have accountability if this ever plays out on this soil.(personally I don't want to use drones anywhere, its morally wrong...would be like: me playing a violent video game and it actually happening away from personal responsibility-NOT OK)

Rand Paul 13 hrs., not using the bathroom, whats up with that ?

America, you really have to wonder about this Tea party ???

If the White House wasn't contemplating this, why did it take so long to answer in the negative?

From the content of most of these posts I see that most people don't have a problem with anything that the POTUS or Holder does, as long as it makes you "feel better"? No problem with the POTUS asking military leaders if they would fire on American citizens? No problem with Operation Fast and Furious? No problem with the thousands of "Executive Orders" that bypass all the checks and balances? There is a reason the term "blind faith" starts with the word blind.

nwnative

i just watched the big spanking Rand got from Lindsay Graham and John McCain. Ha! I couldn't believe my ears. Graham mentioned that when Bush was playing war hero with the drones no one questioned whether he was going to kill Americans or anything close to that. Rand the ass got nailed and nailed good. Damn, I love it.

see the issue is, Bush didn't make this stuff LAWS, Obama has....even if Bush did it (pos) he didn't leave the door open for his predecessors to do it too...ok the Patriot Act (worst nightmare on earth)...but now we have tenfold laws that mirror that one...NDAA for one, use of drones is another..

heres a great read....and may shed some light on how important this is

Status of Domestic Drone Legislation in the States

Rand Paul has always been neurotic when it comes to interpretation of law or policy. Collateral damage can be explained when pursuing a terrorist enemy combatant of the U.S. by any sitting President of the United States (no matter where the combatant is found). But, there is no collateral damage in compliance of the law when no terrorist enemy combatant of the U.S. exits. What a Bozo.......brought to you by the TEA farty party......

Even Mccain and Graham won't stoop to stupidity this low...........

This all just comes from the paranoid delusions of republicans. They have become the party of conspiracy theories, paranoia, and fear.

This is the same party who said, and I quote: "Obama will come to your house and force you to get an abortion."

THAT is who we are dealing with. People who suffer from THAT type of extreme paranoia.

Any logical person knows that the President does not have the power to execute random people... the fact that you have to ask the question shows extreme ignorance. But that's the catch, we are not dealing with logical people, we are dealing with republicans who believe that the President will take time out of his day to personally come to your house to force an abortion. THAT is the republican party.

Move along folks nothing here to read but a bunch of fkg cowardly sheep circling the wagons to protect that POS in the white house. Can you even imagine the outrage from the liberal trash if this was a Bush appointee.

Received this text message from a friend in Columbus, Ohio, and she's a bit of a satirist comedienne:

"Some in the radical right are so paranoid. They must hide things in their closets they don't want their neighbors or the local authorities to know about ...like their tax-evasive Swiss and Cayman Island bank account documents, stashes of assault rifles, armor-piercing rounds, grenades, rocket launchers, child pornography, photos of their mistresses, etc. No wonder they don't like drones spying on them, or black helicopters from the U.N. hovering over their homes at night while they dream about flying up and meeting up with Jesus in a heaven with no minorities anywhere in sight. It might wake them up from their happy sleeping dream where everyone in the universe polishes their Smith and Wessons and blows away the gays, lesbians, transgenders and Latinos, and sends their souls down to a Biblical burning hell for being born that way -- and we can't have that, can we? So stop the drones, they might come close enough to remotely read your brain waves and have the Men in Black come take away your stockpile of guns with explosive-tip ammo, you lovers of tin foil hats!"

Regardless the outcome of the drone controversy, it proves how critical it is for us to all fight to maintain our Right to bear arms. As our government becomes so engrossed in invading our privacies and Liberties with advancing technologies our fight must be for MORE not less access and Right to ownership.

If any of you think these technologies WON'T be used against us more and more your indoctrination is complete. History proves that governments always get bigger and as they get bigger the peoples Liberties are stripped.

"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." Thomas Jefferson

this idiot leader of the do nothing teabagger congress actually thinks himself a hero?

what a collossal waste of taxpayer dollars to a question he already damn well knew the answer to. these people care about spending though right? lol

oh mr spense.. are you REALLY that foolish? you think your arsenal of glocks or whatnot is going to protect you somehow if the government sent an F-16 to strife your town and house in the middle of the night? i mean, you dont REALLY think your right to bear arms would like give you a chance or something do you?

do you?

you dont REALLY think that if the government wanted you dead at any point in the last 60 years that you would be still living do you?

you right wing sheep are sure afraid! lol. but when it was darth cheney saying basically that the white house had the right to do whatever the F they wanted you little cowards were NOWHERE to be found!

chick binder "I was trying to imagine a dorkier thing than Rand Paul's proclamation of victory for getting an answer to a made-up question that was never in doubt by any thinking person anyway."

Perhaps Holder should learn to connect his 'thinking' with his mouth.

Holder started it all when he was asked that very question, and his response was "I find it hard to imagine a scenario in which that might happen.......I suppose that it's possible......etc." instead of simply saying NO.

Now Holder has been forced to actually just say "NO".

Victory for Rand Paul.

John 1-#175/ Don't be ridiculous .Your statement that anyone who votes also votes for everything that our Representatives do , is indeed that. All of us vote for a human. We hope that our choice will consider it their job to advance our health welfare and pursuit of happiness. We also consider that the Representatives from the other side of the political spectrum do not. That is why we have checks and balances. We do not agree with all of the actions from the person for whom we voted . Most voters are and have always been against the looting of our entitlements.Entitlements are benefits that many of us workers have paid out of our wages, into for most if not all of our working lives. They are not the gifts that big successful businesses are being paid. those are UN- entitled gifts. For you to consider that we agree with all of the actions from all of the national representatives is so far out of whack, Therefore I.M.O. I am not out of line to state that what you write is ridiculous. Have a good day!

I watched and rewatched Mr. Holder's answers to the inquiry regarding drones. The correct answer should have been, "Not 'No' but 'Hell no!'" What Mr. Holder presented to a direct inquiry requiring a simple answer was an obfuscation. "I thought I was saying no." No, Mr. Holder, you were obfuscating. Now WE DO have the answer, "I thought I was saying no...I meant, 'no.'" Then just f'g say no because your response gives the appearance of looking for a political "out" when the drone might get used later!!! Mr. Holder, your answer inspired mistrust because it was not "direct." It inspired misunderstanding because of obfuscation. It had all the earmarks of still "playing the game" when the people needed clear reassurance.

Rand tries to turn his humiliating little display into a victory.

“For 13 hours yesterday we asked that question, and so there is a result and a victory,” Paul said after being read the letter. “Under duress and under public humiliation the White House will respond and do the right thing.”

Since this question had already been answered by the justice department. I am assuming that Holder merely provided this simple answer to Mr. Paul since he obviously didn't get the message earlier. It was kind of like swatting away an irritating little fly. He even managed to irritate McCain and his little side-kick, Graham.

TO: AtlasWillShrug who wrote:

"American Girl-Graham and McCain also say often that they are conservatives. Yet, you still want to believe their opinions on this issue? Now, that's funny."

We're not sure what McCain is, he goes with the wind, but I like him when he refuses to allow Republican rhetoric to go too far as to be overly-obsurd.

Graham used to be all about business, until Republicans on Capital Hill caught Graham spending loads of time at the White House and thought Graham was getting too friendly with President Obama, so the GOP threatened to kick Graham from committees, pull his funding for his re-election campaign, and then not support his re-election, and forced Graham to turn into a whachamacallit that recites talking points and hate speech.

JimSpence,

You said: "History proves that governments always get bigger and as they get bigger the peoples Liberties are stripped."

Not true.

The Ancient Roman Empire was so successful in part, because they were tolerant of other cultures and religions they absorbed, and even adopted some of their practices and beliefs into their great societies. It didn't fall because they supposedly stripped all the liberties of their people. This Great Empire fell after they rejected their own advice in its expansion, and instead allowed for greed, political corruption, invasions and exclusivity to become the norm in their final centuries of separate ruling capitals in different parts of Europe.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081212224229AAu7EHI

Similar parallels can be founds with Great Asian Dynasties that ruled in the East as well as in the ancient empires that grew in size in Southern and Central America.

Your black-and-white perception that all liberties are stripped, is a very narrow Libertarian view, and does not represent most of the historical trends and complex factors of governance in growing nations.

Why are liberals so offended when this white house is asked to give a definitive answer on constitutional issues?

believerof

You do realize it was a loaded question, right?

Over the past month during the confirmation hearings, Paul asked on many occasions the scope and policies of the drones. He did not, just one day flip out. On every occasion it was either answered with silence or a vague answer that reserved the authority of the Executive to use drones in the US against US citizens if they chose. They veiled it in "we don't intend to" or "we have no intention of" or "we have not". That in no way means "we will not" or "it would be a violation of the Constitution to do so". This has been going on for a month in the administration, Holder and Brennan sidestepping an answer. In many press releases Holder has repeatedly stated the administration has the authority to kill American citizens, so Paul asked a question that gave the administration only one answer they could give. Otherwise there would have been such outrage from the public that heads would have rolled.

So, when Paul asked "Does the administration have the Constitutional right to kill American citizens without due process?" there could only be one answer. Personally, I am glad it happened this way rather than after something bad happened, and the administration blaming Congress for giving the authority in the first place. Not that the administration would have used it, they should just never have the option unless it is an imminent attack.

and im supposed to what, cower in fear, after the last 8 years of basically "Fu%$ you the president can do whatever he wants!" by darth cheney?

like they didnt use drones? extreme rendidtion? assasinations? waterboarding?

what am i supposed to pretend this is something invented by obama?

the selective rage machine really really gets tiring man.

you REALLY believe that if the government wanted you dead at any time during just about the last 65 years that you wouldnt be killed one way or the other?

No, I really don't care what you do. maybe protest against the Patriot Act? I would like to see that repealed too. This does concern all of us and is the least partisan thing that there should be.

Steve-446003

Seems that I remember the left throwing fits about the Patriot Act.... but now you're OK with KILLER DRONES attacking Americans......

Guess you figure they won't be targeting you?

Did you bother to skim the article even a little before you dropped in to the chat to throw bombs?

Ken-848629

Why are liberals so offended when this white house is asked to give a definitive answer on constitutional issues?

Don't know Ken. I'm not the least bit offended. He got the answer I knew he would. Had he not, would he have had the commitment to write legislation to address the issue? He hadn't before.

“We’re using the leverage of holding up the vote,” he said on Beck’s show Thursday morning.. "And I can keep [the Senate] here through Saturday and they hate to work on weekends."

So? This is the same thing they have been doing for years, holding up the vote. So sad they're now actually BRAGGING about it.

On another subject, somewhere out on the web, I'm not sure where any more but I have seen it, is a comparison of vacation time taken by the past 6 or so Presidents. Both Bushes were the highest. The lowest? Obama. He's been staying here more, trying to do his job, than any of his predecessors. Of course, none of them faced the hatred and disrespect of the GOP that he has, and to compare his Presidency to any of the others is comparing apples to oranges.

I thought you progressive types would like this clarification. Apparently you trust this administration. What about the next?

The morons of the extreme left and right will continue to fart in the wind, but if you are American, you should be glad that someone finally admitted that the US government does not have the right to arbitrarily shoot people using drones on American soil. Just like they don't have the arbitrary right to just shoot you on the street with a gun. No matter WHAT the reason.

We now know the true colors of the republicans. They are pro-crime. They oppose using all available tools to stop criminals (drones that can monitor from the sky), and they oppose the prevention of criminals buying guns.

The democrats should use the 'soft on crime' slogan against each one of these corrupt politicans.

Only the teabaggers would be stupid and desperate enough to declare a victory for publicity stunt. Someone that filibusters the confirmation of a CIA director over a question that was answered several times BEFORE and that quite a few of his own party thought was tasteless and did not deserve an answer.

What a success. Further isolate yourself from the party you are leaching off of and look stupid, paranoid and disgracefully disrespectful in the process.

Thank you again, teabaggers, for showing the American public exactly how pathetic you are...and I am also thankful that the grown-ups in our government actually had intelligent debate over this very important issue without cheapening it for publicity.

Rand Paul could've have just simply made a phone call to Holder to get his answer, or even send him an email, and, he already knew what the answer would be.

But no, his ego demanded to make a big show of it to put himself into the limelight.

How much did this cost the American taxpayers for this worthless, 13-hour filibuster by the GOP Tea Party?

I don't know rradiko. How much does it cost when idiot Democrats do it?

I find it funny you think one group of these skank politicians is better than the other.

Oh, great. Just great!

While I was scrolling through the article describing the lame "spin" that Mr. Paul put on his embarrassing "performance" last night, my computer began spinning so rapidly that it screwed itself right through the desk and into the living room floor, damn near killing the dog in the process!

Anyone got his address, so I can send him a bill?

Have any of you idiots who believe Paul is wrong here, actually read anything in the NDAA? No you havent because there is wording in there that would make it ok to skip Due Process to excuse him for doing his damn job. So what if Republicans did this or that or Dems did this or or that. We are Americans damn it start having a little pride in your country and the processes that go into law making. You idiots just want to give up your rights because your scared or because everyone else believes it. Start demanding the truth and not some BS,

Not only did Rand Paul get HIS answer, we Americans also got OUR answer.

Regardless of the criticism, his work was not in vain. We need more like him and less of those being critical of what he did.

American Girl-724855

TO: alan_static who wrote:

"... What does that guy [Eric Holder] do all day except let the real criminals do whatever they want all day..."

Apparently he helps corner and capture terrorists, and answers dumb questions submitted by Republican Congressmen who either don't do their homework or have problems with amnesia.

You forgot to mention he apparently also sends guns to Mexican terrorists while attempting to prevent American citizens from legally purchasing them for personal protection, while also participating in the release of thousands of illegal aliens whose personal history we have no freaking idea of upon the legal citizens of the United States of America... the country whose laws he sworn to uphold.

Oh, yeah, like we're gonna take this guy at his word, uh hu, oh yeah....

gcooper8

Anyone got his address, so I can send him a bill?

While you're at it throw a couple at Comandante Barrack Hussein for his incessant campaigning and lying, especially that embarrassment of trying to scare the American people with the sequester. You might as well send a few to his complicit Cabinet for all their lies.

What a bunch of frivolous nonsense. Much ado about nothing. First Benghazi and now drones over Peoria, Fort Wayne or wherever the hell Dennis Rodman lives. That is what the junior crazy from Kentucky is really asking, isn't it? Jane Fonda was the target 45 years ago and Rand Paul is out of touch.

Seriously, politics in the US is becoming more ridiculous every election cycle and with every fresh batch of nuts we send up to Congress.

interested observer

We now know the true colors of the republicans. They are pro-crime. They oppose using all available tools to stop criminals (drones that can monitor from the sky), and they oppose the prevention of criminals buying guns

You haven't got a finger to wag at that one when this administration has released thousands of illegal aliens into the population without any idea of what their background in crime has been before crossing the border.

And that crap that only "non-violent" aliens were released is just that...CRAP! Without a full vetting of these people by immigration authorities into their background and interviews with family and references, not to mention HEALTH CHECKS, there is absolutely no way to say that these thousands of people are not a risk to society.

"kkwilson"...Why don't you scroll on down to #5.12 and #5.14 to see what kind of scum you have to become to support Rand Paul. Do you condemn those comments from a Rand Paul supporter, or do those comments put into words the true feelings that you are trying to hide?

Did you just miss the part where the question was already answered several times? How much slower can the teabagger brain get?????

Yikes, "screaminmimi"!! One would think you would be completely up in arms that Rand Paul wasted all of this time on a question that was already answered instead of addressing the issue of the illegal aliens that the Republicans set free.

Oh...you really don't get it, do you. Rand Paul could care less what you think and more about what will get him air time on Fox.

Poodle man: 1

Screaming whack-job: 0

Shockedanddisgusted

Depends on how you look at things... those illegal aliens wouldn't be here in the first place if this administration had used those drones to patrol the freaking border instead of trying to find an excuse to use them against American citizens.

And they wouldn't have to be released if we had used a few million of the dollars we gave to the Syrian terrorists who are holding UN peace workers hostage to deport the bastards.

Rand Paul is a true Patriot standing up for the rights of the People.

Paul Christie 2016.

It is hilarious that the libs give different answers to the same questions depending on who it is being asked of. If the Bush administration had given the same answer has Holder had, they would have been all over it. But, since it was the Obama administration, a free pass is given. Just goes to show that libs have no morals. But, then again, "morals" is a nasty word for libs.

Thank You Senator, you did the right thing!!! God bless you.

Hello folks, don't count on Obama doing the right thing. Obama and Eric Holder have outBushed Bush and Alberto Gonzales.

Holder Tells Senator That Obama Does Have Authority To Kill Citizens With Drones On U.S. Soil Without Criminal Charge or Conviction
Posted on March 7, 2013 by Gillian

Jonathan Turley’s blog March 6 2013

Attorney General Eric Holder this week held out the possibility that the President could kill an American citizens with a drone attack on U.S. soil without any criminal charge or trial. After Holder announced President Obama’s kill list policy, many apologists for the Administration insisted that the policy was limited to targets outside of the United States and was subject to a form of due process of the President’s own making. At the time, I wrote that these arguments were nothing but spin by the Administration and its supporters since the underlying claim of authority would have no such limitations. Holder now appears to have confirmed that even they do not believe in such limitations. This follows the release of a memo showing that Holder’s description of the policy at Northwestern University Law School was narrower than the actual policy described within the Administration.

Holder was responding to a letter from Sen. Rand Paul concerning the nomination of CIA director John Brennan on the use of lethal force. Holder said “It is possible I suppose to imagine an extraordinary circumstance in which it would be necessary and appropriate under the Constitution and applicable laws of the United States for the President to authorize the military to use lethal force within the territory of the United States.”

It will be difficult for people to find someway, as in the past, to blame this policy on Republicans. The kill list policy of Obama belongs to him. As I discussed in earlier columns (here and here and here), it is astonishing how citizens, including so many liberals and civil libertarians, have remained relatively silent in the face of a classic claim of authoritarian power. The relative silence over this latest development shows just how passive the country, and particularly liberals, have become in challenging Obama on his aggregation of executive power. It also is the latest evidence showing Obama’s evisceration of the civil liberties movement in this country. There is little observable movement left after it was divided over loyalty to Obama in the first term. A president has previously said that he can kill U.S. citizens on his own authority. It was then revealed that the citizen does not actually have to be involved in an imminent terrorism attack. Now he claims the right to use that authority in the U.S. The response at every stage has been a collective and prolonged yawn from a people growing comfortable with a burgeoning security state and an imperial president.

Hey Rand Paul why don’t you do the right thing and apologize for your thugs roughing up a little girl and smashing her head into a curb during your 2010 campaign.

Let me remind you about what happened, you ordered your gangster supporters to push her out of the way because she was carrying a sign you didn’t like……

Rand Paul is nothing but a Tea Party piece of crap that has no right being a U.S. Senator a professional criminal maybe but not a U.S. Senator.

Kate Indigo:

Heh heh. Hummm. Heh. Ha ha ha...ha ha...whew... ... HA! Hahahahaha...lord...hee hee hee...oh boy, sorry, did you say 'being a christian'? Hummm...heehee ahem. Really? AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You've got to be..heh heh ha... kidding us, right? Hooboy...hahahahahaha! Stockpiling food?...ahahaheeeee...HAHAHAHAHAHA...

...

...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You really should take it in the road...heeheeeheeee wheew..ha ha humm...I'd buy tickets hoo hooo hahahahahaha.... you'd better hope 'dumb as a post' isn't on the list... heehee...heee...

Hahahahahahahaha hahaha ahaha ha ha hee hee whooooop haw haw heeeeee hahahahaha.....

Paul humiliated himself.... it was absurd to filibuster this and 13 hours is a joke.... it kept some pages after hours, but it didnt significantly delay anything and DOJ didn't guarantee anything.....

since 9/11 if our government wants to deprive us of anything, including our life, they simply need to say the word 'terrorism'....

So this brainless weasel holds up the Senate for an entire day demanding an answer to a question that had already been answered, and he celebrates some kind of victory.

I guess for a teabagger, wasting several million dollars like that is good policy. How they are going to fix our problems? This is their answer.

@ DJ

The law already defines what the President can and can't do. 'Opinion' is irrelevant here, and any President using a drone to kill someone sitting at a Starbucks would be quickly impeached and imprisoned.

You didnt specify where the Starbucks was!

Roughly one month ago, a similar memo was released from the White House stating that the only thing required to initiate a drone strike on an American overseas, was a "High level official" in the White House concluding your American at an overseas Starbucks is a terrorist....then zap.

The Geographical location of an American is irrelevant when it comes to his/her rights being violated. If it's wrong in America...it's wrong overseas. Questioning the W.H. after last months drone memo is absolutely necessary.

Jurisprudence is the issue here...not strictly the tool used to kill. The armed drones are irrelevant. If the American has been found guilty of treason, then one of the penalty's is death anyway.

However, killing without taking these judicial steps is just lackadaisical in respect to our rights.

Browny

1. Are you saying the president and his family are not entitled to vacation?

"Tom-Plymouth- In President Obama's 1st term he racked up 131 days and Bush in his 1,020 days, President Obama is no where near that number. What you're really implying is, the black man is lazy and the white man deserves the time off. SMH"
Wait I said yes to the above question, and somehow you make it out that I hate blacks?

Are you saying Bush was on vacation 1020 days out of 1460 in his first term? How stupid do you have to be to make that claim?

Star "Tommy in Ply.....in your mind, everything the president does is bad....getting Bin Laden...bad.....
making the economy recover despite republicons pledging against America...bad.....ending the war in Iraq...bad etc......
We see the pattern day in and day out with your posts......the problem is you Tommy.....
and it eats you up inside...day after day, night after night......aaaahahahahahahahahaha......
more good stuff coming from the president that is good for America.......
coming to getcha....booga booga.....monsters under your bed!"
I guess the idiots are out in force today.

in your mind, everything the president does is bad.
Nope everything he does is bad

getting Bin Laden.
That was Good.

making the economy recover despite republicons pledging against America
Not really sure the economy is recovering enough for people to get jobs, so yes that is bad.

ending the war in Iraq
Yes that was good, It was happening regardless but I will give him credit

And since you assumed I said something I didn't.
I said multiple times I am not worried about Obama killing a citizen with a drone on US soil. I am worried that it gives power to somebody in the future to do it.
Think back 30 years ago wasn't anybody worried Jimmy Carter would take over a car company? Nope, has it happened, yes.
I guess that is the monster under your bed?

American Girl-724855

TO: alan_static who wrote:

"... What does that guy [Eric Holder] do all day except let the real criminals do whatever they want all day..."

Apparently he helps corner and capture terrorists, and answers dumb questions submitted by Republican Congressmen who either don't do their homework or have problems with amnesia.

_________________________________________________________________________

Good morning American Girl,,,,,,,,,

,,,,,,,, Holder also sends sh!tloads of weapons to Mexican Drug gangs to murder US agents.

Eric Holder ignores all of the evidence handed to him on a silver platter to prosecute the biggest names on Wall Street and does NOTHING to prosecute the largest financial crimes in history.(But then again, the "Department Of Justice" will go after "monsters" like Martha Stewart & Wesley Snipes,, Yea ! )

Holder is a corrupt, treasonous, worthless POS and should have been fired a long time ago.

.

So thank you alan_static, a fine post as usual.

.

TO: Ken-848629 who wrote:

"Why are liberals so offended when this white house is asked to give a definitive answer on constitutional issues?"

The better question is, how many times do Republicans have to be told "No"?

Eric Holder told Republicans "No" in writing and then again "No" under oath, but Republicans are still asking the same question, and still getting the same answer.

Here, maybe this will hold you: No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No!

It's pretty funny reading this and seeing all the libs kissing ass to mccain and graham, two of the biggest RINOs in congress.

I happen to support what rand paul did, because it got it nailed down in writing from the administration what their limitations are, and that's all paul was after.

Mccain and graham seriously need to retire and stop trying to represent a party. Their political views have 'evolved' (that's the lib word for flipflop) more than a mood ring on a teenage girl. As if the republican party really needed any more embarrassment, mccain and graham add a ton more of that. Retire and stfu.

Wow Snakebone. Nice Ad Hominem attack. I have nothing more to say to you than that. Have a nice blissful ignorant blind life.

Will do, Kate. I suppose if we must live an ignorant blind life, it may as well be blissful, rather than cowering in the grip of fear and mindless, psychotic paranoia.

You wanted something besides ad hominem? What is there? I mean, really. 'Writing on paper"? "Taking a picture"? You do realize that your list covers everybody in the world many times over, right? So even if our government, for some reason, wanted a list with the names of everybody in the world, what exactly frightens you about being on that list? Does that make you feel unfairly singled out?

"Stockpiling more than 7 days of food"? How do you suppose, Kate, that the government would know such a thing? Grocery store receipts go to a government database, which puts the amount up against the number of members in your family? But then, how do they know it's not for a party? Do they park a car outside your house 24/7 to see whether you have guests? So everybody in America has someone parked outside their house? And the list goes on and on...

On a whim, I went to that blog and clicked a random link, which purported to show a meeting run by FEMA. It was three militia-looking dudes with long beards sitting in a darkened grade school classroom listening to a guy rant about the government. I always wondered who could possibly believe such things.

I'm sorry I laughed at your post, Kate. You don't need laughter; you need help. Someone's been telling you stories, and for some reason - drugs, isolation, naiveté -you've lost the ability to rationally judge the credibility of things you've been told. For your own sake, you need to get out of your situation, you need to find somebody who can help you. Seriously, I'm not flaming here.

Your post did end up frightening me, if that helps. 13 people, on this site alone, gave you a thumbs up. 13 people who either live in that dark paranoia, or are happy that you do. I don't know what to make of that. I truly don't.

I'm not paranoid. Nice try though. Nor do I use drugs, and I have no problems with logic. I do have a good understanding of history and a good understanding of the motives of powerful people throughout ancient and modern history; And all the crazy things they've done to gain and retain power. With so much evidence within the history of earth of the nature of man and how power can corrupt one's soul so completely, I'm amazed you think it so impossible that people in our government could create such a vague list. I don't believe in shutting out probabilities and possibilities cause they don't seem to fit in with what I suppose the way things should work. You're right. That list does look crazy(not my list nor did I say all of it was correct. I did say research it for yourself and that means doing more than one random click.) You assume much and try to make it look like logic. Yet logic deals with FACTS, things that are known, and many things on that list are known. Just because you can't see how that some things can't be possible doesn't make them impossible. Ah logic. I merely used that Washington Post blog cause it had many things listed there that I know have been discussed by DHS and the military, with many links. Look. It's not about calling everyone a terrorist or possible terrorist. That sort of list would be impractical. It's about making it possible to call someone whom you don't like a terrorist. They aren't going to throw everyone in some sort of camp, but if they have vague enough guidelines, then they can throw WHOM they want into prison. And yes, there are Data centers spread throughout the nation. And in our digital world things are tracked very easily with RIFDs. I wonder if people in Germany or Russia, who warned of things to come, were similar ridiculed and demeaned.

I'm proud you went to one RANDOM link. Seems like you really tried to research this out for yourself. Or maybe you were only hoping to find something ridiculous to mock me with.

The Obama administration will unveil plans Wednesday to shut 137 of the 2,094 federal data centers by the end of the year, a move that officials see as a breakthrough in their effort to make the government's information-technology infrastructure more efficient and less costly.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704729304576287431386089352.html

William Binney, Thomas Drake, and Kirk Wiebe appeared Monday night on Current TV’s Viewpoint to discuss the NSA program with host Eliot Spitzer, the former New York State Attorney General. What was new to me — news of the eavesdropping program started breaking in 2005 — was their contention that the effort, which started after 9/11, will use tools developed under the Obama Administration’s Big Data initiative to increase the scope of government’s view into our lives. The technology will automate the process of sorting through all that data to determine — without human intervention — who is a threat.

They allege that the government is building a dossier on every citizen from that data — which will be stored in the secret Bluffdale, Utah data center. Software can then be run against that data to construct timelines about an individual’s personal life and a map of their social and business connections. Bluffdale, Binney said, will be able to store 100 years worth of the worlds’ electronic communication. “They’re accumulating [data] against everyone,” he told Spitzer. The website Technically Personal ran a good report on the show.

For the record, Binney, Drake, and Wiebe were investigated as possible leaks when the New York Times started breaking the news of massive government snooping on citizens back in 2005, and are now providing evidence for an Electronic Freedom Foundation lawsuit against the NSA.

http://gigaom.com/2012/07/24/does-the-nsa-have-a-file-on-you-probably/

more to come

Nine years after the terrorist attacks of 2001, the United States is assembling a vast domestic intelligence apparatus to collect information about Americans, using the FBI, local police, state homeland security offices and military criminal investigators.

The system, by far the largest and most technologically sophisticated in the nation's history, collects, stores and analyzes information about thousands of U.S. citizens and residents, many of whom have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

The government's goal is to have every state and local law enforcement agency in the country feed information to Washington to buttress the work of the FBI, which is in charge of terrorism investigations in the United States. ...

At the same time that the FBI is expanding its West Virginia database, it is building a vast repository controlled by people who work in a top-secret vault on the fourth floor of the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building in Washington. This one stores the profiles of tens of thousands of Americans and legal residents who are not accused of any crime. What they have done is appear to be acting suspiciously to a town sheriff, a traffic cop or even a neighbor. ...

The effectiveness of this database depends, in fact, on collecting the identities of people who are not known criminals or terrorists - and on being able to quickly compile in-depth profiles of them. ...

The government defines a suspicious activity as "observed behavior reasonably indicative of pre-operational planning related to terrorism or other criminal activity" related to terrorism.

State intelligence analysts and FBI investigators use the reports to determine whether a person is buying fertilizer to make a bomb or to plant tomatoes; whether she is plotting to poison a city's drinking water or studying for a metallurgy test; whether, as happened on a Sunday morning in late September, the man snapping a picture of a ferry in the Newport Beach harbor in Southern California simply liked the way it looked or was plotting to blow it up.

Suspicious Activity Report N03821 says a local law enforcement officer observed "a suspicious subject . . . taking photographs of the Orange County Sheriff Department Fire Boat and the Balboa Ferry with a cellular phone camera." The confidential report, marked "For Official Use Only," noted that the subject next made a phone call, walked to his car and returned five minutes later to take more pictures. He was then met by another person, both of whom stood and "observed the boat traffic in the harbor." Next another adult with two small children joined them, and then they all boarded the ferry and crossed the channel.

All of this information was forwarded to the Los Angeles fusion center for further investigation after the local officer ran information about the vehicle and its owner through several crime databases and found nothing. ...

Authorities would not say what happened to it from there, but there are several paths a suspicious activity report can take:

At the fusion center, an officer would decide to either dismiss the suspicious activity as harmless or forward the report to the nearest FBI terrorism unit for further investigation.

At that unit, it would immediately be entered into the Guardian database, at which point one of three things could happen:

The FBI could collect more information, find no connection to terrorism and mark the file closed, though leaving it in the database.

It could find a possible connection and turn it into a full-fledged case.

Or, as most often happens, it could make no specific determination, which would mean that Suspicious Activity Report N03821 would sit in limbo for as long as five years, during which time many other pieces of information about the man photographing a boat on a Sunday morning could be added to his file: employment, financial and residential histories; multiple phone numbers; audio files; video from the dashboard-mounted camera in the police cruiser at the harbor where he took pictures; and anything else in government or commercial databases "that adds value," as the FBI agent in charge of the database described it.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/monitoring-america/4/

It's not my fault you don't pay attention to things happening around you in this country. Try reading and expanding your knowledge a little bit before you start calling people stupid out of your own ignorance.

Suspicious Activity Report N03821 says a local law enforcement officer observed "a suspicious subject . . . taking photographs of the Orange County Sheriff Department Fire Boat and the Balboa Ferry with a cellular phone camera." The confidential report, marked "For Official Use Only," noted that the subject next made a phone call, walked to his car and returned five minutes later to take more pictures. He was then met by another person, both of whom stood and "observed the boat traffic in the harbor." Next another adult with two small children joined them, and then they all boarded the ferry and crossed the channel.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/monitoring-america/4/

Hahaha... what was it you said Snake? "You wanted something besides ad hominem? What is there? I mean, really. 'Writing on paper"? "Taking a picture"?"

Ooops, yep that's right, taking pictures can be very suspicious and sent to fusion centers. I'd say that cop was/is the paranoid one. And now the FBI, DHS and the NSA can make a profile on this innocent American cause he was taking pictures and oh, made a phone call.

Or, as most often happens, it could make no specific determination, which would mean that Suspicious Activity Report N03821 would sit in limbo for as long as five years, during which time many other pieces of information about the man photographing a boat on a Sunday morning could be added to his file: employment, financial and residential histories; multiple phone numbers; audio files; video from the dashboard-mounted camera in the police cruiser at the harbor where he took pictures; and anything else in government or commercial databases "that adds value," as the FBI agent in charge of the database described it.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/monitoring-america/4/

Gee I wonder how they would get all that sort of information on the guy. Notice how they use commercial databases for information? Hmmm... Maybe it upsets me because I don't think innocent Americans should have a government profile on them simply for being on vacation or a day out. It's none of the Governments business what his employment residential and financial histories are.

Really I've said all there needs to be said to you. Have a nice day. :)

Capt. Smash ... still laughing!

Ah yes, here come the liberal internet rangers with their insults and slights. Typical sophomoric behavior for the fringe left.

Lighten up already Jon! You have to admit he's got some super curly hair!

more like grade school behavior

Jon, are you suggesting the uber conservative types don't use insults and slights when talking about the president, or any other democrat? Take a long look in the mirror, Sparky...

Isn't Rand's real desire to crash our economy??? What a smart ass punk.

The difference: a poodle doesn't ask for the silly haircut.

Apple didn't fall far from the tree. Two bat sh!t crazy dudes in the family. How do they get into medical schools in the first place? Thank goodness neither of them are practicing medicine.

Another one who needs to go. Anyone with half a brain could see that all he is doing is playing obstructionist. Haven't we had enough obstructionist in our politics? My gosh, the government needs to FUNCTION. Right now, it can't because scum like this keep getting in the way, and then certain media scum keeps encouraging it. It amazes me that people still vote for "politicians" like this. I don't care about anyone's party biased BS making excuses for people, or blaming one party over the other. We need to vote anyone out who plays obstructionist regardless of what party they claim they are from.

Now I don't always agree with what our government decides to do, or even the way they do it. In fact, I quite often don't agree with what they do. But just stalling to get your way means that in the end everybody is hurt. And yet this keeps happening over and over again. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!! Do the job the people voted you useless bickering tools to do in the first place : TO HELP RUN OUR GOD DAMN GOVERNMENT!!!!! Not to run it into the ground. Not to force government to a halt. Help our government function of gtfo!!!! And as voters we need to have that attitude and vote them out regardless of party or they'll never be held accountable for all the harm they are doing to this country.

I agree with you GodofFate. However, at some point somebody, and I think in this case Rand, has to stand up and say: "Whoa, what the heck!" That is what Rand was about! He wants to put an end to this out of control President that we have!

TO: Jon-998022 who wrote:

"Ah yes, here come the liberal internet rangers with their insults and slights..."

How about giving Republican Arizona Senator John McCain and Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham some of that credit, they told Rand Paul straight out not to go there, but in typical Republican fashion, Rand wouldn't even listen to the leaders of his own party and insisted on making a fool of himself.

So, if Rand insists on making a fool of himself they way he did, we have every right to laugh at him.

@ US Houtkop,

I often don't agree with what he does, or how he does it, but Obama is nowhere near as out of control as the right would have you believe. There are two extreme views. The Democrat view is that he is doing a great job, and that everything he couldn't do is the Republican's fault for playing obstructionist. The Republican view is that everything on the entire planet, regardless of whether or not it has anything to do with Obama, the presidency, or even politics, is all his fault. The truth is not so extreme.

If you think that the President, one man, or one party is the cause of all this, you would be sorely mistaken. The President is not doing a great job, and while I am still realistic enough to know he has done some good things, he could have done much better despite the obstructionism from the right. And the truth is their are obstructionists everywhere, not just on the right but in every party. And Rand is one of them. One man can't run the government. It takes an entire body of people. And when people like Rand constantly get in the way with record levels of obstruction and stalling techniques like filibuster, our government can no longer function.

If you truly agreed with what I said like you claim, you would understand that our government needs to function even if we don't agree with everything they do. This was another issue, having nothing to do with the questions Rand asked, that was turned into yet another obstructionist grounds for a party vs. party pissing contest. I'm tired of it.

Hmmm... I am a "Goldwater Republican," who believes that any adult male who makes the choice to wear his hair in a rat's nest format, cannot be taken seriously about anything.

The voters of Kentucky made a very big mistake by electing this embarrassing nit-wit.

Rand Paul is now bombing Jane Fonda's home from the Senate floor and hes telling Americans not to vote for Hilter, it looks like the guys in the white are taking Rand home !

Haha... 'fringe left'. Only the delusional neo-cons would come up with this type of comment which is awfully devoid of realism. Republicans or Democrats aside, they don't even realize that the independents are sick of their antics. Who won the White House with 51% of the popular vote again? Since only 30% of the population are registered Democrats and assuming every last one of them voted for Obama, where did that other 21% of the vote come from? The 'fringe right' is falling behind the times and they don't even realize it.

Only in the minds of the modern neo-con are the following things still relevant:

-Bible thumping
-Morality sermonizing
-Gay hating
-Science rejection
-Minority disenfranchisement or marginalization
-Bow to American Exceptionalism or we will park a carrier battle group up your wazoo
-No taxation especially on the rich
-Relegating women back to second class citizenry status

By all means, keep at it. The more you stick to your ways, the more people will reject you. The day will come when such obtuse and menacing ideologies will become extinct and I have a bottle of champagne just itching to be popped.

I heard you were an expert on head eh sweet cheeks.

Hey, it's no skin off my nose i was just making an observation and I never made the insinuation that the fringe right doesn't do the same thing, they do.

I've noticed a trend in the last few years of people, especially on the internet, getting ruder and ruder. Yeah most of us, myself included, participate in the game from time to time and it can be all in good fun but thats not the trend i see. It just gets tired.

Name calling IS usually sophomoric at best and indicative of a dull mind at worst. Especially for fringers like American Girl. But hey, thats just my opinion. I could be wrong.

you dont REALLY think that if the government wanted you dead at any point in the last 60 years that you would be still living do you?

you right wing sheep are sure afraid! lol. but when it was darth cheney saying basically that the white house had the right to do whatever the F they wanted you little cowards were NOWHERE to be found!

Hey that kind of curly hair can come in real handy. I wore a fro in the 70's, because I could, and the Afro-American bros & sisters dared me to when I told them I could, I always had some pretty good friend s from all colors. In fact they thought I was pretty ballsy wearing a fro, not that I had anything to fear form them, but my fellow white folks

Rand Paul just disgraced the state of Kentucky, this is what the Tea party is all about, very sad !!!

What is it with Kentucky?!?!? Mitch McConnell AND Rand Paul??? Screw this talk of teabagger secession, is it possible to kick a state OUT of the Union?

Yeah, KY is only good for one thing. Rectums.

Yeah, i know. What is it with people that don't think like you do.

I mean really ..... the nerve of them.

Amy you are incorrect, asking questions to gain further knowledge is the opposite of "dumbing down". You may be quite pleased with an verbal answer to a question regarding the use of military weapons on Americans. But it is another to have it written down in extreme detail thus limiting the chance of any gray areas or misunderstandings. Like our laws, they are not written "you no steal". But are written in a way to explain value of items or services stolen and the punishment for each level of crime. As a person that has been in law enforcement most of my life, I for one want laws to be very detailed.

Niiiice!... But they'll have to take it down further yet to translate it to their base... Pretty much grunts, squeals, and communal grooming at that level.

Amy & Chick - I was originally thinking smoke signals until I realized that was WAYYYYYY above the conservative nutcases heads (no pun intended).

You're fools to think that uneducated people are only in the conservative camp.

Really Kanic? Anybody can be uninformed, but if we're going by stereotypes, the liberals are better educated while the conservatives live in trailer parks. The fringe liberals are just as idiotic as the fringe conservatives.

Xorp,

Read the question and the answer.

'Does the President have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil." The answer to that question is no."

Really, that's what he stayed up all night for?

How about, The President nor does anyone else have the right to use a butter knife against an American not engaged in combat on American soil.

If you and your party are so smart why did you have your ass handed to you in the last election. It probably has a lot to to with the idiot candidate you had running. If he is the best you have, you're in deep sh**.

Kindergarten was obviously in session. Mr Paul, please lie down on the little rug on the right and come back when you grow up. So, this is what the teabags are doing to fix the budget?

I'm sorry to break the news to you Osama Obamahos out there. Osama Obama has already stated enough about our second ammendment to make me worry about his understanding of the Constitution. Oh sure he studied constitutional law at Harvard. Just goes to show even an idiot can get a degree at Harvard if he has the scales tipped in his favor because of race. What you don't believe me! Wiki it. All major colleges shave requirement scores for people of certain ethnic background. Oh you can say that you don't believe it. I don't care. It's a fact. I won't give you the info. Look it up yourself.

Osama Obama would like nothing more than to change the constitution. Let's change the rule about foreign born nationals being eligible for president. Oh wait, they are working around that right now. Barack Obama has just enough constitiutional knowledge to make himself dangerous.

Oh and of course the Republicans are divided. Some of them want to be in charge. Others think they should to retire. Personally I think they should put a maximum age limit on it. I also believe that they should be required to have been in the armed services. Being required to be a veteran before being eligible to hold office in either the Senate or the House would weed out some of the obvious idiots and cowards. How can we expect a man or woman to have the experience to be the commander in chief if they haven't ever served in the Armed forces. Washington was a General after all.

@ Wiley,

He has ironically shown his how uneducated and uninformed he is just by saying libtard. It's like all they can do is name call and mesh everyone in one party together as a single stereotype because they don't understand the concept of variation. Anyone who does that is just another radical, party biased hack who is too brainwashed to know reality.

Say that in ebonics so that the rest of the Obamahos can understand you.

Ebonomics? Obamahos? Really? Talking about hos and the economics of the ghetto and associating it with Obama just shows how much of a moron you really are. And more uneducated name calling. Another radical, politically biased moron. You brainwashed sheep show your hand so easy.

Sorry Amy! He be dumming i' dow' so he people do't be co'foose!

Dumbing down is letting liberals breed.

dont forget his usual redneck teabagger bigotry! he showed that plenty too. then again these righty hacks are way too stupid to know that when they throw in their rage against "hoodies, ho's, foodstamps" or whatnot that it immediately identifies exactly what they think of black people to the rest of us!

it never ceases to amaze me.

next up? he will retort by golly with a rant about the race card! too stupid to know he's already revealed to us his racial bigotry!

@ stopfreeloaders

Or worse, letting your parents breed.

Kanic

@no sense-the most uneducated and uniformed are th libtards

Read it and weep:

http://www.livescience.com/18132-intelligence-social-conservatism-racism.html

This also explains why conservatives hate or at least distrust science.

magyar27

Rich,

It's old guard vs the New Republican. It is time for our party to run out the old guard, replacing them with blood that will overcome the Progressive style of divide and conquer, tell lies until people believe it to be truth, and new blood that will overcome the stupidity of the left.

The GOP can speak truth, but does have a difficult time having the message reported in the press. Progressives have one only speaking voice, while Repubs are individuals with more than one single thought.

From the record of Reid and the Senate, nothing not proposed by Progressives is allowed to be heard and enacted upon. Meanwhile, the Progressives do not seem to have answers other than TAX and SPEND. Big Gov to Progressives is good; small gov. bad.

Now what has the Progressive Party done to restore the economy, other than ask for more revenues while Obama has spent and borrowed more than any other president in his first term?

That's some good stuff Magyar, at first I thought you were serious. Really subtle satire is always the best. Sort of in the style of Steven Colbert...keep up the good work. And remember "What's good for General Bullmoose is good for the USA".

It never fails. Whenever teabaggers are question on their stupidity, they expose themselves for what they really are:

Say that in ebonics so that the rest of the Obamahos can understand you.

Dumbing down is letting liberals breed.

Hmmm. Racial slurs and dreams of selective breeding. It just really doesn't get more nazi than that. Thank you, "bigdaddys..." and "stopfree..." for further proving what vile creatures support people like Rand Paul. Please keep posting...It is working miracles for the Democratic Party!!!

Serious question for you Steve: Are you by chance a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic?

@Steve ... I thought I was pretty good at disjointed phrasing, but I think any "stream of unconsciousness" scribbling I might have considered has been sent packing. Well done.

But... big but, Paul was the one who showed himself for what he is--an attention whore with no concern for real results, only delay and obstruction.

As for the camps and ovens -- you just drifted off into weirdo fruitcake nutjob stuff. Please post a picture of the camps and ovens.

Steve - once again you have shown yourself to be the paranoid hater you clearly are. You are a total loon and the fact that you look under you bed at night for the boogie man says it all. Please get help! You're a total embarrassment to human beings everywhere!

I challenge you AlaskaGirl...... just change all the names around to be from the Bush administration & then take along hard look.... you know as well as I do, you'd be LIVID....

Here, let me prove it to you....

Senator Ted Kennedy today stood before the Senate to filibuster the nomination of George Tenet. His focus was the email from the Bush administration discussing the use of killer drones along the border of Texas & Arizona. Although Mr Kennedy would not say if he had any problems with use on foreign soil, he made it clear that possible killing of American citizens would not be tolerated.

After the nearly 13 hour filibuster, Attorney General John Ashcroft sent an email that read, "Against Americans not engaged in combat? No, that's not what we're thinking."

Steve... I think time travel might be your best cure... Back to at least the Jim Crow law days when people like you felt like you were still somebody and hadn't fallen under the imaginary hammer of the black man....

Back to when fellers like you thought they WERE danger rather than IN danger. You are a lunatic.

NEWS FLASH.............. Barack Obama is NOT BLACK.............

He's Hawaiian........... maybe?

Um, what? You need to find a real person to speak with about your intrusive thoughts. Shut off the computer. Go outside.

Okay, Steve, I have indulged you long enough. You really are quite the bore. I didn't know you were a birther, and that right there is enough evidence for me that you are not playing with a full deck. So, I wish you well in your delusions. I sure as hell hope that you don't have guns. If you do, I sure hope your neighbors steer clear of you, and your family gets you the help you so obviously need. If in the future, I don't respond to you it will be because in about three seconds I will put you on ignore.

Steve,,, you do live in a fantasy world,you can tell by the words you use.

Steve, if $hit were electricity, you would be a walking power house...

Please tell me that Alaska girl is past the age of breeding any more idiots as herself.

ahhh birthers.. lol

you want to debate about obama but dont even have the cajones to agree he is actually a citizen and president of this great land.

I may not like what you have to say, but I believe you have the right to say it.

Perhaps that's where Republicans err - they want everyone to have the very rights and priviledges that liberals want so fervently to take from them.

LIBERAL TOLERANCE (def): n, that which we belive must be tolerated, all beliefs to the contrary must be met as racist hate speech, lies, or Republican rhetoric.

St##fre#lo##/ Your nom de plume,is all that anyone needs to know all of your views. Need I say that I consider them worthless?

I am glad he was passionate about his defense of the 6th amendment.

(I wonder if any of the liberals know what's in the Bill of Rights without googling it?)

The Bill of Rights was intended as a defense against tyranical government actions. Our founding fathers had recently freed themselves from such, and wished not to create another government that would userp the rights of the individuals.

If a president, his staff, or any government body were to say that it's ok to waive the Bill of Rights to pursue any other objective, what you should be hearing is that THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO REVOKE YOUR RIGHTS.

Today we have Democrats in office. Tomorrow's Republicans will be empowered by what today's Democrats enact. Liberals I have a question for you:

If George Bush were legally empowered to use Drones against US Citizens on US soil, if he even said he wanted to, would YOU be happy about THAT?

Brent Ferguson

Brent...you're repeating yourself. You wouldn't be related to Steve-446003 would you?

Not at all, but thank you for paying attention. I, too, like to read. Without thoughtful consideration to differing perspectives one cannot enhance his own world view. That's why I read the thoughts here, as well as in Al Jazeera. I simply don't trust the government or our news media to present me with all the information I need to form an impartial opinion.

Brent Ferguson

Outstanding. I get most of my news from the BBC. Not BBC America, the original.

You idolize dolts Alan.

Chicken little. The sky is falling.

It is too bad a drone didn't fall on him, but his hair would probably let it bounce off.