United Liberty

If Sarah Palin is to give anyone any hope of influencing the direction of things in our country (assuming the McCain/Palin ticket is defeated) in a more conservative (as the term was once understood to mean) or libertarian direction, then she has a great deal to learn. We have to be very careful about putting trust in any politician based on the way he or she talks or “used to talk” (in the case of Palin). Politicians who talk about limited government and fiscal responsibility are legion in the Republican party, but those who actually govern that way or vote that way as legislators are few and far between. As they say, actions speak louder than words, and it is to Palin’s record as Governor and Mayor that we can look to see how reliable she might be on behalf of our cause. Most importantly, we should keep it in perspective that she is a politician, and a very clever one at that. The bottom line is: put not our trust in politicians. It’s better to cultivate better statesman out of those who enter politics with the promise of promoting liberty by keeping the pressure on, for these too can easily get led astray by the pressures and temptations of Washington.

“While I’m sickened to hear her utter such garbage as it being “God’s will” for us to be in Iraq, I’ve often wondered if she really believes what she’s saying or if she’s just regurgitating what she’s been told to say.” - It doesn’t inspire much confidence in her. I tend to believe that she is what’s wrong for the Republican Party - A phony populism backed by little in the way of intellect or principle.

I disagree with you that our country is headed toward socialism and fascism. I think there are many other shades in the political spectrum we’d pass through first. I see us as solidly conservative now (this is hard to deny), with a liberal taking us to the political center, or a conservative taking us to the center-right.

I believe Palin, on the other hand, has bizarre ultra-nationalist tendencies, such as taking about “American Exceptionalism,” which sounds nice to us, but of course has no basis in fact just like any other statements suggesting ethnic superiority.

To respond to “Kentucky”, I would ask, just what is “conservative” about the last eight years? Oh, never mind that… what is “conservative” about the past two months, with the $850 billion bailout and virtual nationalization of U.S. banks and much of the insurance industry? How is that anything but fascist? Let us not forget that McCain voted for that egregious, socialistic piece of legislation, and worked very hard on its behalf (as did Obama), and has given his blessing to pretty much everything the current administration is doing to bring us closer to fascism.

A few facts:

Palin’s record in Alaska:

- This year alone she cut $268 million of waste from the budget (cutting waste precludes having to raise taxes; this at a time when 29 states will have budget shortfalls in 2009).

- Palin signed a bill into law giving the state of Alaska authority to award TransCanada Pipelines a license to build and operate the $26-billion-dollar pipeline to ship natural gas from the North Slope to the Lower 48, through Canada.

- Budget surpluses were returned to the people (as Bush did with the gov’t surpluses — twice — to keep the funds out of Congress’ hands — a move supported by Greenspan)

- She passed a landmark ethics reform bill and shelved pork-barrel projects supported by Republicans

- She fought Big Oil corruption in politics, resulting in arrests and jail time for the convicted (no doubt, she has loads of enemies for pursuing that)

- She sold the governor’s jet and dismissed the governor’s cook (she said she can cook her own meals) to save taxpayer dollars

- She’s eliminated the gas tax for Alaskans

- “Alaska needs to be self-sufficient,” Palin says. “Instead of relying heavily on federal dollars,” as the state does today.

- Palin has strongly promoted oil resource development in Alaska, but also helped pass a tax increase on oil company profits.

As for her religious views, let’s look at her record:

- Like Biden, Palin opposes same-sex marriage. However, Palin’s first veto was used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to the partners of gay state employees. In effect, her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska’s attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.

- Palin supported the open debate of creationism alongside evolution in schools; however, she noted that “creationism doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum” and that she would not use “religion as a litmus test, or anybody’s personal opinion on evolution or creationism” as criteria for selection to the school board.

The above you won’t find on many blogs, though. You usually get eye-rolling jokes about Andrew Lloyd Webber writing a diva musical like “Evita” for Palin. That or links to ThinkProgress, which falsely claimed Palin cut special needs funding. FactCheck.org had to undo that lie on its site.

Why do you think folks want to destroy her? I think it has nothing to do with her gender — and everything to do with what she stands for — smaller gov’t — and that scares corrupt politicians sucking on the govt teat.

Charles Kennedy: Agreed. I knew McCain blew it then. And then in the second debate, he blew it with his “we’ll buy up home mortgages” plan (taxpayers don’t need to! Banks and home owners can re-arrange loans through a Shared Appreciation Mortgages — http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122523972217878309.html).

I’ll still vote for McCain, though, as opposed to the alternative. I watched the VP debate after the bailout and thought it was a perfect op for Palin to depart from McCain and Obama’s position. I’m sure campaign strategists wouldn’t have allowed it, but it would have shown that she makes a tougher stand on behalf of taxpayers (it’s evidenced in her Alaska record, read above). It would have locked in the justsaynodeal.com voters (mainly PUMAs) who were raging about the bailout. She already strongly disagrees with McCain on ANWR, and said she’d get him to come around. So I think if she had come out against the bailout it would have been credible and given the campaign a big boost. She would have been tarred and feathered in the press for being irresponsible and ignorant of the issues, but the average Joe would have seen a person representing him at least go to bat for his ideas. Pelosi, Reid, Frank … no one sold the taxpayer on that bailout — they just pushed it through in a few weeks. Insane.

Conservatives have to do some house cleaning, starting with neocons.

Does Palin Support McCain’s bill—Indefinite Detention of Citizens On Mere Suspicion?

Are You Scheduled For Government Interrogation If McCain’s bill 3081 Is Passed?

On March 4, 2010, Sen. John McCain introduced S.3081, The “Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010.”

Sen. McCain’s S.3081 would eliminate several Constitutional protections allowing Government to arbitrarily pick up Americans on mere suspicion—with no probable cause. Your political opinions and statements made against U.S. Government could be used by Authorities to deem you a “hostile” “Enemy Belligerent” to cause your arrest and indefinite detention. S.3081 is so broadly written innocent anti-war protesters and Tea Party Groups might be arrested and detained just for attending demonstrations.

Considering how often Sarah Palin defends Free Speech, one can’t help wonder why Palin is helping McCain’s reelection to the U.S. Senate after he introduced possibly the most anti-Free Speech Bill in Modern U.S. History. Perhaps Palin or her Tea Party supporters haven’t considered McCain’s legislation might be used by a corrupt government administration to crush them. Tea Parties might question Palin whether she supports Sen. McCain’s bill the “Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention, and Prosecution Act of 2010.” (S.3081)

Under S.3081, an “individual” need only be Suspected by Government of “suspicious activity” or “supporting hostilities” to be dragged off and held indefinitely in Military Custody. Government will have the power to detain and interrogate any individual without probable cause. Government need only allege an individual kept in detention, is an Unprivileged Enemy Belligerent suspected of; having engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners; or has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners. How could one prove to Government they did not purposely do something? “Materially Supporting Hostilities” against the United States could include any person or group that spoke out or demonstrated disapproval against an agency of U.S. Government. It is foreseeable many Americans might go underground to Resist Government Tyranny. Definition for Unprivileged Enemy Belligerent: (Anyone Subject to a Military Commission)

At least under the Patriot Act, law enforcement generally needed probable cause to detain a person indefinitely. Passage of S.3081 will permit government to use “mere suspicion” to curtail an individual’s Constitutional Protections against unlawful arrest, detention and interrogation without benefit of legal counsel and trial. According to S.3081 Government is not required to provide detained individuals U.S. Miranda Warnings or even an attorney.

S.3081 if passed will frighten Americans from speaking out. S.3081 is so broadly written, it appears any “individual” who writes on the Internet or verbally express an opinion against or an entity of U.S. Government or its coalition partners might be detained on the basis he or she is an “unprivileged enemy belligerent”, “supporting hostilities against U.S. Government.”

How might Americans respond should Government use this bill to take away their loved ones, family members and friends on mere suspicion? It is foreseeable McCain’s bill will drive lawful political activists underground, perhaps creating the domestic terrorists McCain said we needed to be protected from.

McCain’s bill mentions “non-violent acts” supporting terrorism in the U.S. and or emanating from America against a Coalition Partner. Non-violent terrorist acts” are covered in the Patriot Act to prosecute Persons that support “coercion to influence a government or intimidation to affect a civilian population.” However, U.S. activists and individuals under S.3081 would be much more vulnerable to prosecution, if (charged with suspicion) of “intentionally providing support to an Act of Terrorism”, for example American activists can’t control what other activists might do illegally—they network with domestically and overseas. Under the Patriot Act, law enforcement generally needs probable cause to detain or prosecute someone. But under S.3081, law enforcement and the military can too easily use (hearsay or informants) to allege “suspicious activity” to detain an individual. It is problematic under S.3081 that detained individuals in the U.S. not involved in terrorism or hostile activities, not given Miranda Warnings or allowed legal counsel will be prosecuted for ordinary crimes because of their alleged admissions while in military custody.

Notably, McCain’s S.3081 mandates (merging) Federal, State and Local Police and subsequently the U.S. Military to detain and hold Individuals in the U.S., even without probable cause.

Historically it is foreseeable under S.3081 that “erroneous informant information” could be used to detain innocent Individuals. Other countries have used lying informants to imprison; even execute political opposition.

Under S.3081 government may use an individual’s phone call and email information to allege without probable cause “suspicious or hostile activity against a U.S. civilian population or the United States to detain Americans.”

(Make Your Own Determination If The Analysis Herein Is Correct) See McCain Senate bill S.3081 at:
assets.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/politics/ARM10090.pdf

FYI: below is enclosed a copy of “Hitler’s Discriminatory Decrees signed February 28, 1933.” Although the Nazi Decrees are written differently than S.3081, the McCain bill could bring America to the same place crushing free speech and personal liberty. Note how the Nazi Government in Section (1) and (4), similar to U.S. S.3081, suspend personal liberty— shutdown Free Speech to intimidate Citizens speaking out against Government:

See Section 1
“Sections 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Thus, restrictions on personal liberty, on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press, on the right of assembly and the right of association, and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications, and warrants for house-searches, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed.”

Similar to McCain’s S. 3081, but using different wording the Nazi Government in Section (4) see below, suspended Constitutional rights, ordered the arrest of Citizens for any ACT that might incite or provoke disobedience against state authorities. McCain’s S.3081 instead mentions detaining and prosecuting Individuals for “supporting hostilities” against U.S. Government. S.3081 is so broadly written any person or group attending a protest could be arrested without provable cause and detained if government charged a protest-supported hostilities.

See Section 4
Whoever provokes, or appeals for or incites to the disobedience of the orders given out by the supreme state authorities or the authorities subject to then for the execution of this decree, or the orders given by the Reich Government according to Section 2, is punishable—insofar as the deed, is not covered by the decree with more severe punishment and with imprisonment of not less that one month, or with a fine from 150 up to 15,000 Reichsmarks.

DECREE OF THE REICH PRESIDENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE AND STATE

Note: Based on translations by State Department, National Socialism, 1942 PP. 215-17, and Pollak, J.K., and Heneman, H.J., The Hitler Decrees, (1934), pp. 10-11.7

In virtue of Section 48 (2) of the German Constitution, the following is decreed as a defensive measure against Communist acts of Violence, endangering the state:

Section 1
Sections 114, 115, 117, 118, 123, 124, and 153 of the Constitution of the German Reich are suspended until further notice. Thus, restrictions on personal liberty, on the right of free expression of opinion, including freedom of the press, on the right of assembly and the right of association, and violations of the privacy of postal, telegraphic, and telephonic communications, and warrants for house-searches, orders for confiscations as well as restrictions on property, are also permissible beyond the legal limits otherwise prescribed.

Section 2
If in a state the measures necessary for the restoration of public security and order are not taken, the Reich Government may temporarily take over the powers of the highest state authority.

Section 4
Whoever provokes, or appeals for or incites to the disobedience of the orders given out by the supreme state authorities or the authorities subject to then for the execution of this decree, or the orders given by the Reich Government according to Section 2, is punishable—insofar as the deed, is not covered by the decree with more severe punishment and with imprisonment of not less that one month, or with a fine from 150 up to 15,000 Reichsmarks.

Who ever endangers human life by violating Section 1, is to be punished by sentence to a penitentiary, under mitigating circumstances with imprisonment of not less than six months and, when violation causes the death of a person, with death, under mitigating circumstances with a penitentiary sentence of not less that two years. In addition the sentence my include confiscation of property.

Whoever provokes an inciter to or act contrary to public welfare is to be punished with a penitentiary sentence, under mitigating circumstances, with imprisonment of not less than three months.

Section 5
The crimes which under the Criminal Code are punishable with penitentiary for life are to be punished with death: i.e., in Sections 81 (high treason), 229 (poisoning), 306 (arson), 311 (explosion), 312 (floods), 315, paragraph 2 (damage to railroad properties, 324 (general poisoning).

Insofar as a more severe punishment has not been previously provided for, the following are punishable with death or with life imprisonment or with imprisonment not to exceed 15 years:

1. Anyone who undertakes to kill the Reich President or a member or a commissioner of the Reich Government or of a state government, or provokes to such a killing, or agrees to commit it, or accepts such an offer, or conspires with another for such a murder;

2. Anyone who under Section 115 (2) of the Criminal Code (serious rioting) or of Section 125 (2) of the Criminal Code (serious disturbance of the peace) commits the act with arms or cooperates consciously and intentionally with an armed person;

3. Anyone who commits a kidnapping under Section 239 of the Criminal with the intention of making use of the kidnapped person as a hostage in the political struggle.

Section 6
This decree enters in force on the day of its promulgation.

Reich President
Reich Chancellor
Reich Minister of the Interior
Reich Minister of Justice