respublica

42 White House pets

Photos of presidents and their pets, mostly dogs but some cats, put together by Buzzfeed. The enjoyment Lyndon Johnson had with his dog Yuki may surprise you, a different view of the man who is more known for lifting his Basset Hound up by the ears.

The Fourth Amendment

It reads as follows:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

How does this not make the gathering of all of our telephone records a violation of the constitution? Or, must we now add words to this amendment to reflect modern day versions of "papers and effects" to include the electronic and wireless?

The administration is no longer targeting certain individuals and groups but spying on everyone.

Holder: "Things have got a little out of whack"

Ya think?

Justice department wanting phone records of journalists along with a weird investigation into Fox News reporter James Rosen.

The IRS specifically targeting conservative groups, wasting money and having future control over our health care decisions. 

The administration collecting phone records from all Americans through their phone carriers.

People who get shocked and upset about this are said to be "overreaching". Looks like the hacks in the media and administration are all on the same page as far as using the same verbiage. But this phone record thing is almost like living in a police state. 1984 was published in 1949 on June 8, pretty close to today's date. 

Out of Whack. That's one way of looking at things.

"It doesn't appear that Bosley's letter violates any state statute."

Wow, it may turn out to be legal, but it sure took a lot of nerve to write this letter. St. Louis alderman, Freeman Bosley wrote a letter to longtime friends and supporters asking for their help in paying for the remainder ($14,274) of his daughter's Fall college tuition at St. Xavier University in Chicago.

"Although the help from scholarships and grants has paid for nearly twenty-five thousand dollars, the remaining balance is still a challenge," Bosley wrote.  

Bosley asked for the checks to be made out to St. Xavier University and mailed to his address.   

"It's a unique situation," said Stacey Heislen, the acting director of the Missouri Ethics Commission. "We've never been posed a question of this nature before, that I'm aware of anyway."  

Heislen said, however, said that it doesn't appear that Bosley's letter violates any state statute. 

Here's a copy of his letter: Click to enlarge

Next Stop-a promotion

Two new appointees in the Obama adminisration coming today

1. Susan Rice of the Benghazi "it was a video" fame will now be our National Security Advisor and

2. Samantha Powell will be the new embassador to the UN.

So what's next, Lois Lerner of the IRS to be Secretary of the Treasury?

Yes, the most transparent government

At one time the president promised his administration would be constantly transparent. Good times.

Now we learn from the AP that many of Obama's apointees are using secret email accounts. "The scope of using the secret accounts across government remains a mystery: Most U.S. agencies have failed to turn over lists of political appointees’ email addresses, which the AP sought under the Freedom of Information Act more than three months ago."

Here's a look back:

"My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government.  We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.

Government should be transparent.  Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing.  Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset. My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use.

Whoops

So Romney had a plan

This Time Magazine story makes the fact that Romney and his people worked hard ahead of the election to get an organized plan for governing in place in the event he won sound somehow weird and sinister. I have to agree with Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit) sentiment:

"So the big news is that Mitt Romney had a detailed plan for his first term as president. Meanwhile, Obama’s second term is marked by his claims that he has absolutely no idea what his underlings are doing."

First Amendment food for thought

Here is the complete text of the First Amendment we're hearing so much about right now as the Obama administration slogs through violations they set in motion. Violations by the IRS and DOJ to journalists and to private groups.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Ah, so it isn't just about freedom of the press, it's also about the freedom to exercise religion, something our mostly secular press does not much care about. It's also where the IRS comes in when they held up tax exempt status to private groups during the years leading up to the 2012 election.

Thoughtful commentary here on this subject.

Quick takes

If there's one thing Washington is good at, it's forming committees.

Late night Tweet with a lot of truth:

"I guarantee you Obama cares infinitely more about Jon Stewart tearing him apart then just about anyone else in the media."

Also, it defies belief that Harry Reid would keep repeating that the Gosnell trial and verdict was more about unclean surgery rooms than the death of babies.

Vindication of sorts

Watching Morning Joe this morning and had that head slapping moment when NBC reporter Lisa Myers said this to a question about the DOJ confiscating the phone records of the Associated Press:

"The story damages the White House because it upsets the press - "one of the president's most important constituencies."

This got a huge laugh out loud from us. It's moments like this that make us feel we haven't been totally paranoid about the press corps and the Obama administration's close knit relationship. But it seems to be unraveling now...as it should. There has been way too much cosyness between the two which never allows for a necessary checks and balances.