Obama’s Committee on Un-American Activities
|
|
Published November 14th, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama has begun his much-touted transition process. As mentioned here yesterday, there are 63 questions that a potential member of the administration must be able to answer.
Rich Galen writes in his “Mullings” for today, what the impact these questions might have on who is actually selected to serve in an Obama White House. Additionally, Galen correctly asserts that had a Republican issued such a questionnaire, howls of McCarthyism and HUAC would be all over the front pages (or at least the opinion pages - but who can tell the difference) of the New York Times.
We all knew Obama promised to change the tone in Washington…only that change is to get everyone to sing the same note: his.
on 
on
I can’t find the question that seems to be the prerequisite - “Did you work for the Clinton Administration?”
It’s amazing the lengths you are already going to smear the Obama Administration. Logic be damned.
Of course, from a perspective that has Rush Limbaugh - who is already blamming Obama for Bush’s recession - I guess any propaganda/spin makes sense.
Dont’cha love when Mark complains about a “smear” and then launches into his own smear himself?
I love how he doesn’t even address the questionnaire or issue. It’s as if it’s no big deal to intrude on a person’s private affairs and exclude them on the basis of their past actions.
If he believes that, I wonder how Mark then feels about profiling at airports?
Yea…thought so.
He’s just responding to the first hand demonstration the country recently received of what happens when you neglect to sufficiently vet the folks you pick for your team.
Seriously though, a number of the questions do seem pretty ridiculous. And I can see how some of them could be interpreted as a partisan inquiry, especially after the politicization of non-partisan offices under the outgoing administration. I’ve never applied for a security clearance, so I can’t say how it stacks up in comparison. I have been on the second hand end of one though several times (as a manager/reference of someone applying), and there are definite similarities to the question I was asked about the applicant.
Constitutional law 101: if you are voluntarily providing information there is NO right to privacy. Seriously, do you two even understand the basics of Constituional law? (PS - profiling in airports has some Constitutional protections depending on what is being profiled. It’s an interesting line of Supreme Court cases).
Learn the Constitution my conservative friends, get to know it. It really is a good document - and after being ripped apart, trashed, and weakened for 8 years we are finally going to have a President who has read and understands it. Thank God. I would hope that conservatives would share my excitement about having a President who will follow his oath to our sacred document.
But, I know that this won’t slow down the smear machine y’all seem to have ginned up. Y’all don’t really seem to care about much other than trashing this man and his Administration before he even takes office. As former LtGov Steele said the other day, the GOP doesn’t stand for much right now other than for what you are against - you are demonstrating that mantra aptly.
I love it! Mark trashes the previous President and complains that we’re trashing this one. This is too funny!
Jeremy - what is important is that these ARE partisan positions. The President will be filling some 8,000 partisan political positions (appointments which will expire at the end of Obama’s time in office).
The problem in the Bush administration is that Bush appointees were violating federal law by hiring partisan political types for non-partisan career civil service positions. Big no-no, and a federal crime - though oddly enough GOP partisan political appointees seem reluctant to prosecute other GOP partisan political appointees. It’s the kind of game Bush played with the law and the Constitution that got the GOP tossed out of office.
BK - please trash Obama when he violates the law. trash Obama when he puts American servicemen and women at risk. Please trash him when he weakens the Constitution. I hope and pray that you do - because I care far more about this country and our Constitiution than I do about any man or any party.
As for Bush - I DID support him, I voted FOR him. I wanted him to be President. I trash him because he has violated his oath to this nation and this land. I don’t give a crap what party he belongs to. He has done more damage to our nation, our constitution and our military in 8 years than I ever believed was possible.
Sadly, I know that you never could do the same. You could never put pen to paper to speak ill of a fellow party-member. For you it is always loyalty to the party first, country second.
The idea that Mark even attempts to take the high ground is laughable.
There’s no need to break out a history of his comments, but he has hardly been an above-board non-partisan.
I do seem recall him seeking out employment over the past few years with the Democratic National Committee and exploring a run for office as a Democrat.
So, Mark, can your faux superiority. It’s high-time you came out from behind your own mask. Perhaps it would change how hard you throw your bricks.
If you want to talk anti-American activity look at at what the Republicans have done to cripple this nation. Start with the military, its unable to even provide it own logistics without privet contractors, unable to provide security to our diplomats in Iraq, look at our military 30% are not even U.S. citizens. Look at our boarders if you can’t stop illegal aliens and drugs, what makes you think were keeping terrorist and weapons out, all but 3 of the 911 terrorist were Saudi Arabian, trained and supported by the Republican government, and Saudi Arabia. Iran remember Iran/Contra. As for the economy we have been waiting 30 years for it to trickle the only thing I see trickling down is the stock market , my 401k, and my job.
Jim - Did I vote for Bush, AND his father? Yes. Have you EVER voted for a Democrat for President?
I believe the fact that I voted for the man and Bush 41 - both of whom I beleived to be the best choice - AND they are Republicans gives me a leg up on either you or Brian who would rather vote for President Cheney or even an idiotic President Palin than a Democrat. I vote for the country first - can you honestly say the same thing if you were willing to risk even the possibility of a President Palin? Seriously?
Am I partisan. Hell yes. You can thank W. for pushing me in a direction where I not only support the Democratic party but yes, I have become a passionate Dem and did consider an offer from the state party to run for a state House seat.
Bush destroyed the GOP for a generation - I have no idea what the party stands for any more other than being a party of drilling/ pro-corporation/ anti-Constitution/ anti-individual rights. As one of my former Republican friends (a Hillsdale grad) noted before the election - if you are still a Republican you haven’t been paying attention. So, yes, I’m partisan and I’m pissed I ever voted for W. (I still like 41 though…)
As for the superiority - I sure do believe that my ideas and beliefs are superior to yours, that’s why I don’t follow or endorse yours. I would argue concurrently that you believe that your ideas and beliefs are superior to mine - hence the justifiable irritation with me. So, please throw your bricks, I am confident and content that the political course I support is by far the best choice for our nation and our people.
Finally, if Obama does betray his oath of office as his predecessor has I absolutely guarantee that you will find me aruging just as pasionately against him and his decisions. My concern first and foremost is with the survival of our nation and our fragile democracy.
America needs to start a recall effort, to rid America of Anti-American, Right wing Republicans, to return America to a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Not just for the corporation’s.
Damn, it’s true….sex stops after the wedding……