Ron Paul, Surveillance, & the GOP’s Future
David Weigel has a good piece in the Washington Independent today on Ron Paul’s rising influence in Washington. The articles mentions that Ron Paul has been bringing in some folks to have lunch and discuss ideas with some of his Republican colleagues. The article includes a quote from me: “There’s a growing recognition that the GOP is intellectually bankrupt and morally bankrupt…. I hope the battle of ideas is changing.”
When I was the guest at a luncheon discussion in Paul’s office last Thursday, I spoke primarily about torture and warrantless wiretapping. Apropos the Jane Harman controversy, I asked the members of Congress: “How many of you are confident that your phone calls are NOT being wiretapped?”
I mentioned a comment by congressional leader Hale Boggs in 1971 on the effect of congressional “fear” of the FBI – how the FBI’s boundless surveillance undermined congressional oversight of the FBI in the 1960s and early 1970s. I asked whether the same thing could be happening now regarding congressional oversight of the various law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The luncheon was off-the-record, so, unfortunately, I cannot disclose the responses to my questions. (Disclosing one’s own comments or questions is not a breach of confidentiality).
Great question, I would guess every one of them has had their phone calls taped.
Freedom, what freedom?
Support HR-1207! Lets really audit the FED
Excellent, but it seems the Harman episode points in another direction. Law enforcement may need to watch Congress more rather than less. Then again considering the outcome, perhaps hopes of stopping AIPAC and the treason lobby are pointless under this administration.
It would be very nice if a lot of influential Republicans realized, clearly and vividly, that a principal reason their party is a smoking ruin is to be found in the foreign/military policies of the last administration. That would be a very healthy place to start.
That’s okay, we’ll be able to read the FBI transcripts of the lunch in 25 years anyway.
The problem is that congressional wiretaps, like all government overreaching, would be handled inequitably and incompetently, and politicized to boot.
I thought that the Harman case was a case of a warranted wiretap on the person at the other end of the line, which is entirely different, I think. One can’t really complain in that case; it’s rather a matter of lying down with dogs and waking up with fleas by then.
On the other hand, if Harman and other congresspeople are routinely wiretapped for reasons other than reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct, then that’s got to stop.
Does the constant taping of conversations held in the Oval Office still go on? That brought down Nixon, but it was still disturbing at best.
Jane Harman advocated for the wiretapping of all Americans without a warrant. I am offended that she holds herself above the law she herself advocated.
In any event, Harman was picked up on a wiretap with a warrant much as she tries to pretend that is not the case.
I’d like to hear Ron Paul’s opinion of Jane Harman conspiring to obstruct justice with an Israeli agent.
Mary said in part, “… Jane Harman conspiring to obstruct justice with an Israeli agent.”
CONSPIRING to obstruct and SUCCESSFULLY obstructing! The case was dropped, and the treason goes unpunished.
I really don’t consider Michelle Bachmann to be much of a convert, her of “Smalley-Hoot” tariff fame, and not a terribly bright individual. Hopefully there are many other politicians who are intellecutally curious enough about what Paul is saying to listen and eventually grow his support. Right now is a good time for Paul to take advantage of the intellectual vacummn of the GOP.