Bush Seeks Liability Protection

[Rose Siding]

Yesterday Dear Leader said.....

"When Congress returns in September the Intelligence committees and leaders in both parties will need to complete work on.....the important issue of providing meaningful liability protection to those who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/20070805.html

This is one of the only cards that we're left holding. Who gets protection? Dick or Karl? junior himself? All those involved in Rendition and Torture and formerly illegal surveillance? -Because without it (and assuming the rule of law EVER regains any traction) we should be investing in Orange Jumpsuits 'R Us.

And wtf with his use of the word "alleged" here? Is Ol' Firmly Resolved going wobbley? Is he no longer certain enough of the tactics he sanctioned to assert his belief that they DID "assist our Nation"?

[hobbit709]

1. We don't get any protection

So what makes him think he gets any?

[jojo54]

2. AMEN to that!!!

[suffragette]

3. Very interesting, indeed

The recently passed FISA law gave liability protection to telecommunications companies.
Now this.

And you're right, the use of "alleged" is very odd. Maybe they sense a gathering storm and are using this to make as big an umbrella as possible?

[Rose Siding]

4. And what's with the capitalization of the word "nation" on the WH site?

Everything they do irks me.

TPM is highlighting The Nation's investigative piece on the "black sites" today -some revelations of some VERY illegal acts that could (should) be prosecuted.

[suffragette]

5. I didn't even catch that and it irks me, too.

Seems like they avoid using America and the United States, in favor of the above and the homeland (a term which always makes me go grrr). It's like a linguistic erasure of who we are.

Thanks for bringing up the TPM piece. I'll bookmark it. At a glance, It looks like it's referencing Jane Mayer's piece in the New Yorker. I didn't see anything from "The Nation." Did I miss that or is it about Mayer's article? She's done some fantastic work. I really should renew my subscription.

[Rose Siding]

7. New Yorker. -You're right

I had the word "nation" on my mind :crazy:

[Canuckistanian]

6. Just like "Homeland" and "Vaterland" are always capitalized

It stood right out to me, too.

[suffragette]

8. Maybe that's part of the reason why that odd

"alleged" phrase is in there.
To provide cover for the private companies that flew the planes and anyone one else who violated civil and constitutional rights for and under this regime. And if something is alleged than it doesn't have to be proved to have been about actually assisting the nation, just that someone somewhere (like Gonzales) is alleging that they have.

[onenote]

10. Capitalizing "Nation" and "Union" have long been part of the WH style book

For example, here's a Bill Clinton declaration that capitalizes "Nation": http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2889/is_n41_v33/ai_20213741?lstpn=article_results&lstpc=search&lstpr=external&lstprs=other&lstwid=1&lstwn=search_results&lstwp=body_middle


and here's a Jimmy Carter declaration that does the same thing: http://www.armenian-genocide.org/Affirmation.55/current_category.4/affirmation_detail.html


I understand that what chimpy says and does is irksome..it irks the hell out of me too. But we should focus on the substance not the style, especially when it turns out the style is nothing different than what its been in the past.

[Hubert Flottz]

9. AT&T and the people who helped Bush commit his crimes against

America.