I’m in Maui for the holidays now, a bit jet-lagged. More later!

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The US government has been spying on the public for decades. None of this is new. What is new is that the Bushies have gone so far over the top that they’ve blunderingly exposed this ugly ‘national security apparatus’ to a now horrified and increasingly enraged populace.

Previous administrations were more circumspect about this. They hid their spying better. Not Dubya though. Our testosterone-addled president who thinks Jesus whispers instructions in his ear hasn’t a clue how to be circumspect.

Good. Now the whole country is becoming aware of what those on the hard left (and the hard right) have known for years. The government often is not your friend. It is out of control and needs to be put back in its cage.

As Americablog has pointed out, the hard right wants their guns primarily because they don’t trust the government. And a government that sees gay kiss-ins as a ‘credible threat’ of terrorism is completely Looney Tunes and no longer beholden to the people.

As Blase Bonpane pointed out in his speech (podcast available) at the antiwar vigil on Saturay, militarism is the problem. It’s not only that the US just been invading other countries for decades, that same militarism is now infecting things at home. Schools and workplaces are increasingly militarized. You are the enemy. Piss into this bottle, punk, then take the lie detector test.

It can’t last. It won’t last. At some point the people will rise up and take the country back from the thugs. But we need to do it now, not later. These are not normal times. Get involved. Fight back. Do it now.

PS People who are involved feel more optimistic about the outcome.

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Jack Abramoff, a Republican lobbyist who may be facing an array of fraud and corruption charges, has been talking with prosecutors about a deal that would grant him a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying against former political and business associates, people with detailed knowledge of the case have said.

What began as a limited inquiry into $82 million of Indian casino lobbying work by Abramoff and his closest partner, Michael Scanlon, has broadened into a far-reaching corruption investigation of mainly Republican lawmakers and aides suspected of accepting favors in exchange for legislative work.

Prominent party officials, including the former House majority leader, Tom DeLay of Texas, are under scrutiny involving trips and other gifts from Abramoff and his clients.

Two things are clear from this. 1) The Feds have Abramoff  in a vise-grip. 2) Their real targets are members of Congress. Hmm, if they indict congressmembers who also begin to sing then all manner of powerful, influential sleaze may get caught in the net too.  Ding, dong, the witch is dead.

P.S. Abramoff , Ralph Reed, and Grover Norquist have been associates since college. Those two will be having a very nervous Christmas indeed.

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Abramoff figures in at least four separate, interrelated scandals:

He and partner Adam Kidan have been indicted on wire fraud and conspiracy charges involving the 2000 purchase of SunCruz Casinos, a Florida gambling boat venture;

He funneled money into the PAC run by House Majority Whip Rep. Tom DeLay that has led to Texas charges against DeLay for illegally laundering campaign donations;

He and partner Michael Scanlon are suspected of defrauding and vastly overbilling Native American tribes and other clients with gaming interests; and

He and Scanlon are also suspected of bribing and offering gifts and spousal jobs to Congressmembers and Executive Branch officials in exchange for actions favorable to their clients.

There lots more in this excellent overview of the corruption in DC that will unquestionably result in the indictments of members of Congress.

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My cousin Dan participates in historical re-enactments for both the Revolutionary War and the French and Indian War. He also sells related items on his website (which I created for him.)

I knew nothing about these re-enactments, however it’s clear from looking at and reading the descriptions of the lithographs on his site that re-enactors have huge respect for Indian culture and for history as well.

I found the description of ‘War Dance’ fascinating:

Throughout the French and Indian War, English authorities negotiated with the Native Americans for their military assistance. While not as successful in this as their French counterparts, the English did enjoy some success, due partly to the presence of the Scottish Highlanders, whom the Indians viewed as being similar to them.
    
Both cultures were tremendous warriors and lovers of a battle, both had great respect for the orator and Chieftain, and both clan and tribe held tightly to their ancient traditions. Their similarities in temperament and philosophy sometimes led the English to refer to the Scots as "cousins to the Indian."

Preparing for battle had its own Highland custom - the Sword Dance. Here Robert Griffing shows a soldier of the 42nd Highland Regiment within the walls of Fort Ticonderoga seeking a prophecy by engaging in an ancient Highland tradition.

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From Schneier on Security

Illegal wiretapping of Americans is nothing new. In the 1950s and ’60s, in a program called "Project Shamrock," the NSA intercepted every single telegram coming into or going out of the United States. It conducted eavesdropping without a warrant on behalf of the CIA and other agencies. Much of this became public during the 1975 Church Committee hearings and resulted in the now famous Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978.

The NSA’s ability to eavesdrop on communications is exemplified by a technological capability called Echelon. Echelon is the world’s largest information "vacuum cleaner," sucking up a staggering amount of voice, fax, and data communications — satellite, microwave, fiber-optic, cellular and everything else — from all over the world: an estimated 3 billion communications per day. These communications are then processed through sophisticated data-mining technologies, which look for simple phrases like "assassinate the president" as well as more complicated communications patterns.

The fundamental issue here is security, but it’s not the security most people think of. James Madison famously said: "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." Terrorism is a serious risk to our nation, but an even greater threat is the centralization of American political power in the hands of any single branch of the government.

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." — William Pitt, House of Commons, 11/18/1783.

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Elton and David to tie the knot

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