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This page contains all of the posts and discussion on MemeStreams referencing the following web page: McCain is shifty on spying. You can find discussions on MemeStreams as you surf the web, even if you aren't a MemeStreams member, using the Threads Bookmarklet.
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McCain is shifty on spying
by Decius at 9:11 am EDT, Jun 4, 2008 |
When liberal blogs picked up the story that McCain had moved to the left on wiretapping, the McCain campaign issued a letter insisting that he still supported unconditional immunity, as well as new rules that would expand the nation's spy powers. The campaign's response was consistent with McCain's past positions and votes. But it riled Andrew McCarthy at the conservative National Review Online, who read the campaign's position as a disavowal of Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, and a wimpy surrender of executive power to Congress. That's when the campaign issued the letter explaining McCain's new views of executive power, and revealing that McCain would, in certain future circumstances, rely on the same theory of executive power in wartime.
The closer we get to election day:
1. The harder it will be to know whether or not the candidates are lying.
2. The more authoritarian the candidates will act. So it is now completely impossible to know what McCain actually thinks, but it is worth noting that the legacy of Bush's creative approach to the separation of powers is that Republican party now openly wants a candidate who won't let trite things like the Constitution and the Oath of Office get in their way, and they want their candidates to come out and say this publicly. I do not see any reason why any libertarian would continue to be associated with the Republican party. There comes a point where you have to take a stand for something other than lowering taxes or you are not really a libertarian, and what better time than when your political party has become openly hostile to the Constitution? |
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RE: McCain is shifty on spying
by Stefanie at 5:20 pm EDT, Jun 4, 2008 |
Decius wrote:
The harder it will be to know whether or not the candidates are lying.
Why, are they going to talk less? ;) Decius wrote:
I do not see any reason why any libertarian would continue to be associated with the Republican party.
I arrived at that conclusion a long time ago. Unless I decide to write in my own name, I'll be voting for Bob Barr. |
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RE: McCain is shifty on spying
by Mike the Usurper at 1:22 pm EDT, Jun 5, 2008 |
Decius wrote:
I do not see any reason why any libertarian would continue to be associated with the Republican party. There comes a point where you have to take a stand for something other than lowering taxes or you are not really a libertarian, and what better time than when your political party has become openly hostile to the Constitution?
Well I agree with you, except on the following level. Libertarians, at core, do not agree with the Constitution. Government has roles at all sorts of levels that disagree with the fundamentals of Libertarians. Public schools, police, fire, regulatory authority. None of those are things that Libertarians approve of the government being involved in. The idea that they would get involved with Republicans at all when the biggest difference between the the current Republican party and the Communist Party under Stalin is the existence of the glorious five year economic plan under Stalin is one that baffles me, but there it is. |
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RE: McCain is shifty on spying
by Decius at 1:52 pm EDT, Jun 5, 2008 |
Mike the Usurper wrote:
Government has roles at all sorts of levels that disagree with the fundamentals of Libertarians. Public schools, police, fire, regulatory authority.
I'm not so sure, or at least I think there is room for disagreement between libertarians. Anarcho-capitalists certainly think all of these things. Libertarians tend to be a bit more moderate. I don't think the Cato institute has seriously opposed police and fire departments. Public schools, perhaps, but thats an area where I think the political interests of the Libertarians have been corrupted by their association with Republicans... The only reason the subject is discussed is because the conservative christians want vouchers for their own reasons, and if they didn't I think it would be a backwater topic. |
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