Posts by Boatdocster

Ted Cruz - Epic Loser

Rafael - a 2 pull on the toilet, but not much else...

As a US Citizen, I see this as a direct assault on our 5th Amendment Rights, that right of privacy and for invoking the privilege that allows a witness to decline to answer questions where the answers might incriminate him or her, and generally without having to suffer a penalty for asserting the privilege.

Not saying the shooter in San Bernadino was good chap - they clearly were not. But in most of these pending cases, the defendant was asked to provide a code to access their private telephone, and the declined.

In essence, the FBI is 1) Trying to force Apple to be party to said litigation against a person against their will (and they are creating the first limited backdoor, more powerful ones would follow once the legal precedent is set) and 2) attempting to bypass the fact the defendant already invoked their 5th Amendment right.

"Great, you want to plead the 5th? We will force someone else to break in to your phone and then use the information against you even after you have invoked your Constitutional right against self incrimination". Personally, I'm totally against the idea. Once this door is open, we shall lose all protection.

Ben Franklin said it best - "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Still true to this day!

Hmm. Congress is now offended by the law they passed? Patriot Act (and that's oxymoron) allowed all phone communications to be gathered. Congress also allowed certain folks to approach a secret court, FISA (with virtually no accountability to the public), to authorize the reading and analysis of said phone records. And because of the changes to the FISA court, plus the Patriot Act, you don't have to be a foreign national or involved any criminal activity before then can start monitoring you.

Now Congress whines because they were caught up in their own surveillance program? Careful of what you wish for...

Sign seen on the back of a horse trailer -

"The floor of this trailer is covered with political promises"....