Sunday, July 2, 2023

On Our Weaponized Government

Ron Paul, "Weaponization of Politics, an American Tradition"
President Donald Trump is hardly the first political figure who has had the legal and policy processes weaponized against him. In fact, there is a long and shameful history of U.S. politicians and bureaucrats weaponizing governmental powers against their political opponents.

The First Amendment was not even a decade old when fear of influence on America by French agents was used to support the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. This outlawed “false, scandalous, and malicious writing” against the U.S. government, Congress, or the president and made it illegal to conspire “to oppose any measure or measures of the government of the United States.”

The weaponization of politics is another example of how hysteria over alleged foreign threats leads to less liberty. The claim that opponents of U.S. government policy were serving interests of France is an early example. Sadly, critics of U.S. government policy have been smeared for spreading disinformation to benefit hostile foreign powers many times since.

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln oversaw the shutting down of newspapers and even the arresting of state legislators. After the U.S. became involved in World War I, Congress passed a new Sedition Act banning “disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language” toward the military or U.S. government. This act was used to imprison Eugene Debs, who then ran for president as the Socialist Party nominee while in prison.

Opponents of U.S. involvement in World War II were accused by supporters of U.S. military intervention of being a “fifth column” for Germany’s government. Later, opponents of wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and other countries where the U.S. intervened were subjected to government surveillance and harassment.

Critics of U.S. foreign policy may be the first critics of the U.S. government targeted for opposing government policies, but they are not the last. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover targeted the civil rights movement and wiretapped and harassed Martin Luther King Jr. Hoover also kept files on those he deemed subversives, including even the pop music group The Monkees.

Presidents of both parties have used the IRS against their political enemies. As an IRS agent told the head of a conservative organization who was being audited after calling for the impeachment of then-President Clinton, “What do you expect when you target the president?”

The drafters of the Constitution knew those with power would always be tempted to use the power against their opponents. Hence, they created a limited government where power was diffused and checked. Unfortunately, American politicians gave in to the temptation to weaponize the law against their opponents in the early days of the Republic.

Since then, the growth of government has led to the growth of an unelected and unaccountable bureaucracy that plays an important role for the deep state. The deep state pursues its own agenda regardless of the wishes of the people. The deep state works to subvert those who oppose its agenda, using tactics up to and including assassination in the case of President Kennedy.

A lesson of this history is that people who desire liberty should not trust the U.S. government to advance liberty. Instead, they need to be vigilant in ensuring the government acts within the limits stated in the Constitution. Making sure the government is pursuing a policy of peace and free trade abroad is also essential to promoting liberty at home.
Against Our Weaponized Deep State 'Expert' Bureaucracy

25 comments:

  1. If you are paraniod it doesn't mean that there is nobody who spying on you...


    Another word, feel yourself comfortable... in this brand new(?) Lucewarm War ;-)

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  2. No, I do NOT feel comfortable. I will not feel comfortable until there are negotiations which allow us to see everyone's "end game". Russia does not wish Ukraine to be a threat. America does not wish to see Russia as a threat to Ukraine. Sounds like that leaves lots of room for compromise.

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  3. Those who are corrupt have a way of boobytrapping themselves, getting caught at their worst possible moment.

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  4. I agree with Mystere's comment about donald tRump.

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  5. \\Russia does not wish Ukraine to be a threat.

    It was not. Pre 24.2.22.

    And even today, it mostly not.

    Man??? Do you missed that moment. In December of Anno Domini 2021???

    When liliPut declared "you, NATO, go OUT from my lawn"??????

    Or your Propaganda (whichever it is?) not transmitted that info to your conscious cognition cores?

    TIMELINE

    <>December of 2021


    Russia demands NATO roll back from East Europe and stay out of ...
    www.reuters.com › world › russia-unveils-secur...
    Russia said on Friday it wanted a legally binding guarantee that NATO would give up any military activity in Eastern Europe and Ukraine, ...


    January of 2022

    Putin's ultimate goal is control over all of Eastern Europe - freeдом
    uatv.ua › putin-s-ultimate-goal-is-control-over-...
    The goal of Russian President Vladimir Putin is not only the absorption of Ukraine ... That's why they say: NATO, get out of Eastern Europe, ...


    and NOW

    Nato faces an all-out fight with Putin. It must stop pulling its punches
    www.theguardian.com › commentisfree › mar
    Having catastrophically failed to deter Russian aggression in Ukraine, the western alliance needs a plan to win the war.


    Where you was all this time... well, all your self-proud West.

    I... dunno. :-/


    PS Well... liliPut declared his Crucade against West much-much longer.

    Before Georgian 8/8/8 war.

    But you, West, being blindfolded by your self-absorbed... pride? foolishness? "end of the times"-promice?



    \\Sounds like that leaves lots of room for compromise.

    NONE.

    Until liliPut is dead. And even beyond. As there's liliXi.

    And who knows what more autocrats, dictators and tyrants ready to rise that flag... of "pushing back" USA... pushing -- into oblivion???

    They feel that world was much more safer and cosy... without that nasty New World.

    Imagine -- if there'd be NO Columbus??? Or, he would not find a way.

    There'd be NO idea of "WE, the People". And therefore there'd be no every time maddlers into other people's deals...

    First World War would split and rearrenge Europe on accordance with who was the King of the Hill... as it was all previous centuries.

    And all that.

    Pleasantries of Alternatie History. ;-P

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  6. And... quit humble bragging, will ya?

    Here... what REAL weapon do

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  7. Sorry Q, the cavalry isn't coming. It never WAS coming. Uvaldi lies at the heart of DC. Our decision makers aren't West Point. They're Harvard/ Yale.

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  8. Means... they are profanes in History? :-)))

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  9. Well... high and mighty Romans fall under barbarians too.

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  10. Paul Atreides, "Dune"... He, who can destroy a thing, controls it.

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  11. ps - My mother played both a Roman noble woman, and a barbarian, in "The Fall of the Roman Empire."

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  12. \\Paul Atreides, "Dune"... He, who can destroy a thing, controls it.

    Pfft!



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  13. Pixie dust? ;-P

    Which could fly you into Neverland? :-)))

    Well... we have it, today.

    You know... that counterfeit Mexican products? ;-)

    So-o-o-o... who can "destroy" it? Or "control" it?

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  14. You have your answer.

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  15. And. Do you want me to answer? ;-)

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  16. Rusha who?

    Meaning of Rusha is short for rusham which means peaceful. Rusha is Baby girl name and is of indian origin.

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  17. \\Can Rusha destroy Ukraine?

    Can people commit suicide?

    Yeah, sure... there is such dunces.

    But... that is not that wide spread. And in a big crowds -- not likely.

    Because for every one suicide-feeling, there is 99 who still want to live.

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  18. Happy with my answer?

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  19. Like that was answer to your mental spewage clutter. :-))))))))))))))))

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