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December 2, 2008 3:49:50 AM CST

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12 Stories

OPINION

 The Bush Era: 
 An 'American Fiasco' 

Columnist rips into the White House's 'all-time loser' on election eve

Guardian (UK) Guardian (UK) Nov 3, 08 11:38 AM CST
(Newser) - In the waning days of the Bush administration, Simon Schama wonders how the president is handling his role as the “all-time loser in presidential history.” “If the Statue of Liberty were alive,” Schama writes in the Guardian , “she would be weeping tears of blood” over Dubya’s legacy of hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi civilians, thousands of US casualties, and “mutilations” of civil liberties. More »

More about:  George W. Bush • Financial Crisis • Iraq war • economy • history • presidency • Bush legacy • civil liberties

Police May Take Bigger Role in Intelligence

Critics fear Justice Dept. plan would infringe on civil liberties

Washington Post Washington Post Aug 16, 08 5:04 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Justice Department has proposed expanding the ability of state and local police to gather intelligence on Americans, share it with federal officials, and hold onto it for a decade, the Washington Post reports. Supporters of the move say authorities would keep a close eye on the new practices to ensure civil liberties are upheld. But critics say it is still a  threat. More »

More about:  terrorism • police • national security • civil liberties • domestic intelligence • state police

Big Apple Is Big Brother, Privacy Advocates Warn


Guardian (UK) Guardian (UK) Aug 14, 08 8:58 PM CDT
(Newser) - Anti-terrorism measures planned for New York City have civil liberties groups worried, the Guardian of London reports. Operation Sentinel calls for cameras to be placed at every bridge and tunnel into Manhattan to photograph every vehicle entering and leaving. Details would then be kept on a huge city database. More »

More about:  New York City • New York • privacy • counterterrorism • Manhattan • NYPD • Ground Zero • civil liberties • security cameras

OPINION

Hard-Core Supply-Sider:
I'm Voting for the Democrat

Former Chamber of Commerce honcho has had enough foreign policy disaster

New York Daily News New York Daily News Jul 17, 08 7:45 PM CDT
(Newser) - Being a Reagan, Gingrich and Dole soldier won’t stop former Chamber of Commerce honcho Larry Hunter from voting for Barack Obama this fall, he writes in the New York Daily News . It doesn’t matter that he wholly disagrees with the Dem on every point of domestic policy; the chance to close the book on “unjustified war and unconstitutional abridgment of individual rights” is worth the price of “unreconstructed, dyed-in-the-wool, big-government” liberalism. More »

More about:  Barack Obama • John McCain • Iraq war • Ronald Reagan • Newt Gingrich • civil liberties • Bob Dole • free markets

Surveillance Law Gives Sweden Broad Powers

No warrant needed for cross-border phone, e-traffic; foes outraged

BBC BBC Jun 19, 08 3:52 PM CDT
(Newser) - Sweden's intelligence service will have broad new powers to intercept cross-border calls and emails, without a warrant, under a law passed yesterday, the BBC reports. Critics, meanwhile, say it is impossible to fully distinguish domestic from international traffic without compromising the transmissions. Protesters handed out copies of George Orwell's 1984 outside parliament, the AP notes. More »

More about:  European Union • privacy • warrantless wiretapping • Sweden • civil liberties • domestic wiretapping

Judge Orders CIA to Release 'Torture' Memo

Key document said to outline waterboarding techniques

Reuters Reuters May 9, 08 6:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - A federal judge has ordered the CIA to release a 2002 memo believed to outline interrogation methods that may amount to torture. The ACLU, which brought the suit sparking the order, claims that the memo details harsh interrogation techniques, including waterboarding, and calls it "one of the most important torture documents still being withheld by the Bush administration." The judge will decide whether to make the memo public on Monday, reports Reuters. More »

More about:  CIA • torture • waterboarding • interrogation techniques • ACLU • civil liberties • harsh interrogation

 Obama Donor
 List Is 'Gigantic'  

Database could make him power broker for decades

Bloomberg Bloomberg Apr 28, 08 8:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama’s massive donor and networking list—stuffed with data on 2 million people—will make him a major power broker even if his campaign falters, Bloomberg reports. Unlike past hopefuls, Obama has inspired donors to reveal addresses, phone numbers, and even views on specific issues. "It's gigantic," a database company CEO said of the list. More »

More about:  Barack Obama • John McCain • Hillary Clinton • Facebook • political donors • civil liberties • database

US Plans to Widen DNA Database

Will take samples from illegal immigrants, felony arrestees

Washington Post Washington Post Apr 16, 08 9:27 PM CDT
(Newser) - The US plans to significantly widen its law-enforcement database by taking DNA samples from illegal immigrants picked up by federal authorities and from all people arrested for federal offenses, the Washington Post reports. The feds currently collect genetic information only from those convicted of federal crimes. The expanded policy follows the lead of 13 states. More »

More about:  crime • FBI • DNA • arrest • illegal immigration • ACLU • DNA evidence • felony • civil liberties • US government • DNA database

Schools Squeeze Out Hugs

Double detention
for Illinois girl
a sign of the times

Time Time Nov 15, 07 9:06 AM CST
(Newser) - An eighth-grade student’s double detention for hugging friends at school has sparked a national debate. Rules concerning public displays of affection in school have surged over the last two decades, reports Time magazine , but there is little consensus about how far they should go in governing student behavior. Some schools forbid any contact at all, while others trust administrators' discretion. More »

More about:  lawsuit • civil liberties • hugging • public displays of affection

Dodd Fights to Redeem Dad

Father's letters illuminate Nuremberg prosecutor turned disgraced US senator

New York Times New York Times Sep 24, 07 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Chris Dodd is not only running for president, he's on a mission to fix his father's reputation. Dodd's late father, Thomas, also a US senator, was censured in 1967 for making personal use of campaign funds. Years earlier, he made his name at the Nuremberg trials, and his son's new book paints him as a decisive defender of civil liberties. More »

More about:  Senate • Nazi • Christopher Dodd • civil liberties • reputation

Bush's AG Pick Has History With Terror Trials

Blind sheik case gave preview of security issues facing Mukasey

New York Times New York Times Sep 20, 07 2:08 PM CDT
(Newser) - Before America was paying attention, Judge Michael Mukasey tried a landmark terrorism case. The 1995-96 trial of blind sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, convicted with nine others of plotting a massive "day of terror" at three New York sites, forced Mukasey, now President Bush's nominee for US attorney general, to navigate issues of secrecy, security and civil liberties.  More »

More about:  George W. Bush • terrorism • Michael Mukasey • law • courts • civil liberties

Judge: Parts of Patriot Act Unconstitutional

Revised legislation violates separation of powers, 1st Amendment

Associated Press Associated Press Sep 6, 07 4:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Patriot Act violates the Constitution by allowing unreasonable searches and seizures, violating separation of powers, and denying free speech, a federal judge ruled today in striking down parts of the revised legislation. Judge Victor Marrero said investigators must obtain court approval before ordering ISPs and phone companies to turn over confidential information without notifying customers, the AP reports. More »

More about:  Congress • FBI • privacy • ACLU • Patriot Act • constitutional law • civil liberties • US Constitution • search and seizure

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