Senators: John McCain (AZ), Jeff Flake (AZ), Lindsey Graham (SC) and Marco Rubio (FL) voted against a border fence and structure of a biometric visa system prior to obtaining legal status.

Let that sink in…..

….  All four “supposed conservative” members voted against the fence and visa amendments.  This, despite the vast majority of Americans wanting a secure border, and improved immigration visa security, before continuing with amnesty.

WASHINGTON DC – The Senate Tuesday defeated two amendments aimed at strengthening border security in the Gang of Eight immigration reform bill, including a provision that would have required a double-layer fence on the U.S.-Mexico border.

The back-to-back defeat of the two provisions was a blow to critics of the immigration reform measure who say it lacks meaningful border security provisions. (more…)

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle and their daughters Malia (14) and Sasha (12) have touched down in Belfast this morning. The President is due to attend the G8 summit in Fermanagh, but his wife and daughters are to head south of the border this morning. […]

And an array of prototype American Secret Service officers – complete with dark suits sunglasses and ear pieces – discretely kept a watchful an eye on arrivals and departures.

No expense has been spared in catering for the comforts of Mrs Obama and her party. It is understood she will stay in the luxurious €2,500-a-night Princess Grace suite. (more…)

WASHINGTON DC –   With a new poll showing falling support for the Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has announced an accelerated schedule in which the Senate would take a final, up-or-down vote on passing the bill by the end of next week. […]

Reid warned his fellow lawmakers that if they want to consider amendments to the Gang of Eight bill, they need to be prepared to work virtually nonstop between now and then. “This may not be one of our normal weekends,” Reid said. “We’ve got to move forward on this legislation.” (more…)

The Supreme Court threw out the Arizona law that requires people to prove they are US citizens before registering to vote.

The AP reported: The Supreme Court ruled Monday that states cannot require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier.

The justices voted 7-2 to throw out Arizona’s voter-approved requirement that prospective voters document their U.S. citizenship in order to use a registration form produced under the federal “Motor Voter” voter registration law. (more…)

WASHINGTON DC – The National Security Agency has acknowledged in a new classified briefing that it does not need court authorization to listen to domestic phone calls.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, disclosed this week that during a secret briefing to members of Congress, he was told that the contents of a phone call could be accessed “simply based on an analyst deciding that.”

If the NSA wants “to listen to the phone,” an analyst’s decision is sufficient, without any other legal authorization required, Nadler said he learned. “I was rather startled,” said Nadler, an attorney and congressman who serves on the House Judiciary committee. (more…)

Let there be no doubt the Gang of Ocho has decided to give blanket amnesty, albeit with the customary bells and whistles of obfuscation, and refusing to secure the border.  By golly they’ve already got it all done and don’t need that pesky conservative stuff botching up the works.

WASHINGTON DC – Sen. Marco Rubio initially praised a border security proposal from Sen. John Cornyn, helping to make it the leading choice of conservatives demanding tighter enforcement measures.

Now others in the Gang of Eight fear Cornyn’s plan could sink their entire immigration deal.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is beginning to speak out forcefully against the Cornyn language, bombarding the Texas Republican with critical comments from the Senate floor. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is lobbying other Republicans on potential compromises. And Rubio, although he said Wednesday that the Cornyn plan “dramatically improves the bill,” is working on a package that others in the Gang of Eight hope could emerge as an alternative. (more…)

Treeper Admin Stella has really done a remarkable job sharing articles about this entire NSA leaker issue.    Here are some links she shares which are some of the most engaging considerations and help to frame the various aspects for thought.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m just not up to speed on the various nuance surrounding this intelligence story.   I’m not at all OK with the NSA, or anyone else, collecting or storing information on private communication for *possible* use at another, albeit later, time.   It just strikes my gut as Big Brother with an agenda, not to mention a violation of the 4th amendment.

So back to the information articles that Stella is researching/sharing:

From Legal Insurrection: Edward Snowden, the now-former NSA contractor who leaked secret documents to The Washington Post and the Guardian, said he didn’t want to become the story.  “I don’t want public attention because I don’t want the story to be about me. I want it to be about what the US government is doing,” he told The Guardian.

But Edward Snowden dumped a bunch of documents, made a lot of claims, and then fled.  He’s the only one who can clarify or confirm the statements he’s made, or demonstrate his comprehension for what’s in the documents he leaked, and he’s made himself unavailable to do so. The public is trying to collect and digest all the facts, and some still have questions. (more…)

I’ve begun using the term usurpation to describe this administration, and the co-dependents/ willfully blind who support it.  

The NSA intelligence data mining is clearly unconstitutional under the 4th amendment.  The IRS targeting based on political ideology is also illegal and unconstitutional.   The Dept of Justice manipulating warrants (lying to judges) to gather phone records on AP reporters and Fox’s James Rosen is a clear usurpation of the 1st amendment.

Now the latest usurpation can be seen in the Obama administration using an Executive Order to create de-facto amnesty (XO-Dream Act);  And then to make matters worse – they stop the criminal background checks and ID requirements under such a program.  So anyone can enter the U.S. claim to be whoever they want, and no criminal background check will be done.

And the Congresscritters are worried about Terrorists benefitting from the NSA leaker?  How about they apply the same consideration (ie worry) about open borders without checks for those who cross them and then apply for Dream Act protections? (more…)

DNI – James Clapper, told congress (March) that no-one in the NSA was “collecting” information on U.S. Citizen’s communication.   After the NSA whistleblower, Snowden, gave the media specific evidence that such collection is actually taking place, Clapper attempts to clarify his prior testimony.   The White House also supports him.

WASHINGTON DC – Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is really struggling to explain why he told Congress in March (see video above) that the National Security Agency does not intentionally collect any kind of data on millions of Americans. His latest take: It’s an unfair question, he said, like “When are you going to stop beating your wife?” And it seems to depend on the meaning of “collect.”

“I responded in what I thought was the most truthful, or least untruthful, manner by saying ‘no,’” Clapper told NBC News on Sunday.

(more…)