So it's literally time to go dark

[madster111]

Unless they start policing what we think.

Don't worry, that's about 10 years away.

 

[LinksOcarina]

Unless they start policing what we think.

Don't worry, that's about 10 years away.

Considering how divisive everything is now...I find that doubtful.

 

[madster111]

So you guys remember when i was telling you to be careful? And you said you had nothing to fear and how there was no need to get a VPN and secure email service or anything like that?

So, now that trump is turning the US government into a dictatorship (you know, ignoring court orders and expanding the DHS which is responding only to him, purging huge portions of the government and pulling out of the UN), how's that working out for you? Still feeling all safe and secure with your information being everywhere?

Or maybe it's time to lock your shit up and start deleting the information that doesn't need to be out there. $50 a year gets you a VPN and a secure email server, and encryption software for your computer and phone is free or cheap.

 

[FrozenBacon]

^The news has been sensationalizing events The US is still part of the UN, and changes in the senior leadership of government agencies is normal for a new president. Trump really isn't acting that much different than any other president, other than he is making good on his campaign promises and doesn't hide any of his controversial actions. The president acts fully within the law, and the only court that can tell him he is wrong (a.k.a. unconstitutional) is the supreme court. Congress also has the power to end any executive order he puts out. Even though the president has gained a lot of power over the years, that office is still susceptible to checks and balances.

But yea, VPNs are cheap as hell and super easy to use use.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

^The news has been sensationalizing events The US is still part of the UN, and changes in the senior leadership of government agencies is normal for a new president. Trump really isn't acting that much different than any other president,

 

[madster111]

The US is still part of the UN, and changes in the senior leadership of government agencies is normal for a new president. Trump really isn't acting that much different than any other president

Yes, he really is. No previous president has purged this many people from the government upon taking over, your state department has 3 out of 50 people still in it right now.

The president acts fully within the law, and the only court that can tell him he is wrong (a.k.a. unconstitutional) is the supreme court. Congress also has the power to end any executive order he puts out.

Except he was told it was illegal to deny greencard holders entry, and then did it anyway. Once that judge told the DHS to stop that shit, they continued to ignore her and obey the presidents order and deny greencard holders entry, not letting people speak to lawyers and deporting them. Against a court order, because they're listening to the president.

The DHS, the same branch that's obeying the president, just massively increased in size, from 40k to 65k. Meanwhile the EPA and others are blocked from communicating with the public.

Even though the president has gained a lot of power over the years, that office is still susceptible to checks and balances.

Until the president and a bunch of agencies ignore this system of checks and balances. Like they're doing right now.


I want you to do me a favor, go ask some old germans watching from the outside in what all this reminds them of. You know, a hardliner getting into power, purging all the previous government and installing his own, on a backing against a group or groups of people, with only a few people being put into large amounts of power alongside him, promises of a return to the countries previous power and to stop the damaging influence of other countries within it.

 

[Optimus-Crime]

You do realize that VPN prices have never been lower, right? But how would you like a $75 dollar pre-paid Visa for just sitting through a seminar on VPNs here in the city? If you give me an hour of your time I will shuttle bus you to a prime VPN local here in the city, but first you have to meet some criteria: Are you married? Do you make at least $75k a year? Are you a home owner?

I'm sensing apprehension so how about this, I can even do you one better. Forget $75 dollars, how about $100 dollar pre-paid Visa and a free week of VPN service?
OH?
TOO BUSY?
NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR FREE MONEY, EH?

 

[Colin_B]

You do realize that VPN prices have never been lower, right? But how would you like a $75 dollar pre-paid Visa for just sitting through a seminar on VPNs here in the city? If you give me an hour of your time I will shuttle bus you to a prime VPN local here in the city, but first you have to meet some criteria: Are you married? Do you make at least $75k a year? Are you a home owner?

I'm sensing apprehension so how about this, I can even do you one better. Forget $75 dollars, how about $100 dollar pre-paid Visa and a free week of VPN service?
OH?
TOO BUSY?
NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR FREE MONEY, EH?

Throw in a free steak dinner at a hotel and I'll sit through a timeshare presentation as well!

 

[Longo_2_guns]

So, now that trump is turning the US government into a dictatorship (you know, ignoring court orders and expanding the DHS which is responding only to him, purging huge portions of the government and pulling out of the UN), how's that working out for you? Still feeling all safe and secure with your information being everywhere?

I've already been fingerprinted and put in multiple government databases, I have my address on my driver's license and voter registration, I voted for Sanders and Clinton, and given all the research I've done for my degree I am probably on some sort of list of people who read a lot of declassified documents.

So, what, they're going to find out my Steam password? That's about the only information they don't have.

Besides, they're forcing people to sign documents revoking their green cards. I'm not all that concerned about them reading my emails, because that's not going to make or break anything for me.

 

[LinksOcarina]

So, now that trump is turning the US government into a dictatorship (you know, ignoring court orders and expanding the DHS which is responding only to him, purging huge portions of the government and pulling out of the UN), how's that working out for you? Still feeling all safe and secure with your information being everywhere?

I've already been fingerprinted and put in multiple government databases, I have my address on my driver's license and voter registration, I voted for Sanders and Clinton, and given all the research I've done for my degree I am probably on some sort of list of people who read a lot of declassified documents.

So, what, they're going to find out my Steam password? That's about the only information they don't have.

Besides, they're forcing people to sign documents revoking their green cards. I'm not all that concerned about them reading my emails, because that's not going to make or break anything for me.

At least at first.

Thankfully a lot of people out there are not going to go quietly into the good night...

 

[FrozenBacon]

The president acts fully within the law, and the only court that can tell him he is wrong (a.k.a. unconstitutional) is the supreme court. Congress also has the power to end any executive order he puts out.

Except he was told it was illegal to deny greencard holders entry, and then did it anyway. Once that judge told the DHS to stop that shit, they continued to ignore her and obey the presidents order and deny greencard holders entry, not letting people speak to lawyers and deporting them. Against a court order, because they're listening to the president.

The DHS, the same branch that's obeying the president, just massively increased in size, from 40k to 65k. Meanwhile the EPA and others are blocked from communicating with the public.

What he did was completely legal. The law is explicitly stated in the executive order. The judges who made those rulings are notorious for making bullshit political rulings that are out of their jurisdictions and overturned all the time. I haven't been following those cases closely but the last time I checked, the ruling was appealed and will probably not even really make noise in higher courts.

Even though the president has gained a lot of power over the years, that office is still susceptible to checks and balances.

Until the president and a bunch of agencies ignore this system of checks and balances. Like they're doing right now.

The checks and balances cannot be ignored. If the president breaks the law, congress has the power to and will likely impeach him. This is what happened to Bill Clinton, but he was acquitted since the reason for him impeachment was rather weak.

 

[COMaestro]

Checks and balances can be ignored, and that's the problem. The Republican party currently has the majority in both the Senate and the House and they are covering for their boy, Trump.

For instance, the (Republican) Ways and Means Committee Chairman refuses to release Trumps tax returns. A bill is made for the House to vote on to overturn his decision. 229 Republicans voted it down. All but 8 of them, two who weren't present and the rest abstained from voting. Despite every President before him since Nixon releasing their taxes (minus Ford who didn't exactly run for President), and Trump being one of the most controversial choices in history for the Office, they voted it down.

While it's not a law, it has been a precedent and his refusal to release them just makes him look suspicious. Whether it is due to ties to Russia or any foreign government, or tax evasion or whatever, the refusal makes him appear untrustworthy.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

The checks and balances cannot be ignored.

Look at Jeff Sessions. Today it was discovered that he lied under oath during his testimony to become attorney general.
And yet half of congress is sitting around doing nothing about it.

 

[LinksOcarina]

Well, to be fair a lot of Republicans are calling him to recuse himself in any investigations regarding Russia.

Problem is the lie under oath is perjury, which is a crime that can have him removed from office, which the Democrats want.

I would be that Trump is going to force Sessions to resign soon.

 

[FrozenBacon]

I don't think Trump is going to ask him to resign. His statement is purposefully being taken out of context. Sessions was responding to allegations of him being in contact with Russians in the context of Trump's campaign, and his response was him basically saying he didn't. I don't understand what is up with this russian boogeyman bullshit anyway. The democrats are treating any republican who had contact with the russians in the past as some sort of puppet. God forbid high level political figures do their job by talking to ambassadors of other nations.

At any rate, due process needs to take place, someone cannot be indicted off of allegations and gut feelings. If it cannot be proved beyond reasonable doubt that he did lie under oath, he cannot be found guilty of the crime.

EDIT: Here is the portion of that hearing tthat the democrats are throwing a stink about:

"Now, again, I'm telling you this as it's coming out, so you know. But if it's true, it's obviously extremely serious and if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?"

Sessions: "Senator Franken, I'm not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have — did not have communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it."

Source: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter ... n-about-m/

 

[COMaestro]

Yeah, I will agree that the Sessions issue is likely being thrown out of proportion. However technically he did commit perjury by saying he did not have communications with the Russians during the campaign. While he may have meant it in the context of being attached to the Trump campaign, it's not exactly what he said. I doubt any such charges would stick though.