Obama To Set Higher Bar For Keeping State Secrets

washingtonpost.com:

The Obama administration will announce a new policy Wednesday making it much more difficult for the government to claim that it is protecting state secrets when it hides details of sensitive national security strategies such as rendition and warrantless eavesdropping, according to two senior Justice Department officials.

Read the whole story: washingtonpost.com

Comments

[dnegri]

12:44 PM on 09/23/2009

Well, I'm sure it won't satisfy everybody, but at least it's a pretty good step in the right direction. And something NO REPUBLICAN that I know in the political field would have done.

[SizeMatters]

11:57 AM on 09/23/2009

I love the president. He leads by example. Hours and hours of speeches about HCR, and the specifics are still a state secret.

[gbrooks]

12:09 PM on 09/23/2009

Are you okay with him continuing the provisions of the Patriot Act?

Be balanced and informed, not a groupie.

[SizeMatters]

12:14 PM on 09/23/2009

yes i am. i'm overlooking his promises to discontinue business as usual, because i have to if i want to continue to love him. he's done nothing he promised, but i love him. i just love him.

[dnegri]

12:45 PM on 09/23/2009

Prove that HCR specifics are a "state secret".....

[SizeMatters]

12:53 PM on 09/23/2009

what does the president actually support? he won't take a hard stance on any aspect of it. reminds me of clinton. has to check the morning polls before he will say anything about anything.

[brandnewstuff]

11:54 AM on 09/23/2009

Cheif Justice Charles Evans Hughs came to the Supreme Court during the 'then" worse economic crisis and handled Cases and Controvery-- so yes Judical power can handle

As for WAR -- Larson V Domestic and Foreign Corps-- again Judical can COPE-- the only people that can't are the one's who do not have a legal counterclaim that will withstand a judical process. Grow COPING SKILLS or have better understand of law that many wiped their snotty A$$ES with the Constitutional Rules of engagement

[gbrooks]

11:52 AM on 09/23/2009

I always say that I'll give Obama his due when his actions warrant it. This is one of those times--wish there were more.

Good work Obama admin.

[dawnec1957]

01:46 PM on 09/23/2009

Obama has :

Stem cell order reversed.
SCHIP passed and signed into law
Ledbetter bill passed and signed into law.
Major Green energy initiatives started.
EPA rules revised to address Climate Change.
Executive order signed to protect large areas from drilling.
Car emission standards revised.
National Science Foundation funding boosted.

Stimulus bill passed, and already helping revive the economy.
Finacial system reform plan implemented.
Regulations on the way.

Gitmo closing ordered.
T0rture banned.
Iraq troop withdrawal ordered.
Afghanistan approach revised.

Direct negotiations with Iran on the way.
Negotiations with Syria in progress.
Disarmament talks with Russia re-started.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/ljc?action=comments

[gbrooks]

03:21 PM on 09/23/2009

I'm well aware of what he has done, but I'm also quite aware that this Constitutional scholar has:

Continued the Patriot Act
Continued Indefinite Detention
Continued to hire Blackwater/Xe
Escalated the war in Afghanistan/struck Pakistan without Congressional approval
There are still plenty of "black sites" where the CIA has prisons
He has refused to support investigations into torture
Continued numerous Bush-era policies

The stimulus bill/economic recovery is nebulous at best.

There are still raids on medical marijuana facilities in CA

I'm capable of seeing both sides, I hope you are too.

[ObamAtomic]

11:49 AM on 09/23/2009

One.

[PerryWhite]

11:34 AM on 09/23/2009

The senior justice department officials who released this information did so only after being promised that heir names would be kept secret.

[Javaline]

10:42 AM on 09/23/2009

"Matters of internal security - the age-old cry of the oppressors"

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard

I wait with bated breath the day we abandon societies structured to fit the needs of psychopaths and build them instead on the concept of honoring life.

[KLordsha]

10:42 AM on 09/23/2009

TAKE IT BACK NOW To all the extreme lefties like Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow who wined ad nauseam about President Obama being too much like Bush...

[CigarGod]

10:50 AM on 09/23/2009

One possible policy change and you want the moon?

[ddDinah]

10:07 AM on 09/23/2009

G20 memo leaked...

http://www.gregpalast.com/time-to-change-bernankes-medication-secret-white-house-letter-to-g-20/#more-2818

[themainpoint]

09:59 AM on 09/23/2009

Good for President Obama. Hope this is truly a significant step and will look forward to more facts on the subject.

[brandnewstuff]

09:37 AM on 09/23/2009

I do encourage others- My enitire case is on FACEBOOK as a global community has seen and Judging BACK- The Fraud, Secret abuse and Torture well documented and everyday a new connection comes to Review WHO DID WHAT ....Nice the stolen jelwery is placed as well. Time Heals Nothing when The Sadism was Premediated-- COURTS WORKS

http://www.peacepink.ning.com OR Facebook -- shows the illegal abuse of Texas

[Smurfaveli]

09:31 AM on 09/23/2009

Definitely a good move.

For those complaining that it's too little, please remember that change is not always welcomed by those with strong footholds in the government. There is a lot of heavylifting that has to be down to see the few gains we are seeing. Be patient. The overall trend is favorable for progressives, but it will take some time to reach most of our goals.

[Gretel1or2]

09:56 AM on 09/23/2009

I agree.

[ReedYoung]

03:09 AM on 09/25/2009

I agree. Sometimes it's fun to ask the complainers what they have done themselves since last November 4th -- besides, you know, just complaining on the Internet.

[LJB064]

09:31 AM on 09/23/2009

This is a "transparent" attempt to kill the legislation now underway that would really reform the State Secrets doctrine in our courts. I might (still) be willing to give Eric Holder the benefit of the doubt when he says that multiple reviews within the Justice Dept. will keep the government from flat out lying to the courts, as it has so oftern done (and is no doubt doing today) under the State Secrets doctrine.

But what about the next Meese or Gonzalez? No thank you. I'll take my chances with a good, old-fashioned judge making the determination in camera. That's checks and balances. It's not going to cut it to allow Justice to just say "All of us here in the office took a look at it and, yup, we think them's state secrets all right. Case dismissed!" That's just the executive branch version of "self regulation". It doesn't work for polluters, or bankers, and it won't work for government.

Senator Leahy - I know you won't be fooled.

[CigarGod]

10:52 AM on 09/23/2009

Fav'd.
Have a cigar.

[ReedYoung]

03:15 AM on 09/25/2009

One Senator out of a hundred that we can count on for that. Feingold, if he was on that Committee, I suppose -- but he isn't.

[brandnewstuff]

09:15 AM on 09/23/2009

Good as I have plans to SUE for the damages on the Illegal Rogue Program and the Agent who committed "torture rape" I do not have a short leg from love or business or friendship. Phone records confirm I was to be " Kllied" The agent (s) who played a role my phone records tell and we are NOT anything but legal and judical --

So Phone Records Matter in helping REPEAL The Immunity of Telecom that knew of Torture rape-

So the State of Texas Republican Officals that broke the law- for a bold faced lie that is their professional problem.

http://www.peacepink.ning.com-- Jennifer E Elliott

[brandnewstuff]

09:03 AM on 09/23/2009

http://www.peacepink.ning.com --

do not be confused- please look at my injury and be the judge yourself.. abuse of power- abuse of laws- pictures and phone records do not lie- I am thankful this page was placed up. Men are never sorry they are sorry they get caught lying about- FISA,NSL, National security act