Justin Amash: Mike Rogers Isn't Overseeing The Intelligence Community, He's Conspiring To Cover Up Its Activities
from the does-the-nsa-have-a-talking-bear? dept
Rep. Justin Amash has been highlighting for months how Rep. Mike Rogers, the head of the House Intelligence Committee seems to have gone out of his way to withhold information from Congress. In a recent speech, he teed off on Rogers, noting that while his job as head of the Intelligence Committee is supposed to be "oversight," it's actually been one of collusion with the White House to "cover up" the intelligence community's activities. Amash also responded to completely misleading (and, frankly, insulting) statements from Rogers' office implying that Rogers did make the necessary information "available" by inviting them to "classified briefings." However, Amash explained how those sessions were ridiculous because they weren't explanations about what was going on, but a sick game of 20 questions where Reps who were interested had to poke around in the dark:But Amash said that intelligence officials are often evasive during classified briefings and reveal little new information unless directly pressed.Of course, now I want to know about the NSA's talking bear. And the moon base.
"You don't have any idea what kind of things are going on," Amash said. "So you have to start just spitting off random questions. Does the government have a moon base? Does the government have a talking bear? Does the government have a cyborg army? If you don't know what kind of things the government might have, you just have to guess and it becomes a totally ridiculous game of twenty questions."
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Filed Under: briefings, intelligence committee, justin amash, mike rogers, nsa, nsa surveillance
Reader Comments
The First Word
“Re: Actually, anyone who reads infowars.com or whatreallyhappened KNOWS
It's called hyperbole, and is a valid rhetorical advice, much unlike slinging ad homs.The real point is this: An actual representative went to an actual briefing wanting to get information about legitimate problems, but was instead given a full snow job and forced to draw his own conclusions.
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At least we know the Government isn't planning to build Death Stars. Sounds like a lot of transparency to me.
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But for some reason you don't want to know about the cyborg army?
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I already know *all* about that.
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Looooser!!!
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Say, if you have an "in" with these guys, can you ask them to jump straight to version 2.0?
That way, we can get the cyborgs that look like Angelina Jolie.
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The crew of the moon base was declared non-essential and ordered to wait outside for the duration of the sequester. They seem to have adjusted to this well, as they have not complained for several days.
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Actually, anyone who reads infowars.com or whatreallyhappened KNOWS
Throwing in "talking bear" is worse than useless, as every 13-year old seizes on that -- AND STOPS asking the real questions. -- So was that just a quip, or intended for distraction? Discuss.
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Re: Actually, anyone who reads infowars.com or whatreallyhappened KNOWS
Is that where you are getting your information from?? Too funny.
But, thanks anyways Blue. This actually provides some insight as to why you comment the way you do.
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Re: Actually, anyone who reads infowars.com or whatreallyhappened KNOWS
The real point is this: An actual representative went to an actual briefing wanting to get information about legitimate problems, but was instead given a full snow job and forced to draw his own conclusions.
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He Forgot the Most Important Question
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What's the mechanism for firing the chair of a committee?
If enough members of the House or the Senate respectively wish to, can they force a vote of no confidence in the chair? Or one in the committee as a whole, and have its members reselected?
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Re: What's the mechanism for firing the chair of a committee?
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Re: What's the mechanism for firing the chair of a committee?
Of course the day-to-day power comes from controlling how legislation is brought before the respective houses, but you really can't underestimate the power (and payoff) of being able to assign chairmanships.
The Speaker/Majority Leader can take away committee membership pretty much at will, so that is one way a chairman could be removed.
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Re: What's the mechanism for firing the chair of a committee?
Article I, Section 5:
Almost anytime you hear about some bit of procedural bother the House or Senate has gotten itself into, just remember that either house can change their own rules. Anytime they have the political will to do so.
By simple majority.
Everything else is just smoke and mirrors. Political theater—mixed in with a bit of good ol' tradition and hoary precedent.
They determine their own rules.
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http://darktower.wikia.com/wiki/Shardik
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Oh do tell. Anything juice our less favorite troll can take back to Infowars? Now that we have a source of info from him all begins to become a little clearer. Hey ootb, did you know Infowars and Google are conspiring against you? (surely we can get him to cock his tin foil hat on that one).
Does Alexander and Clapper have any idea they have really pissed off the public with the Snowden leaks of what is going on?
All this business with trust us has went about as far as it's going to go. All of Alexander's personal magnetism doesn't transfer over the net. I trust him less than I do the government and at this point that means not at all.
It's time for some serious shake up of Washington.
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Response to: Anonymous Coward on Oct 10th, 2013 @ 1:24pm
If you are thinking about twerking in front of the monument, i applaud your intentions, but that usually ends in jail.
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Amash
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a)who put him in that position?
b)how has he managed to stay there?
c)apart from lie continuously about everything, to everyone, regardless of their positions, what has he actually achieved/done?
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