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Posted on 03/19/2008 11:26:36 AM PDT by MitchellC
Mumpower Accuses Shuler, Armor, and Campbell of Pandering on FISA
11th District Republican Congressional candidate Carl Mumpower has taken the offensive in challenging candidates Heath Shuler, John Armor, and Spence Campbell for their shared position in support of FISA immunity and the warrantless wiretapping of American Citizens.
"The speed with which my colleagues bunched together speaks either to a clear disregard for the United States Constitution or the need to pander to voters' fears," said Mumpower. "In either case, we have a trio of strange bedfellows - unified behind a bill that dodges the real problems, supports big-government, and tramples on individual liberties."
Citing the fact that many of his own supporters in the Republican Party have contacted Mumpower in recent days to express their disagreement with his position, he reiterated his credentials as an "independent" Republican and his unwillingness to follow the herd on this or any other issue.
"My own supporters are coming after me on this," said Mumpower. "I must have received a half a dozen angry letters already today. But it would be wrong to back down on my principles just to say whatever it takes to get elected. When I say I'm independent, I mean it and I will not sidestep the right thing for the easy thing."
Expanding on the legislation itself, Mumpower commented: "Intelligence failures, the kind which resulted in the horrors of 9-11, are often used to stress the importance of nonsense like the warrantless wiretapping provisions found in FISA. They more accurately reflect a failure in analysis and interdepartmental cooperation than a lack of information," said Mumpower. "The various government agencies trying to protect us can't process and act on the information they have - avoiding accountability and applying situational ethics to our system of checks and balances through FISA is reactive versus responsible leadership."
"Evidently my colleagues have not looked deep enough into existing FISA law (18 USC 2530-d and 50 USC 1806-f) to understand that telecoms already have immunity where they acted 'pursuant to written government certification or where they prove they acted in good faith' and that they are free to present any evidence of their defense in secret", said Mumpower. "There is a difference in having reasonable immunity for doing the right thing and a blank check for taking short-cuts and ignoring the law."
" Ben Franklin has a quote that speaks clearly to the over-extension of FISA", said Mumpower, "Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." "It is my honor to stand apart from the other three candidates for the 11th Congressional seat, the President, and a host of other lock-step politicians who are undermining the rule of law and our civil liberties behind a mask of nobility."
CarL Mumpower
11th District Republican Congressional Candidate
NC ping
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>>Does Carl Mumpower really want to debate the Constitution with John Armor?
You say that as if it’s a bad thing. It’d be nice if all political debates were on constitutional principles rather than empty pandering contests.
great, just what we needed. More ‘independents’......
No, I think it’d be a great idea. I just think Mumpower might be getting in over his head.
Bookmarked for John’s response. I’m sure he’ll have something to say. Since I’m a Republican voter in his district and plan on voting in the primary I’m interested in his response.
Spot on. Giving more power to government so they can deal with a "crisis" is always a bad deal. It's liberty lost that is never gotten back.
C. Mumpower appears to be a dumbass.
Western NC Ping
He might have second thoughts, IF he reflected on the fact that his position is the same as that of Speaker Pelosi and the ACLU. But he didn't bother to think about that.
The folks in Western Carolina will not, by and large, cotton to his position on FISA.
John / Billybob
It is the economic creep of the government that never retreats. The security creeps do retreat.
John / Billybob
Retreat? Just what do you think they do with the extra money they grab with the economic creep? The backscatter machines will all be up and running soon. Biometrics won't be far behind. The following is from the TSA website. You can expect the following security creep "retreats" in the future:
Retinal scans. Fingerprint identification. A few years ago these things seemed like something out of a science fiction movie. Today, they continue to grow as important parts of our risk-based approach to security.
Biometric identification allows us to verify a person is who they say they are by using their own unique set of identifiers - whether fingerprints, iris scans or a combination of the two. We continue to test this technology at airports and harbors across the country, allowing us to control access to important facilities.
I've been keeping up with his press releases and that is the general tone when he's talking about his Republican opponents. For someone who alleges to be a principled, 'independent Republican,' he sure does take every opportunity to make cheap shots like an establishment hack.
If he were wise he'd avoid the ad hominem and spend 110% of his energy defending his positions because, as you said, it's only taken a day for his supporters to start turning against him.
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