Cheney goes to the NSA and says, “I need to see a few transcripts on this person. He may be a sleeper”. NSA taps the guy and later gives Cheney the transcripts. Turns out, the person in question is a contract sales guy for a Haliburton competitor. He is setting up a contract to sale Egypt widgets. Cheney now has inside info on this company. There is no judge to follow-up so Cheney/Bush have nothing to fear. Haliburton goes to the Egyptian company and under bids the competitor due to inside info.
2007-08-31 17:37:16 · 9 answers · asked by Chi Guy 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Hi, Chi!
I think stuff like that happens in corporate America every day...
2007-08-31 17:46:43 · answer #1 · answered by Jadis 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I agree there shouldn't be wiretaps without a judge approving them, but the scenario is ridiculous.
I think you're overestimating Cheney's involvement in things. There are too many suspects for the Vice President to be keeping track of them all. The administration gets the intelligence that the NSA thinks they might need. The senior NSA officials with whom Cheney communicates are not going to be involved in industrial espionage. They have a much better idea of whom to wiretap than you're giving them credit for, and they're not going to pass on transcripts of innocuous conversations to the VP.
Also, to bust a favorite myth, Cheney doesn't work for Halliburton anymore. If we believe his pledge that we will donate all proceeds from his remaining stock options in Halliburton to charity, then he actually has no real personal financial interest in Halliburton's success.
I don't like Cheney at all, it amazes me when I hear these conspiracy theories that suggest that he is an all-powerful manipulator who knows every piece of intelligence in the government, and uses them solely to manipulate the entire world to help Halliburton.
2007-09-01 01:36:32 · answer #2 · answered by Thomas M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are trying to judge Cheney by Democrat ethics. Democrats would take illegally gotten information and use it to their own advantage. Like Hillary's illegal collection of the White House employees personnel records, or like Chuck Shumer's illegal credit check of the black Republican Senatorial candidate from Maryland, so you figure Republicans are just as ethically challenged as Democrats. Well, some are, but Dick Cheney has NEVER been shown to be anything less than an American Patriot!
He was never fired from a Federal Job before.
2007-09-01 01:02:01 · answer #3 · answered by plezurgui 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, that's completely valid, from a legal perspective.
And prior to a few weeks ago, it was legal as long as all parties were not "US persons" -- after recent changes, it can occur even if the sales guy is a US citizen in an office inside the US -- as long as the order claims to be targeting someone outside the country.
Note that I said "valid, from a legal perspective" -- I consider it totally unethical and an abuse of power -- but it's legal.
2007-09-01 00:48:01 · answer #4 · answered by coragryph 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
The Federal Acquisition Regulations outlaw a lot of things this administration does on a regular basis. But then so does the Constitution.
2007-09-01 00:58:22 · answer #5 · answered by Gaspode 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I'd imagine that the Haliburton competitor is a suspected terrorist...talking with suspected terrorists overseas?
Thats what the law is.
You know, when terrorists blow you up, you won't be able to care if the government is trying to monitor terrorists overseas.
2007-09-01 00:54:50 · answer #6 · answered by Yahoo Answer Angel 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
that is more like business as usual in Bushington DC. I fear.
2007-09-01 00:47:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
We would never know? Sorry but I think you need a better example. I'm not saying that this wouldn't be wrong, just that this situation really wouldn't affect us.
2007-09-01 00:45:54 · answer #8 · answered by #1 Dunkin' Donuts Fan 2 · 1⤊ 5⤋
power corrupts. people should be worried.
2007-09-01 00:47:54 · answer #9 · answered by truth seeker 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋