quote:

An internal congressional report questioning the ability of the Secret Service to continue fulfilling its duties was leaked to the Boston Globe. The report says the Secret Service is strained by a drastic increase in threats to President Obama, coupled with deep budget cuts. Some are speculating that the agency may need to relinquish all or part of its roles in protecting the country's financial machinery in order to focus resources on the protection of the president and other high-profile leaders.

The report, issued in August by the Congressional Research Service, claimed that if "an evaluation of the service's two missions" were to be done at this time, there's a good possibility that "it might be determined that it is ineffective...to conduct its protection mission and investigate financial crimes." Additionally, an anonymously quoted government official said that many inside the halls of Congress and within the Secret Service itself are questioning whether or not the agency's effectiveness wouldn't be enhanced by transferring some of its responsibilities regarding the investigation of financial crimes over to the Treasury Department.

Talking Points Memo noted that Ronald Kessler, the author of a recently released book on the Secret Service's protection of U.S. presidents, recently said that threats against President Obama are up 400 percent from the number of threats levied against former President George W. Bush, while the size of the agency's staff has only increased by 5.3 percent.

The Southern Poverty Law Center says that the U.S. has seen a 35 percent rise in hate groups in recent years, and few doubt that the discontent stirred up over the election of an African-American president is fueling the rise in threats. But, could the influx of modern technology also be to blame?

As the cost of computer technology has fallen (and accessibility to high-speed Internet service has spread), more and more people are spending more and more time online. Accordingly, these people are doing what people often do on the Internet: sending emails, communicating in chat rooms and on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, watching YouTube videos, etc. According to results of a recent study by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, these activities seem to be enhancing the scope of extremist groups' reach:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

In other words, extremists once confined to small sects can now congregate on the Internet anonymously and distribute propaganda to millions of people in mere seconds. People with extreme views can also now communicate direct threats to individuals quicker and more easily than they have previously, thanks to the immediacy of email and chat rooms.

The Secret Service, presently housed under the bureaucratic umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, was initially established in 1865 to help combat the rise in counterfeiting that took place in that era. The protection of national leaders didn't become a full-time responsibility until William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. Congress passed a law in 1917 making any threat against the president a federal crime, and the responsibility of investigating such threats often falls upon the Secret Service. Along with protecting presidents, the agency's role in policing financial shenanigans was expanded when the 20th century's technological revolution led to a rise in electronic financial transactions.

It should be noted in all of this, however, that the Secret Service has issued a response in which the agency denied any decreased capacity to carry out its missions, saying that the Boston Globe's report was "not accurate and lacks a good deal of information."

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Dang, beat me to it Crashtest. I saw this & was going to put it up. Very scary. I hate when stuff like this is printed. Seems to give motivation to would be nut jobs. The whole report is inflamatory, they(reporter) wait till the very end of the story to put in that the Secret Service "denied any any decreased capacity to carry out its mission".

quote:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

quote:

Originally posted by 1WW:

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Dang, beat me to it Crashtest. I saw this & was going to put it up. Very scary. I hate when stuff like this is printed. Seems to give motivation to would be nut jobs. The whole report is inflamatory, they(reporter) wait till the very end of the story to put in that the Secret Service "denied any any decreased capacity to carry out its mission".

Isn't this part the scariest, though?

quote:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
I think WW, that it gives keyboard tough guys an outlet for otherwise impotent feellings. But withe numbers, it is scary in that it only takes one person to "get lucky".

quote:

Originally posted by 1WW:

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
I think WW, that it gives keyboard tough guys an outlet for otherwise impotent feellings. But withe numbers, it is scary in that it only takes one person to "get lucky".

"Impotent feelings" need an outlet. If not aimed at the president, then ... at whom?

My husband and I have been targeted by white supremacists, and have had our property defaced with swastikas and "white power" declarations.

I cannot and will not shrug it off as nothing more than, "they're just being kids -- they'll grow out of it."

Because they'll grow INTO it ... even more deeply.

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Well I didn't suggest "they'll just grow out of it", as a matter of fact I stated that it only takes one. I'm sorry for what you have gone through, which is quite dispictable(sp), but you are making something out of what I said which is far from what I was saying.

quote:

Originally posted by 1WW:

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Dang, beat me to it Crashtest. I saw this & was going to put it up. Very scary. I hate when stuff like this is printed. Seems to give motivation to would be nut jobs. The whole report is inflamatory, they(reporter) wait till the very end of the story to put in that the Secret Service "denied any any decreased capacity to carry out its mission".

Isn't this part the scariest, though?

quote:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by 1WW:

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Dang, beat me to it Crashtest. I saw this & was going to put it up. Very scary. I hate when stuff like this is printed. Seems to give motivation to would be nut jobs. The whole report is inflamatory, they(reporter) wait till the very end of the story to put in that the Secret Service "denied any any decreased capacity to carry out its mission".

Isn't this part the scariest, though?

quote:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

There are "bigoted azzholes" out there, no doubt but, could not the internet be the source of spreading actual concerns of the American public and allowing for more participation of the American electorate in the actual running of the U.S. government?...
Does not the internet allow for more dissemination[sp?] of information?...
Does not the internet allow for people to organize and voice either their satisfaction or dissatifaction of governmental policies and proposals?...
Why should the government fear the dissemination of information?...
It also allows for tracking of the whack jobs also...
IMHO...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
I hope the idiots are now under control WW, there are some sick pups out there.

quote:

Report: Secret Service strained to protect Obama

quote:

The U.S. Secret Service pushed back against a report Sunday suggesting the agency may be spread too thin as it faces a greater range of potential threats against the nation's leaders.

A report from the Boston Globe published Sunday questions the agency's ability to protect political figures and investigate financial crimes -- its two main missions -- as it handles an unprecedented number of threats against President Obama.

<snip>

But an agency spokesman refuted the newspaper's report, telling FOX News it is "not accurate and lacks a good deal of information provided to the writer."

"In the longest and most expensive campaign in history, the Secret Service has proven it can maintain its dual mission of both protecting individuals and conducting criminal investigations," the spokesman said. "The Secret Service had asset forfeitures totaling $140 million and investigated the largest data breach in history. There were also zero arrests at the largest inauguration ever."

Sources close to the Secret Service told FOX News there was a spike in threats against Obama immediately following the election, but said those numbers are now within the range of threats leveled at former presidents, like George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/18/secret-service-refutes-report-claiming-agency-stretched/

quote:

Originally posted by Ol_Doc:

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by 1WW:

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Dang, beat me to it Crashtest. I saw this & was going to put it up. Very scary. I hate when stuff like this is printed. Seems to give motivation to would be nut jobs. The whole report is inflamatory, they(reporter) wait till the very end of the story to put in that the Secret Service "denied any any decreased capacity to carry out its mission".

Isn't this part the scariest, though?

quote:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

There are "bigoted azzholes" out there, no doubt but, could not the internet be the source of spreading actual concerns of the American public and allowing for more participation of the American electorate in the actual running of the U.S. government?...
Does not the internet allow for more dissemination[sp?] of information?...
Does not the internet allow for people to organize and voice either their satisfaction or dissatifaction of governmental policies and proposals?...
Why should the government fear the dissemination of information?...
It also allows for tracking of the whack jobs also...
IMHO...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Of course

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by Ol_Doc:

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by 1WW:

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Dang, beat me to it Crashtest. I saw this & was going to put it up. Very scary. I hate when stuff like this is printed. Seems to give motivation to would be nut jobs. The whole report is inflamatory, they(reporter) wait till the very end of the story to put in that the Secret Service "denied any any decreased capacity to carry out its mission".

Isn't this part the scariest, though?

quote:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

There are "bigoted azzholes" out there, no doubt but, could not the internet be the source of spreading actual concerns of the American public and allowing for more participation of the American electorate in the actual running of the U.S. government?...
Does not the internet allow for more dissemination[sp?] of information?...
Does not the internet allow for people to organize and voice either their satisfaction or dissatifaction of governmental policies and proposals?...
Why should the government fear the dissemination of information?...
It also allows for tracking of the whack jobs also...
IMHO...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Of course

Why then, does those that protect the President, fear the internet?...
Why then, does the WH seem to fear what is said on the internet?...
Those I guess, are my real questions?...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

quote:

Originally posted by jdksfcret:
Security worker at Newark airport accused of making threats against Obama

NEWARK -- A casual chat at a coffee cart in Newark Liberty International Airport sparked a national security threat and a full-blown U.S. Secret Service investigation today on the eve of President Barack Obama’s visit to the state.

John Brek, 55, of Linden, was charged today with a third-degree count of making terroristic threats after two airport employees alerted police to comments Brek made about Obama Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Snip...


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/security_worker_at_newark_airp.html


If this guy turns out to be a verified threat then it begs the question.

Why would someone who obviously knows that if someone hears him talking in a threatening manner against the POTUS; does he feels somehow empowered to do it anyway?

It’s one thing to have a beef against the POTUS and go online and rationally or irrationally give voice to your feelings. You do expect some anonymity and it may be an escape valve for some. To openly do so within earshot of other people seems to me to border on something of a mental lapse. What ever his intentions he is obviously in a world of hurt now.

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by jdksfcret:
Security worker at Newark airport accused of making threats against Obama

NEWARK -- A casual chat at a coffee cart in Newark Liberty International Airport sparked a national security threat and a full-blown U.S. Secret Service investigation today on the eve of President Barack Obama’s visit to the state.

John Brek, 55, of Linden, was charged today with a third-degree count of making terroristic threats after two airport employees alerted police to comments Brek made about Obama Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Snip...


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/security_worker_at_newark_airp.html


If this guy turns out to be a verified threat then it begs the question.

Why would someone who obviously knows that if someone hears him talking in a threatening manner against the POTUS; does he feels somehow empowered to do it anyway?

It’s one thing to have a beef against the POTUS and go online and rationally or irrationally give voice to your feelings. You do expect some anonymity and it may be an escape valve for some. To openly do so within earshot of other people seems to me to border on something of a mental lapse. What ever his intentions he is obviously in a world of hurt now.

Where does freedom of speech actually end?...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by Ol_Doc:

quote:

Originally posted by SUNLINER81:

quote:

Originally posted by 1WW:

quote:

Originally posted by 67NOV:
Dang, beat me to it Crashtest. I saw this & was going to put it up. Very scary. I hate when stuff like this is printed. Seems to give motivation to would be nut jobs. The whole report is inflamatory, they(reporter) wait till the very end of the story to put in that the Secret Service "denied any any decreased capacity to carry out its mission".

Isn't this part the scariest, though?

quote:

With over 200 million users, online bigots have to date outpaced efforts to remove them. Some sites have thousands of friends, thus enabling the message of hate to spread virally...This user-generated material increases the viral spread of extremism online and aids in increasing the social acceptability of hate in mainstream discourse. By creating an environment where users are equal participants in the Web, all editorial functions are removed and expressions of hate can easily flow unchallenged.

There are "bigoted azzholes" out there, no doubt but, could not the internet be the source of spreading actual concerns of the American public and allowing for more participation of the American electorate in the actual running of the U.S. government?...
Does not the internet allow for more dissemination[sp?] of information?...
Does not the internet allow for people to organize and voice either their satisfaction or dissatifaction of governmental policies and proposals?...
Why should the government fear the dissemination of information?...
It also allows for tracking of the whack jobs also...
IMHO...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Of course

Why then, does those that protect the President, fear the internet?...
Why then, does the WH seem to fear what is said on the internet?...
Those I guess, are my real questions?...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81