Wednesday, December 12, 2007
I smell a rat.
Just in time for Christmas, something creepy this way comes. I haven't seen anything about it in the media, but look what the House of Representatives passed 404-6. Named the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007, it's a proposal for a commission, hearings, reports etc. with the purpose of finding out if people are planning or thinking dangerous thoughts. It's dressed up as a way to prevent attacks like those in 2001 and those experienced in Europe and Israel, and is essentially to be an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. It's sponsors felt the need to insert lip service to civil liberties and constitutional rights. But, they didn't specify exactly what could and could not be done to subjects of inquiries or to those subpoenaed to testify before the commission. To his credit, my congressman, Jerry Costello, of Illinois, voted 'no'.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Where's the red line?
It’s time to ask the Democrats a question: Do they have a moral map? And, if they do, where is the red line? At what point will they stop and stand up for what’s right and resist what’s wrong?
Apparently they are not at that point yet. Saturday, Nov. 24, they had Gen. Ricardo Sanchez give their response to President Bush’s weekly radio address. Gen. Sanchez was the military commander in overall charge, in Iraq, at the time of the Abu Ghraib torture episode. Prior to that, the Democratic Senate gave its advice and consent for the appointment of Michael Mukasey to be Attorney General. During confirmation hearings Mr. Mukasey could not find it within himself to condemn, as torture, vile acts that our own government has prosecuted, as war crimes, for over 100 years.
The Executive branch has tapped Americans phones and email, “disappeared” people and endangered intelligence agents for political purposes. How have the Democrats responded? Speaker of the House Pelosi says impeachment is “off the table” and Majority Leader Reid says the Senate “has other things to do” than censure the President. Apparently senators cannot multi-task.
Polls show 70% of Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction. If the Democrats have no moral compass, how are they to turn America around?
Apparently they are not at that point yet. Saturday, Nov. 24, they had Gen. Ricardo Sanchez give their response to President Bush’s weekly radio address. Gen. Sanchez was the military commander in overall charge, in Iraq, at the time of the Abu Ghraib torture episode. Prior to that, the Democratic Senate gave its advice and consent for the appointment of Michael Mukasey to be Attorney General. During confirmation hearings Mr. Mukasey could not find it within himself to condemn, as torture, vile acts that our own government has prosecuted, as war crimes, for over 100 years.
The Executive branch has tapped Americans phones and email, “disappeared” people and endangered intelligence agents for political purposes. How have the Democrats responded? Speaker of the House Pelosi says impeachment is “off the table” and Majority Leader Reid says the Senate “has other things to do” than censure the President. Apparently senators cannot multi-task.
Polls show 70% of Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction. If the Democrats have no moral compass, how are they to turn America around?
Watching the Burmese army crush the protests
Watching the Burmese army crush the protests of Budhist monks made me sad, for my own country. Rather than pass legislation to restore our Constitution, Congress has shamed itself.
Our country has legalized torture, disappearances and, given the secrecy, we must assume extra-judicial executions as well. President Bush has admitted committing crimes: tapping citizens’ phones and computers. The President has secretly declassified information for the sole purpose of legalizing acts which would have otherwise subjected the Vice President, and others, to prosecution. The right of habeas corpus, protecting all in the English speaking world since King John signed the Magna Carta, in 1215, was surrendered by the Military Commissions Act of 2006. In August, Congress passed legislation, over a weekend, and in fear, that authorized even more phone tapping and email snooping on Americans.
A few months ago, when Sen. Feingold, introduced a motion of censure on the President and Vice President, Harry Reid, the Democrats’ leader, said the Senate had more important business. The Senate demonstrated their idea of importance last September by voting to condemn a newspaper ad, the facts of which were not in dispute, only its tactless headline, concerning a general. We are told that the Constitution cannot be restored, and the war not stopped, because they need a super majority of 60%. This is false. Legislation only needs 51% to pass. The argument then becomes that it takes 60% to overcome a veto or a filibuster. So what? Let them filibuster. What could be more important to debate at length, than our constitutional liberties? In Burma, the people lost, but their defenders, barefoot monks, stood up to guns and soldiers. In Washington, the Democrats couldn’t even stand up to a filibuster.
Our country has legalized torture, disappearances and, given the secrecy, we must assume extra-judicial executions as well. President Bush has admitted committing crimes: tapping citizens’ phones and computers. The President has secretly declassified information for the sole purpose of legalizing acts which would have otherwise subjected the Vice President, and others, to prosecution. The right of habeas corpus, protecting all in the English speaking world since King John signed the Magna Carta, in 1215, was surrendered by the Military Commissions Act of 2006. In August, Congress passed legislation, over a weekend, and in fear, that authorized even more phone tapping and email snooping on Americans.
A few months ago, when Sen. Feingold, introduced a motion of censure on the President and Vice President, Harry Reid, the Democrats’ leader, said the Senate had more important business. The Senate demonstrated their idea of importance last September by voting to condemn a newspaper ad, the facts of which were not in dispute, only its tactless headline, concerning a general. We are told that the Constitution cannot be restored, and the war not stopped, because they need a super majority of 60%. This is false. Legislation only needs 51% to pass. The argument then becomes that it takes 60% to overcome a veto or a filibuster. So what? Let them filibuster. What could be more important to debate at length, than our constitutional liberties? In Burma, the people lost, but their defenders, barefoot monks, stood up to guns and soldiers. In Washington, the Democrats couldn’t even stand up to a filibuster.
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