I just got a PM from an old SI friend about the federal government seeming to be seeking (and achieving) a lot more power these days. I think it's a critical matter of concern to all of us. Again, I thought especially Republicans were most wary, cognizant and alert to federal power grabs at the expense of its citizens. Here is what I wrote (to which I added a few phrases):
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They sure do, don't they. Did you ever read my post about the so-called USA PATRIOT Act, which passed the House and the Senate with only a single dissenting vote (!) after 9/11? That law canceled two Amendments to the Constitution, namely the ban on warrantless searches without reasonable suspicion needing to be apparent, and the right to a jury trial in all claims against the federal government exceeding $20. (All of you should read its text very carefully. It does not target these new laws and federal powers only against terrorists - they can be used against any of us.) Those are of very great concern to me. I believe they are the 4th and 7th Amendments. Also read my post about my wife's having to take her shoes off at the airport. Note: she was not wearing an abaya, dressed quite elegantly and is a permanent resident of the United States.
Thousands of Americans are murdered, and what's the result? - The freedom and rights of innocent Americans are being trampled. It's not such a scary thing with President Bush at the helm, but if we get a cult of personality in this country one day, some firebrand of a politician gets elected, we are in deep trouble, having given all this power to the federal government. I'm amazed that anyone who criticizes not the war on terrorism, but these new laws destroying cherished American rights are called unpatriotic.
The laws as written can be used against anyone at all, not just the terrorists. That's a story that has yet to be told. I wonder, pre-9/11 existing laws and powers were not used to any effect by the government, so why should we believe these laws will change anything? I think it is a national scandal that the FBI, CIA and INS have not been absolutely drawn and quartered for not seeing 9/11 coming. Now the INS granted student visas to Atta and Al Shehhi!
My Polish wife - then my girlfriend - was rejected for a student visa 2 years ago, but the terrorists - one, Atta, who entered the U.S. illegally no less than three times, with an outstanding arrest warrant issued against him in Florida - got them...
The House just passed a law rewarding illegal aliens...
What is going on here? It seems to me laws being passed these days are not being targeted at just simply the Muslims who murdered thousands of our fellow citizens, but may be applied to all of us who are innocent. There is something incredibly wrong here. |
