Opinion/Editoral
I have been wondering just what is going on in Washington, D.C. My wonder is passing the point of alarm. I know that you will have a better view of things as you are sitting in the front row, but here is how things look from the cheap seats.
I find that the constitution no longer exists except as an historical document and eventually, I expect, as a curiosity. The parts of the constitution have been systematically set aside. I will name a few examples.
Freedom of speechWhile Obama has been quoted as saying that there is such a thing as "too much free speech" I find that this is becoming the de facto standard of the nation. Political correctness mandates that there are a great many things that simply cannot be said. There is more to freedom of speech than learning to bite your tongue.
Right to keep and bear arms
I notice that there is more and more legislation before congress to make it impossible for the regular, law abiding citizen to own guns let alone carry them around. While they have not yet come to take them outright, I do notice that a simple search of the web for ammunition for sale shows that the lengthy lists of products are labeled as being "out of stock". That is the next best thing for them, I expect. I also saw that the new rules that were implemented to stop the filibuster had an effect on guns. I can see that they would not want filibusters as Obama is forcing legislation through at a breakneck pace and cannot bear any delays. However, the reciprocity act, which would allow those with gun carry permits from one state to use them in the other states got the majority of votes by a good margin but it was struck down as a side effect of the anti-filibuster rules.
Amendment 4 - which I will quote:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
"secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects"
The "health care" plan will make all such things, public and private, personal, financial and medical information to be made available to the government without warrant and, therefore, without establishing probable cause.
Also, "unreasonable searches and seizures" is going the way of the dinosaur even more than was allowed in the patriot act. More and more of the legislation being rammed through congress has clauses where the officials may enter your home without warrant, without probable cause, search and take whatever they feel they can justify, and we can be fined and imprisoned all without due process. (fifth amendment) Already, homeland security can put our names on a list and have our rights removed without our having ability "to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." (first amendment)
Other offenses
Obama has yet to provide proof that he is eligible for his office by birth. His people have produced documents as birth certificates that have been easily identified as forgeries each and every time. The evidence that he is not a citizen is well known. I suppose that people could quibble about whether this is or is not valid evidence but what *I* see is that congress and the supreme court are not energetically pursuing this. To me, this is just setting aside constitutional law. I wonder how the congressmen justify this.
The constitution defines treason thus: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." Obama sent Hillary to Palestine and offered them $900 million, following that up with a call to change laws that would prevent Hamas from access to those funds. He ordered the release of known terrorists from Guantanamo Bay, and said to let them into the country, yes that is OUR country, and give them money. The FBI protested loudly but it fell on deaf ears, as does most everything else. In Obama's defense, I am not so sure that he is actually guilty of treason. You need to be a citizen for that.
Homeland security had a memo leak out to the public. In that memo, it was said that the greatest terrorist threat was "domestic terrorism" from veterans, and people that hold conservative ideas. Specifically mentioned were those with strongly held opinions about abortion, illegal immigration, excessive taxation, etc. When people called them on it, they apologized, said that they should probably not have included veterans in the list, and, for them, life went on. Hold on a minute there, pardner! They are saying that people with conservative views and veterans are the greatest threat to the country. Then, they changed the part about veterans. They make no apology for calling conservatives "domestic terrorist" threats. It should be noted that the fiends that airplane bombed the world trade center, the pentagon and tried to get the capitol are no longer to be called "terrorists" but "human dissenters." This "courtesy" does not extend to conservatives. This is blatant targeting of people that hold to opinions that are contrary to the presidential policies. Orwell's "thought crime" is no longer limited to our own notions of "hate crime." I suppose that, as long as they can condemn someone for believing something that they do not like, it is enough for them.
The establishment of this hegemony is not limited to the subjugation of conservatives. Muslim students are allowed to carry their Koran at schools that forbid bibles. Muslims are allowed to pray at public schools where Christians are not. An illegal alien can receive social security payments that are considerably larger than the legal citizens who have paid into the system for decades. And if there is any doubt that the illegal aliens are protected above citizens, border patrol officers are being sent to prison for enforcing the law. Obama's own health care plan will automatically cover all illegal aliens (section 152, pages 50,51) without even requiring them to pay for it (section 59b, page 170, line 1).
The constitution is the basis of the U.S. When we declared independence, we had to prove it to the British. Then, to make us into what became arguably the greatest country ever, we had to have the constitution. With so much of the constitution shredded, set aside, ignored and voided in general, I find that there is so little of it left intact and functioning that I cannot consider that this is the United States of America any longer. I am not really sure just what we are but it is not the country I learned about as I was growing up.
What is happening in congress that they are not shouting in outrage over this? Why are you not "opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people"? (from the declaration) Where is the backbone of those that the conservatives sent to D.C. to represent OUR side of things? Why are you agreeing to so much being done in a "bi-partisan" way? The partisan way takes sides and there are sides worth taking. Even not taking a side is taking a side.
Wake up and do your job! Fulfill your oath to this country and its ideals as clearly stated in the constitution!
When a government removes freedoms, when it even forbids the way that the citizens can think as well as making sure that they cannot say their own thoughts in their own words, that is a totalitarian regime. I think that Thomas Jefferson said it well,
"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."
I wonder how long it will be before they tell us that the above quotation is 'not really the intent of the founding fathers.'
