Friday, February 24, 2006

Why is it so hot? And what is America doing in a handbasket?

I just love the direction this country has taken. First, the President's "public" speeches are by invitation only. Then, private citizens are having their phones tapped without court order. Okay, the President says he has that power in time of war.

First, when did Congress issue a declaration of war? Since they didn't, and as I understand the Constitution, Article 1, Section 8 - "The Congress shall have the power...to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water" - we are not "at war". Also, this Article would also seem to imply the thte President doesn't have the power to determine what happens to those prisoners of war/enemy combatants/terrorist/brown-skinned-guys-we-don't-know-if-they-are-a-threat-but-we-will-detain-them-anyway.

Second, following the administration's resoning, what isn't within the President's power during a time of war? Reading your 1st class domestic mail? What if you are suspected of being a terrorist/terrorist supporter/terrorist sympathizer/anti-Bush administration. (They are the same, right?) How about the assasination/targeted killing/murder of a suspected terrorist/et al.? Anything to keep us safe, right? All it takes is being suspected...no longer innocent until proven guilty? We can't take the chance that they might not be guilty, right? The ends justify the means?

How about he rise of the secret police?

"And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I think I'm free..."

1 comment:

Beav said...

That's not scary at all. I would have said so yesterday, but I've just gotten out of the fetal ball.

--Beav