Posted on 09/26/2007 4:35:10 PM PDT by SmithL
I sure HOPE it stands. Fedgov has the tools it needs WITHOUT this abomination. If we cannot fight terrorists without trashing our own Constitution and Republic, we have some very serious problems here at home.
The Constitution must be heeded and obeyed in ALL circumstances and at all times. There is no “wartime” exception in it whatsoever. Lincoln was the one who started us on that slippery slope of denying the supreme law of the land for political convenience.
'John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it' -- Founder of the Democrat party, Andrew Jackson.
They had a FINGERPRINT but no MATCH; no match means no probable cause. That they had no match gave NO grounds for either a search nor seizure beyond what was necessary to confirm or dispell the print's match, that's where police state zealots went awry and deserved a judicial smackdown. Mayfield ought sue the crap out of them for that overstep.
America is no police state and it's a dangerous precident when Americans are forced to surrender their Constitutionally guaranteed rights to an over-zealous, unchecked branch of government, regardless of the party in control.
Republicans deserve to fall squarely on our asses come election day for condoning and attempting to justify such blatant disregard of the Constitution.
It is those National Security Letters (or “NSL’s”) that really ought give American Patriots severe indigestion. They can be issued for infractions as small as traffic warrants and until recently struck down by a federal court’s ruling, those demanded to provide information under those administrative summons couldn’t notify the suspect of any inquiry. An officer told me, “Under the Patriot Act, the government can really mess you up.”
There is not one damned thing Patriotic about the “Patriot Act”.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
mark thread
It's like in the Field of Dreams only it goes like this "If you pass it they will use it"
IMO GWB has never met a gubmint program that he didn't like. In doing so he's managed to turn what Reagan started on it's head.
Yeah, it would be nice if they'd try to pretend to care about the Constitution.
Yes, and it's sad that many freepers applaud him while he's doing all of this. When Hillary uses the unconstitutional powers that Bush has created - snooping without probable cause, for example - she will tell any conservatives who complain: "I'm only using powers that you approved of, under the last administration, so you can't protest: Now bend over and accept a full body search by federal agents."
Only if they're wearing gloves can't be tooooo careful when it comes to your government.
“A National Security Letter (NSL) is a form of administrative subpoena used by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and reportedly by other U.S. Government Agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defense. It is a demand letter issued to a particular entity or organization to turn over various record and data pertaining to individuals. They require no probable cause or judicial oversight. They also contain a gag order, preventing the recipient of the letter from disclosing that the letter was ever issued.’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Letter
“Once passed in 2001, section 505 of the USA PATRIOT Act greatly expanded the use of the NSL, allowing their use in scrutiny of US residents or visitors who are not suspects in any criminal investigation. It also granted the privilege to other federal agencies, presumably to allow the department of Homeland Security the same ability to use NSLs. In January of 2007 the New York Times reported that both the Pentagon and the CIA have been issuing National Security Letters. [1] The USA PATRIOT Act reauthorization statutes passed during the 109th Congress added specific penalties for non-compliance or disclosure.”
They didn't all leave. Resentment of their treatment by the Federal government led many of those who managed to remain by fleeing into the wilderness of the Great Smokies, to fight for the Confederacy. The descendants of these people are the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation.
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