Monday, August 06, 2007

Congress Takes A Powder, But Not Before Selling Us Out

First before I begin my rant, I want to point out the heroism of Texas Congressmen Al Green (CD-9), Silvestre Reyes (CD-16), Sheila Jackson-Lee (CD-18), Charles Gonzales (CD-20), Lloyd Doggett (CD-25), Solomon Ortiz (CD-27), Gene Green (CD-29) and Eddie Johnson (TX-30). These people voted not to surrender your 4th amendment rights.

The rest of the Texas delegation to the US Congress did.

Before I begin my rant I want to share with you the righteous anger of a friend of mine. Here is, with his permission, a copy of the email that he sent to Congressman Nick Lampson on the occasion of his vote for passage of S 1927, the so-called “Protect America Act” that Bush signed into law yesterday:
“Nick, This vote is the worst vote cast by a Democrat ever. You put your political gain ahead of preserving and protecting the Constitution. You put our civil liberties in the hands of Albert Gonzales and the CIA. Shame on you. You don't have the courage to tell the voters that the Terrorists have already won by destroying our Bill of Rights. You think you can pander to the far right and figure that we have no other choice than to work for your reelection. Such a strategy shows a lack of any political courage and a cynical political view. I guess one of your DC consultants developed the plan. All I can say is thank God you were not one of our founding fathers- we would not have a Bill of Rights.”
So you see, I’m not the only one that’s hacked off.

So now we have a congress on vacation while we have soldiers in the field in two hostile countries. While our congressmen and senators are kicking back and sipping a mint julep on the verandah, soldiers in Iraq are on patrol, and in harm’s way, with 100 pound packs in 130 degree weather. I was thinking about that this morning as I read Don’s email message again, and thought this: maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all considering what congress just did to us in handing over our 4th amendment rights to Bush, Cheney, Rove, Gonzales and the NSA.

Maybe they should stay home until they get some guts to stand up to the Bush Regime. That’s what we sent them there to do but apparently they’re ascared. Bush has got his bullying sword honed to a fine edge. He and his national security advisor tell congress that we are vulnerable and that they can’t go home until they pass a bill that gives the NSA the power to listen in on any telephone conversation that takes place between a US citizen, in this country, with anyone else who does not live in this country – without a warrant. And if they don’t, THEY will be responsible for the next terrorist attack.

The Bush Regime is very good at shifting the blame. But make no mistake. The blame for any future terrorist attack lies squarely on Bush, Cheney and Rove and no one else. When will Congress get with that simple fact? When will Congress declare themselves immune from being blamed, and get about the business of getting us out of this endless war, restoring our rights and liberties, and then, if there’s time left impeaching Cheney and Bush?

In the meantime someone has to challenge this law. Call a cousin in Canada to give them standing and then file suit challenging the constitutionality of this law, because “fixing it”, as they tried to do with HR 3356 isn’t enough, we have to do away with it completely.

So senators and congressmen, relax and enjoy your vacation. And while you are having that second glass of iced tea, think about these words: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated”. Think about that and what you just did to us, take some blame, and go back to DC only when you have finally convinced yourselves that we meant what we said last November.

Be not afraid. Fight for truth against the liars. Fight for justice against the corrupt. Fight for patriotism against the traitors.

Fight for us.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Lampson's dumber than mud. This vote WON'T help him with conservative voters and will just alienate Progressives. Even conservatives are too proud to vote for phonies.

It only takes 500 valid signatures in 60 days to get a progressive Independent candidate on the ballot for Congress, maybe someone should remind Lampson of that--preferably with a baseball bat as a "visual aid."