I'm joining the Republicans on this one!
Me? Joining the Republicans? Wait a minute .. what's that sound flying over my house? Sounds like oinking ...
Seriously, true conservatives realize they've been shanghaied by the Bushies .. and they want Congress "to restore checks and balances."
Former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr is not one of my favorite people, especially since he was front and center calling for Bill Clinton's impeachment 10 years ago for lying about his stupid sex life.
Anyway, I regained a little respect for Barr the last few years .. especially since he went public about being upset about what the Bush Administration was doing to our liberty and freedoms through the Patriot Act.
Well, Barr and three other prominent conservatives made an announcement yesterday at a news conference at the National Press Club. They are urging Congress to enact The American Freedom Agenda. And I'm joining them.
" [..] The constitutional grievances against the White House are chilling, reminiscent of the kingly abuses that provoked the Declaration of Independence.
The 10-point American Freedom Agenda would work to restore the roles of Congress and the federal judiciary to prevent such abuses of power and protect against injustices that are the signature of civilized nations. [..]
....In a statement, the four said the president “has encroached on the power of Congress to make laws, and on the power of the courts to interpret the law - a scenario that the Founding Fathers foresaw and warned against.” As a result, they said, “We are issuing this call to Americans of all political and philosophical persuasions to join us in urging Congress to enact The American Freedom Agenda.
The AFA would roll back the alarming recent concentration of power in the White House and its end runs around due process… The AFA seeks to restore America’s tradition of respect for the rule of law and the benefits of dispersed as opposed to concentrated power, to redeem the principle that no man is above the law, and to prevent injustices that undermine national security.
We are conservative scholars, activists and writers. We do not favor a crippled executive or enfeebled government. In a time of danger, checks and balances make for stronger government because the people will more readily accept a muscular authority if barriers against abuses are strong. If at some future time Congress, in turn, aggrandizes power and invades the executive or judicial domains, we will be equally alert to sound the alarm. But today, the clear and present danger to conservative philosophy is the White House.”
Hallejulah! True conservatives are finally realizing (like evangelists) that they've been had. Too bad they were too blinded by partisanship to figure it out years ago.
Better late than never, and maybe they owe those of us who had true insight a little apology. But I won't hold my breath.
Anyway, this really shouldn't be a conservative or a liberal issue .. this is an American issue. All of us are threatened when one arm of the government tries to grab too much power.
The Patriot Act is one of the "abuses" Bob Barr is talking about .. yes, it was requested by the president, but PASSED by Congress. If the Patriot Act abuses our liberty and freedoms, then our first ax to grind must be with those who had the authority to pass the legislation.
Yes, I very well remember how shook up as a nation we were right after 9/11 .. we rallied behind the president and went along with anything he wanted in order to fight the evil-doers. Those of us who balked were called UNpatriotic, etc.
Congress only recently has called Whoa! But if we expect Congress to stand up to any Administration, we have to ask our elected officials to do so .. hammer it home to them by letters, phone calls and email.
Politicians don't take risks .. so it's our responsibility to stop this erosion of our liberties. Without our raised voices, politicians will do very little. Look how many of them came out against the war after we the people started hollering about it .. until the polls showed it.
They say they don't .. but politicians live and die by the polls.
