We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness – Declaration of Independence
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As we approach another anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took place in New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001, we are reminded of many things. We remember the thousands of innocent lives that were lost and the billions of dollars lost in economic damage. As great and tragic as these losses were, there was another loss that is proving to be the greatest loss of all.
Because it was on that dreadful day that liberty died in America.
Sadly, the demise of this God-given right didn’t occur at the hands of the hijackers. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The Patriot Act. The Patriot Act II. Spying by the National Security Agency (NSA). Fake cell phone towers used to tap your cell phone. These are just a few examples of how government of, by, and for the people has become government over, above, and beyond the people.
As the list of post-9/11 changes above shows, the president who “abandoned free market principles to save the free market system,” could have just as easily stated that he was willing to abandon freedom to save freedom. And while it’s popular to blame Barack—terrorism? what terrorism?—Obama for this situation, it’s important to remember that this attack on liberty began under George W. Bush. Yep, this time it’s OK to blame Bush!
There are many who say that Bush’s intentions were more pure than our current Imperialist Leader, but they would be mistaken.
In a recent Newsmax.com article, it was reported that the US Justice Department released two memos detailing the Bush administration’s legal justification for monitoring the phone calls and emails of Americans without a warrant. The documents relate to a secret program dubbed Stellar Wind that began after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
“Even in peacetime, absent congressional action, the president has inherent constitutional authority … to order warrantless foreign intelligence surveillance,” then-assistant attorney general Jack Goldsmith said in a heavily redacted 108-page memo dated May 6, 2004.
“We believe that Stellar Wind comes squarely within the commander in chief’s authority to conduct the campaign against Al-Qaeda as part of the current armed conflict and that congressional efforts to prohibit the president’s efforts to intercept enemy communications through Stellar Wind would be an unconstitutional encroachment on the commander in chief’s power.”
Checking . . . checking . . . checking . . . Nope! It’s not in the Constitution. In fact, as a part of the Bill of Rights, the 4th Amendment to the Constitution says the exact opposite:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…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.
Sounds clear to me.
In February, 2010, after Obama’s ineptitude to do the job he was elected to do became clear, a “miss me yet?” movement was started that attempted to show us that George W. Bush was better than Obama. My answer to that question at the time was “not so much.” Sure, he at least fought the war on terror, but the collateral damage he did to the Constitution in the process proves that he is just like every other progressive in Washington, D.C.
Thousands of innocent people died on that dreadful day thirteen years ago. But it’s important to remember that there was another tragedy that day.
September 11, 2001: the day liberty died.
