Bush Continues Signing Statements

Violates Constitution, Violates Citizen Privacy - in name of war on terror, ofcourse. Just another power grab as he makes our nation a tyrannical, Fascist system of government.

Warrentless Mail Searches May Be Allowed [WA: read that WILL be allowed]
also 2nd article: Schumer Critical of Action - Senator Charles E Schumer, D-N.Y.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16472777

excerpt of Schumer's article:
Bush has issued at least 750 signing statements during his presidency, more than all other presidents combined, according to the American Bar Association.
Reserving the right to make changes. Typically, presidents have used signing statements for such purposes as instructing executive agencies how to carry out new laws.
Bush’s statements often reserve the right to revise, interpret or disregard laws on national security and constitutional grounds.
“That non-veto hamstrings Congress because Congress cannot respond to a signing statement,” ABA president Michael Greco has said. The practice, he added, “is harming the separation of powers.”

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It not only invades our privacy, it harms innocent citizens in small ways that have nothing to do with national security but instills distrust and fear of our government.

My friend, Professor Bob, and I spent time together in a African muslim country. Bob also spent a duty tour in an Asian country that is primarily Muslim. Neither Bob nor I harbored any racial or religious prejudices and we enjoyed making friends of the local people, becoming acquainted with their customs and exploring their countries. Some of the friends we came to know in our respective locations became very dear to us. Each of us has maintained correspondence with those individuals and families since the mid-80s.

For the last couple of years Bob and I have grown increasingly concerned about writing to those friends. Our correspondence is innocuous but the addresses to whom the letters are addressed , Arab/Asian Muslim countries, are ones on government "watch" lists, and we fear that we may become "persons of interest". I fear government suspicion more for possible reflection upon my children than I fear for myself. Not only have we maintained mail and telephone contact with those friends, but some have visited us in Texas. Several were guests in one of my children's home also, and some in Bob's home.

None held undesirable political views but circumstances could easily be misconstrued by suspicious minded Homeland Guard Dogs. The Homeland Security could open and read every piece of correspondence, listen in on every phone call and find nothing more than normal family-to-family, friend-to-friend chit chat and news. But, omigod! those people are MUSLIMS! Other citizens have been ill treated for less.

We have lost contact with most of our friends and fear to pursue a search for them. Their governments are as unhappy with our government as ours is with theirs. We fear that receiving mail or phone calls from Americans could cause them grief and we don't want to create trouble for them. Their governments can be extremely harsh in treatment of citizens thought to have suspicious connections.

This fruitless invasion of the American citizen's privacy and violation of our Constitutional protections have served to destroy friendships of nearly 25 years duration. It is a darned shame. It is also a shame that citizens come to fear and distrust their own government. But fear is an excellent means of control.
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JBlue said...
I was going to blame the disappearance of a certain Christmas card on him, but them it turned up (see email). Oops.
Friday, January 05, 2007 4:05:13 PM
Boswell said...
I remember back in the early eighties my wife started a pen pal friendship with a young mother in Latvia and some of the letters were routed through North Vietnam and Korea. Most had been opened, and one envelope arrived empty. Other than that we had no probs with our government here. Our kids do seem to be a point of vulnerability don't they? Perhaps your letters could be forwarded through Europe. I'll look around for remailers and such. It may be important to let the world know what we do, not what the MSM VoA tell them we do. Discretion is still the better part of valor, however.
Saturday, January 06, 2007 3:19:51 PM

Worried said...
Most if not all governments create propaganda mills that disseminate unfavorable information to the citizens about an "enemy". Knowing nothing else, citizens come to believe what they are told. In my experience, bonding with those citizens in friendship, letting them come to know us as persons, dispels the false image they have of us and lets them see that we are one in humanity - just ordinary folks, parents involved in child rearing, earning a living, living ordinary lives.
Sunday, January 07, 2007 2:18:50 AM