If you have read many of my blogs you know that I fairly often rant about the USA PATRIOT Act. The true purpose of my many rantings concerning this law, I am hoping on another level that someone who reads my blog might actually take some action. Unfortunately, the action you and I can take is pretty much limited to voicing our opinions to our political representatives. If you are from Texas, there is a good chance that you have found yourself at odds with, and surprised by, the votes of our Senators and Congressmen. For instance, in spite all the emails, letters, and phone calls to Senators Hutchison and Cornyn, in spite grassroots resistance, both of our Senators voted FOR this law that all but nullified our Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments of the Constitution of the United States. According to the Constitution itself, these rights are inalienable, as they were not granted by any government, but by our Creator.
To be factually accurate, Senator Cornyn only voted to extend USA PATRIOT, voting in tandem with Senator Hutchison. In one of the oddest "bed partnerships" ever formed (my opinion) US Congressman Ron Paul and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson, both "extremists," one on the far right, one the ultra-left, voted with each other AGAINST USA PATRIOT and against extending it. At opposite ends of the political spectrum, both Paul and Jackson saw the evil and the total unconstitutionality of this terrible law, no matter how "good" the intentions of its writers were. I personally do not believe they were good. Nonetheless, that is not the point of this blog today.
The point of today's little rant is that now the good Senator Cornyn is making headlines for himself by calling to task Obama staffers regarding the great surprise that the National Security Agency, an agency that spies on US citizens who are suspected of being terrorists, abetting terrorists, or simply READING about terrorists, is turning over NON-terror related crime intelligence to the Justice Department for use in arresting and prosecuting "common criminals." Since the NSA basically CANNOT ILLEGALLY obtain evidence, it appears that whatever this agency finds is not "fruit of the poisoned tree" as the lawyers say. I am not for criminals getting away with anything, and I cannot stand it when they are released due to "technicalities." But even less can I tolerate the trampling of the Constitution by the very government which it empowers (and LIMITS.)
So Senator Cornyn is now suddenly outraged that the NSA, an anti-terrorist, anti-espionage, NON-CRIMINAL law enforcement agency, is further abusing its already abusive power by turning over non-terror related criminal evidence and intelligence to the Justice Department, where I suppose that agency either acts on the information or passes it on to other federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies. Senator Cornyn has so valiantly called Obama-aides "on the Congressional carpet" so to speak. This development smacks of political profiteering on the part of Mr. Cornyn. He is now a defender of the people, a pillar against the ongoing attack on our Constitution. Yet he twice voted to extend USA PATRIOT.
As hypocritical as Senator Cornyn's motives appear, yet I welcome his attacks on USA PATRIOT and the unencumbered power handed over to the NSA, the DIA, the FBI, and other alphabet groups by this law. I only wish Mr. Cornyn, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and other Senators and Congressmen had had the guts and the integrity to raise these questions during the months following the September 11th Attacks. Because of all the hysteria and the calls for support of President Bush and company, I know that it would have been difficult to have the character to vote against the odious bill that subsequently became law. Almost as disgusting as the bill itself was the admission by so many of national representatives that they had no idea of the contents of USA PATRIOT. And it is true that there was very little time between the terrorist attacks and the vote on USA PATRIOT, but there WAS TIME. Each Senator and Congressman has staff to do most or all of their "heavy" reading. Therefore the assertion that politicians "had to" vote for USA PATRIOT, having idea what it contained, is just a confirmation that they were not willing to their jobs. We rewarded this lack of initiative by returning most of these incompetent representatives back to their offices.
But...Senator Cornyn, as well as all other Congressmen have had more than enough time to read USA PATRIOT in its THREE THOUSAND PAGE entirety in the DECADE that has passed since that day in September, 2001. Yet Mr. Cornyn failed to vote against this law TWICE. So, Mr. Cornyn, your concern for our rights NOW, six years after YOU extended USA PATRIOT, rings so very hollow, and smacks of self-servitude. Nonetheless, I support you now in your effort to collar this big dog that is so out of control. Unfortunately, I believe you, Mr. Cornyn, have waited a decade too long to rein in the runaway National Security Council, unless you can pull off a miracle, and pull together a Congressional majority who feel the same way you do. I sincerely wish you every success in this effort, Senator Cornyn.
To be factually accurate, Senator Cornyn only voted to extend USA PATRIOT, voting in tandem with Senator Hutchison. In one of the oddest "bed partnerships" ever formed (my opinion) US Congressman Ron Paul and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson, both "extremists," one on the far right, one the ultra-left, voted with each other AGAINST USA PATRIOT and against extending it. At opposite ends of the political spectrum, both Paul and Jackson saw the evil and the total unconstitutionality of this terrible law, no matter how "good" the intentions of its writers were. I personally do not believe they were good. Nonetheless, that is not the point of this blog today.
The point of today's little rant is that now the good Senator Cornyn is making headlines for himself by calling to task Obama staffers regarding the great surprise that the National Security Agency, an agency that spies on US citizens who are suspected of being terrorists, abetting terrorists, or simply READING about terrorists, is turning over NON-terror related crime intelligence to the Justice Department for use in arresting and prosecuting "common criminals." Since the NSA basically CANNOT ILLEGALLY obtain evidence, it appears that whatever this agency finds is not "fruit of the poisoned tree" as the lawyers say. I am not for criminals getting away with anything, and I cannot stand it when they are released due to "technicalities." But even less can I tolerate the trampling of the Constitution by the very government which it empowers (and LIMITS.)
So Senator Cornyn is now suddenly outraged that the NSA, an anti-terrorist, anti-espionage, NON-CRIMINAL law enforcement agency, is further abusing its already abusive power by turning over non-terror related criminal evidence and intelligence to the Justice Department, where I suppose that agency either acts on the information or passes it on to other federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies. Senator Cornyn has so valiantly called Obama-aides "on the Congressional carpet" so to speak. This development smacks of political profiteering on the part of Mr. Cornyn. He is now a defender of the people, a pillar against the ongoing attack on our Constitution. Yet he twice voted to extend USA PATRIOT.
As hypocritical as Senator Cornyn's motives appear, yet I welcome his attacks on USA PATRIOT and the unencumbered power handed over to the NSA, the DIA, the FBI, and other alphabet groups by this law. I only wish Mr. Cornyn, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and other Senators and Congressmen had had the guts and the integrity to raise these questions during the months following the September 11th Attacks. Because of all the hysteria and the calls for support of President Bush and company, I know that it would have been difficult to have the character to vote against the odious bill that subsequently became law. Almost as disgusting as the bill itself was the admission by so many of national representatives that they had no idea of the contents of USA PATRIOT. And it is true that there was very little time between the terrorist attacks and the vote on USA PATRIOT, but there WAS TIME. Each Senator and Congressman has staff to do most or all of their "heavy" reading. Therefore the assertion that politicians "had to" vote for USA PATRIOT, having idea what it contained, is just a confirmation that they were not willing to their jobs. We rewarded this lack of initiative by returning most of these incompetent representatives back to their offices.
But...Senator Cornyn, as well as all other Congressmen have had more than enough time to read USA PATRIOT in its THREE THOUSAND PAGE entirety in the DECADE that has passed since that day in September, 2001. Yet Mr. Cornyn failed to vote against this law TWICE. So, Mr. Cornyn, your concern for our rights NOW, six years after YOU extended USA PATRIOT, rings so very hollow, and smacks of self-servitude. Nonetheless, I support you now in your effort to collar this big dog that is so out of control. Unfortunately, I believe you, Mr. Cornyn, have waited a decade too long to rein in the runaway National Security Council, unless you can pull off a miracle, and pull together a Congressional majority who feel the same way you do. I sincerely wish you every success in this effort, Senator Cornyn.
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