Warning: Constant ABSPATH already defined in /home/public/wp-config.php on line 27
A Reminder For Congress — Why Now?
On-line Opinion Magazine…OK, it's a blog
Random header image... Refresh for more!

A Reminder For Congress

You supported giving them all of these “extraordinary powers” so they could enable the “extraordinary committee” to “protect the people” and now you have discovered that you are not safe from the “committee’s” intrusion:

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
There was no one left to speak out.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

The Pastor was an early supporter of the Nazi Party because “something had to be done about the unrest.”

Do you idiots in Congress not understand that your telephones are being logged. Your e-mail is being read. You are subjected to all of the restrictions when flying. You are subjected to the same indignities as the rest of us.

Did you think you would be immune? Did you think they would treat you differently?

You have the power and the responsibility to stop this. You are supposed to represent the citizens of this country.

5 comments

1 Scorpio { 05.25.06 at 10:14 pm }

If any group in this country got down and begged to be treated as criminals, it was Congress. Bad cess to a majority of them, and no more than they deserve.

2 Bryan { 05.25.06 at 11:37 pm }

They are finally waking up to the fact that the Shrubbery and his minions feel no restraint of any kind.

3 Steve Bates { 05.26.06 at 1:40 am }

It took Niemöller a while to understand. Could it be that our Congress is finally beginning to get it? A surveillance state is surely either a totalitarian state or its near precursor; I can’t think of an exception in modern history. Why do any Americans, including Congress, think they are exempt? I hope and pray Congress is awakening; the courts clearly aren’t going to protect us from a runaway Executive.

4 Karen { 05.26.06 at 6:27 am }

Exactly…time to write my Congress Critter (again) — The Right Honorable Dennis Hastert! (Blech)

Who only *belatedly* seems to be *noticing* a “over-reach” of the Unitary Executive into the personal privacy and office of Congress-persons. But at least those folks came searching with a valid subpoena issued by a Judge! Better protection than the rest of us are getting from our Government for “WE THE PEOPLE”.

5 Bryan { 05.26.06 at 12:50 pm }

As anyone who has ever watched the formal opening of the British Parliament, Black Rod gets the door to the House of Commons slammed in his face. There is a very long tradition in British history of separation of the powers and the failure to recognize this cost Charles I his head.

All that would have been required is to have obtained the warrant for the search, contact the House Sergeant at Arms and Speaker, and then conducted the search in the presence of the Capitol Police who have exclusive jurisdiction in all areas of Congress.

I’m not sure that too many judges would have been comfortable issuing the warrant, and there will be a lengthy discussion about that authority in the Judiciary and Congress.