Dogs that will not bark

[karl]

Ther story is told of a blond who gets two new dogs and names them "Timex" and "Rolex." When quizzed about their names she replies, "Helloooo! They're WATCH dogs!

We are the watch dogs of the government. Many Americans incorrectly assume that ‘the people’ derive their power from the Constitution, but the reality is the opposite - the Constitution derives its power from the people. The duty of the people is to protect the rights and liberties inscribed on those pages of parchment. Without our constant diligence to maintain the principles enshrined there, the Constitution dies.

Many in our society, instead of taking on the responsibility of preserving their freedoms, deplore political involvement and assert the mistaken opinion that it is the government's duty to preserve our freedoms. Let me remind you what the Constitution was designed to protect us from - THE GOVERNMENT. Ergo, it is pure foolishness for us to expect the government to protect us from itself.

The power and function of government depend upon those men who wield those powers (this is why character matters,) and the majority of the men who wield our government today certainly do not have the preservation of our liberty in mind.

Recent inroads, or attempted inroads upon our liberty (engineered by either party) include:

Patriot Acts I & II: These acts allow wide interpretation by officials and can be modified for whatever purpose they happen to deem fit at the moment. Under these acts any freedom is expendable, especially if it means stopping terrorists. Of course, the manner in which terrorism is defined is left open to interpretation. ANYONE could be defined as a terrorist, and any threat could be construed as a matter of national security.

The Enemy Belligerents Act: This legislation, if fully imposed, would allow the government to label any person they choose, even an American citizen, as an enemy combatant. This means you could be arrested without being officially charged, imprisoned without a trial or legal council for an unspecified length of time, and no one, not even your family, would be told where you were.

Presidential Directive 51: This order was initiated by George W. Bush and continued by Barack Obama. It gives the president virtual dictatorial powers during a state of “national emergency”. It dissolves all states' rights and places the entire country under the purview of Northcom and Homeland Security. It allows the President to declare a state of emergency for almost any reason.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: FISA allows telecom companies to supply the personal data and communications of anyone, including Americans, to the government without threat of civil retribution (lawsuit). Under Constitutional law, any invasion of privacy by government authorities must first be approved through an individualized warrant. Not under FISA.

FDA Food Safety Modernization Act S. 510: Currently being considered for passage in the House. The bill gives the FDA far reaching powers over what it terms “food production facilities”, which are defined as “any farm, ranch, orchard, vineyard, aquaculture facility, or confined animal-feeding operation”. It also places all food production under the control of Homeland Security in the event of a “national emergency."

Anybody see a pattern here?

[Guest]

I think I see a pattern here....

[Woody]

my dog barks because he is blind and doesn't know what is out there.

[doug yowell]

It's a continuing play with the names of the most recent directors given their credits at the intermission?