Death of the American Democracy

On October 17, 2006, the U.S. Constitution died. After repeated efforts to preserve it’s vital liberties, the death went unnoticed by most of an American public, more concerned it seems with other matters. Terrorism was blamed as the cause, but others close to the deceased felt the real issue had more to do with an ideology that could not co-exist with democratic principles. After all, they proclaim, liberties impede the ability of of the benevolent leader to protect it’s people.

When the bill, known as The Military Commission Bill quietly undermines personal liberty and a host of rights, some going all the way back to the Magna Carta. Torture is illegal, but the president only defines what is torture save extreme examples like those causing death or rape. So much for checks and balances. The President determines who is considered to be “aiding and abetting the enemy” and those people, citizens or not can be arrested and held without charges for indefinite periods of time and without rights of Habeas Corpus, that is they cannot sue to question either their incarceration or their treatment.

So, one may say, I am a good citizen, and have nothing to worry about. Yet we have heard this administration accuse anyone who disagrees with them as aiding and abetting the enemy. I heard a Republican representative today saying that if Nancy Pelosi were to be elected Speaker of the House, then that act alone would be aiding and abetting.

Bill Clinton today in a speech at Georgetown University spoke of the difference between a philosophy and an ideology. A philosophy is a system of belief which is always open to questioning and input and capable of change. Ideas are considered and debated and valued. On the other hand, ideology involves a set of beliefs that are not debatable, and other opinions are not valued but rather discredited and devalued. It is counterproductive to growth or compromise. Today a distinctly American version of fascism is in place now, with a strong central authority with diminishment of basic Human Rights that are critical to the survival of a representative democracy.

We have gone the way of the Roman Republic, and while we still have the right to vote etc, if these liberties to date have been so compromised, the rest cannot be far behind.

What are the chances it will be overturned? The deciding vote on the Supreme Court hinted previously that if Congress passed this bill, he would go along. Therefore either the justices have to be convinced to revisit this issue, or Congress must pass a law rescinding this one and it must be signed off by the President or a veto override successfully concluded.

The reality is that unless the American Public awakens out of it’s slumber and heeds the call of Thomas Jefferson when he said:

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it's natural manure."

If we continue to sit quietly by and do nothing, then all hope will disappear, leaving a very violent future for our children and grandchildren. Where is the rage? Does anyone give a damn? I can only pray that the love of liberty by Americans who believe in the nation envisioned by our forefathers will awaken soon. It is time for a revolution, to overturn the despotism in DC today. There is still a chance to do this peacefully, but the time for peaceful change is running out quickly.

“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. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” excerpt from the US Declaration of Independence