Wonder why the administration was pushing duct tape and plastic sheeting? Did Dick Cheney's control of GloboWrapCorp have anything to do with it? Just read CHENEY ADMITS VAST HOLDINGS IN DUCT TAPE AND PLASTIC SHEETING, which appeared in "Newsweek," and see for yourself.
On October 26, 2001, President Bush signed the USA Patriot Act (USAPA) into law. The Patriot Act was in response to the terrorists act of September 11, 2001 "To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes." Passed during a period of fear and outrage, many feel the USA Patriot Act is an afront to democratic law and principles and the Constitution. Some say it violates the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments, gives John Ashcroft dangerous broad powers and is a very dangerous law. Most Americans do not know what this law contains or what it means. Well, now you can find out for yourself.
And now the sequel: Patriot Act Part 2: The End of Freedom by the Bush Administration.
Wired.com writes, "The legislation, nicknamed Patriot II, would broadly expand the government's surveillance and detention powers. The act allows the government to: Conduct domestic wiretapping without court order for 15 days following a congressional authorization of use of force or an attack on the United States; secretly detain citizens; access a citizen's credit reports without a subpoena; abolish federal court 'consent decrees' that limit police surveillance of non-criminal organizations and public events; extend authorization periods for secret wiretaps and Internet surveillance" not to mention a whole list of other constitutional violations. By the way, this memo was written to Cheney and Hastert, though they denied receiving it. See it for yourself below.
But first - talk about hypocrisy - this is what "Senator" John Ashcroft said in 1997:
"There is a concern that the Internet could be used to commit crimes and that advanced encryption could disguise such activity. However, we do not provide the government with phone jacks outside our homes for unlimited wiretaps. Why, then, should we grant government the Orwellian capability to listen at will and in real time to our communications across the Web?"
"The protections of the Fourth Amendment are clear. The right to protection from unlawful searches is an indivisible American value. Two hundred years of court decisions have stood in defense of this fundamental right. The state's interest in effective crime-fighting should never violate the people's Bill of Rights."
"Every medium by which people communicate can be subject to exploitation by those with illegal or immoral intentions. Nevertheless, this is no reason to hand Big Brother the keys to unlock our e-mail diaries, open our ATM records or translate our international communications."
-- JOHN ASHCROFT, as a U.S. senator, from his Aug. 12, 1997 op-ed piece in the Washington Times, "Welcoming Big Brother."
If we do not learn from our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them.
Today it's not communists, but anyone who disagrees with this administration, who are called "un-American." To begin with, just look at the Patriot Act. We can not hope to protect our freedoms by surrendering them.
"The Legacy of McCarthyism"--by Ellen Schrecker.
Check out the articles below and remember-
