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fabrisseIf you haven't read it yet and you're a US citizen, please go read ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
siderea's post and follow the link. I am ashamed to say that I thought the PATRIOT II act was already dead in the water. Instead many of its more egregious aspects have been signed into law as part of a budget bill. Write your congressman and or senator, please.
Let's see if we can find a way to bring a class action suit in the Supreme Court on this one. For those of you who aren't familiar with them, the complete contents of the Bill of Rights are very simply spelled out. I don't think that there is any room for the waffling that's currently going on -- it's a clear violation of the Amendment IV.
Both the PATRIOT acts are unconstitutional, and I firmly believe that the only thing that makes the United States the greatest country in the world is our Consitution. Other countries are nicer to people (*waves at Canada*); others have more fun with politics (*waves at Great Britain*). Some have more cultural opportunities (France) or better lives for their people (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland,...). We have a document that's supposed to protect our basic freedoms. This document (and its predecessor, The Declaration of Independence)has been emulated by other nations since its inception. It is the great American contribution to the world.
We're throwing it away. Reread Tom Paine. Read Jefferson, Adams, Monroe. Hell, read de Toqueville. Congress isn't some elite. We don't live in an oligarchy, monarchy, or aristocracy. We live in a republic which makes us reponsible.
It's an election year beginning at midnight, tonight. On the first Tuesday in November, We the People can elect a new president, an entirely new House of Representatives, and overturn a third of the Senate -- trust me, this will make the other two-thirds very nervous. Many states can also let their governors have pink slips if appropriate.
Step one -- Register to vote. Encourage everyone you know to do the same.
Step two -- Read the speeches. Seriously. Don't listen to them, our representatives seem to think that spoken eloquence is suspect and tend to be very dry speakers. It's so easy to tune them out. It's also easy to miss the meat of what they're saying. I learned living in Europe that reading the speeches gave me a real idea of what the person thought.
Step three -- decide on the issues that you find most important to you. Do you think our schools need more funding? Then don't vote for the guy who's going to cut your property taxes, no matter how nice that extra $100 might be come spring. If you can't find someone to support for an office, follow Humphrey Bogart's advice: "I don't vote for. I vote against." If it's a joint ticket (President selects VP, in some states Governor selects Lt.), then make certain the person on the other half of the ticket is someone that you trust as well.
Step four -- Give money or time to the causes and/or people whom you support. People are more inclined to vote for an incumbent if they don't know much about the other candidates. If a person thinks that the death penalty is an important issue, then it's important to let them know that incumbent X has this position, and the opposition candidate thinks that way.
Step five -- Get into the voting booth and vote your conscience. Primaries, too, as they'll limit our choices for the final showdown. Most polls are open in Massachusetts at 8:00 and don't close until 22:00. Skip lunch if you must, but walk into that booth and exercise your franchise -- while you still have it.
On more trivial issues, I've spent today cooking. I have two pies (chess and lemon chess) and two quiches to take to the pot luck party tonight. After midnight, I'm serving my now traditional cassoulet at home. I started it at noon today and it will be ready just in time. I'm debating on making cheese rolls to take to the party too. I have the cheeses and I'll have the oven space.
Peace and Joy to us all in the New Year.
siderea's post and follow the link. I am ashamed to say that I thought the PATRIOT II act was already dead in the water. Instead many of its more egregious aspects have been signed into law as part of a budget bill. Write your congressman and or senator, please. Let's see if we can find a way to bring a class action suit in the Supreme Court on this one. For those of you who aren't familiar with them, the complete contents of the Bill of Rights are very simply spelled out. I don't think that there is any room for the waffling that's currently going on -- it's a clear violation of the Amendment IV.
Both the PATRIOT acts are unconstitutional, and I firmly believe that the only thing that makes the United States the greatest country in the world is our Consitution. Other countries are nicer to people (*waves at Canada*); others have more fun with politics (*waves at Great Britain*). Some have more cultural opportunities (France) or better lives for their people (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland,...). We have a document that's supposed to protect our basic freedoms. This document (and its predecessor, The Declaration of Independence)has been emulated by other nations since its inception. It is the great American contribution to the world.
We're throwing it away. Reread Tom Paine. Read Jefferson, Adams, Monroe. Hell, read de Toqueville. Congress isn't some elite. We don't live in an oligarchy, monarchy, or aristocracy. We live in a republic which makes us reponsible.
It's an election year beginning at midnight, tonight. On the first Tuesday in November, We the People can elect a new president, an entirely new House of Representatives, and overturn a third of the Senate -- trust me, this will make the other two-thirds very nervous. Many states can also let their governors have pink slips if appropriate.
Step one -- Register to vote. Encourage everyone you know to do the same.
Step two -- Read the speeches. Seriously. Don't listen to them, our representatives seem to think that spoken eloquence is suspect and tend to be very dry speakers. It's so easy to tune them out. It's also easy to miss the meat of what they're saying. I learned living in Europe that reading the speeches gave me a real idea of what the person thought.
Step three -- decide on the issues that you find most important to you. Do you think our schools need more funding? Then don't vote for the guy who's going to cut your property taxes, no matter how nice that extra $100 might be come spring. If you can't find someone to support for an office, follow Humphrey Bogart's advice: "I don't vote for. I vote against." If it's a joint ticket (President selects VP, in some states Governor selects Lt.), then make certain the person on the other half of the ticket is someone that you trust as well.
Step four -- Give money or time to the causes and/or people whom you support. People are more inclined to vote for an incumbent if they don't know much about the other candidates. If a person thinks that the death penalty is an important issue, then it's important to let them know that incumbent X has this position, and the opposition candidate thinks that way.
Step five -- Get into the voting booth and vote your conscience. Primaries, too, as they'll limit our choices for the final showdown. Most polls are open in Massachusetts at 8:00 and don't close until 22:00. Skip lunch if you must, but walk into that booth and exercise your franchise -- while you still have it.
On more trivial issues, I've spent today cooking. I have two pies (chess and lemon chess) and two quiches to take to the pot luck party tonight. After midnight, I'm serving my now traditional cassoulet at home. I started it at noon today and it will be ready just in time. I'm debating on making cheese rolls to take to the party too. I have the cheeses and I'll have the oven space.
Peace and Joy to us all in the New Year.
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no subject
Date: 2004-01-01 11:28 am (UTC)There's left over cassoulet (as always). Call me and come over to eat it?