From Robert J. Willick:
Editor:
As the first quarter of 2012 comes to an end, I am stunned by the loss of Liberty that we Americans have sustained so far this year. The Constitution of these United States, as well as those fighting to protect it, is coming under attack at an increasing rate.
Here is a time line of notable events this year:
12/31/11 – President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), codifying indefinite military detention without charge or trial into law for the first time in American history.
2/6/2012- Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg caused a storm of controversy by saying in a television interview that the people of Egypt should not look to the United States Constitution when drafting their own governing document because “it’s too old and there are newer examples from which to draw inspiration”.
2/9/2012- Fox Business Network cancels Judge Andrew Napolitano’s Freedom Watch , the second highest rated on FBN. The highly rated show was best known for it’s staunch advocacy of the Constitution.
3/5/2012- Eric Holder redefines “Due Process” – “Due process and judicial process are not one and the same, particularly when it comes to national security,” Holder said. “The Constitution guarantees due process, not judicial process.”
3/7/2012 – Leon Panetta tells the Senate Armed Services Committee ‘International Permission’ trumps Congressional permission for military actions .
3/9/2012- Obama signs anti-protest Trespass Bill – Only days after clearing Congress, President Barack Obama signed his name to H.R. 347 on Thursday, officially making it a federal offense to cause a disturbance at certain political events — essentially criminalizing protest in the States.
In addition, H.R. 3166 – Enemy Expatriation Act was introduced last year. H.R.3166 gives United States the authority to strip American citizens of their citizenship just for disagreeing with the government.
At this rate, 2012 is shaping up to be a terrible year for freedom.
Robert J. Willick
Rising Sun MD
Wow…. And nothing like this happened between 2001 and 2009? I am shocked. Wait…I’m sure I was awake… Mr Willick, were you asleep or were you just impressed by the shock and awe of an elective war while the US did exactly as it pleased on the international stage (or else) and your home escalated in value while your tax burden went down and our national debt went up? Maybe you’re just getting around to noticing.
No Mr. Porter , I was not asleep , I am all too aware of the loss of liberty under the Bush administration. My intent was to show how the loss of liberty is accelerating by pointing out the events that have taken place in the first 3 months of 2012. The tone of your reply puzzles me. If you are looking for verbal sparring , you will not get it from me. I’ll be too busy fighting for liberty.
To be fair your first event occured in 2011!
Bush was far worse.
Bush got congressional approval for his invasion of Iraq and his actions in Afghanistan.
What is wrong with you Lefties? Wrong is wrong no matter who does it.
Your comments as much as say, yeah, Obama is bad, but Bush was too.
Like children.
The freedoms lost, that Mr Willik refers to, are YOUR freedoms also. Do you mean to infer that it’s OK to lose them if a fellow Leftie steals them?
YOU are part of the problem…
Based on lies and fabrications!!!!!
Lalala whatever.
Mr Willick a few issues
I believe Lincoln jailed the bulk of the MD Legislature at Ft. McHenry with out charge or trial and suspended Habeaus Corpus. This happened 150 years before Obama!
Second I fail to see how Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s statement as a private citizen affects my liberty.
Third, is a pprivate company like Fox allowed to cancel program as they see fit. After all it is produced with their money. Is that not liberty in and of itself?
Elaborate on the Holder statement because I believe the Patriot act did that and it also applies to number 1 to my knowledge the people at Gitmo have not been charged or tried yet!
Leo Panetta’s statement is in the context of a Treaty obligation which the US Senate approved!!!!!!
It was an offense before see free speach zones and the case of the secret service agents who arrested a man for his philisophical disagreement with VP Chenny!
Sounds like Lincoln had the right idea when it comes to the MD Legislature.
I agree with Mr. Willick and it doesn’t matter if the repubs or dems or congress are the ones stealing our freedom. It is getting done. Also don’t forget about “Fast and Furious” and the Supreme Court decision regarding eminent domain which expanded vastly the government power to take your property if they want it.Also the SC decision to allow corporations to give vast sums of cash to buy elections.Obama and his czars also plan an attack on the 2nd Amendment if he gets elected again as he has stated many times.Sad but true we are allowing this to happen by electing these officials and allowing the election process to deteriorate. Welcome to USSR-USA.
And while I agree that liberties are being erroded over time some of which you have mentioned none of them occured for the first time between Dec 31, 2011 and March 9. 2012. I also forgot that FDR interred Japaneesse americans although they had not been found guilty of anything. upon further review the Due process he mentions is based on a 140 year old Supreme Court case!
Oh brother… Yet again a situation exists that most people see as either a left or right issue, rather than the up or down it really requires. And we wonder why the political leadership is so utterly out of touch with the people?!
What does it say about a conversation concerning eroding freedoms and rights; and the focus is on whose guy has done more of it – and both seem to think they will win the argument?
Does it make sense that people like me when given a choice between A or B will hold out for C?
Honestly, read what you been writing… it’s almost as if the history and tallied score for infringing rights is something to be proud of… I’m thinking our days as a republic are numbered.
localguy – i was going to give you a thumbs up until i read the last sentence of your post. to an extent, i guess you are right about our days being numbered, by only as long as good people remain silent. As far as I’m concerned, our liberties have been eroding and vanishing since Coolidge left office. And i’m not going to point fingers, name names, or pick sides; both parties are guilty. While i tend to lean more right than left, I don’t associate myself with either party. I’m a federalist. I believe that the framers knew what they were doing when the drafted the Constitution. I believe in the 10th amendment.
And most importantly, I believe that there is a civil war brewing in America. I am waging my own war on any politician, beurocrat, or gov’t official that is guilty of disregarding the Constitution and the citizens for whome they work. and I believe that this war will be won and we will return America to the state of glorious liberty she started out as.
Jeffery Beck
Honestly, earning a “thumbs up” is about as important to me as winning queen of the junior prom.
I’m curious, though, what exactly did you disagree with?
Two sides arguing over who infringed rights the most… keeping tally and not comdemning – failure to condemn suggests you may be proud of the record – yes or no? We can disagree on that.
I agree with you – as you reflected in my initial statement – that our days are numbered as long as Hollywood numb-skulls occupy the high offices instead of statesmen.
Federalist, huh? Interesting. The Federalist party is extinct, however. I like a bit of what I see by the Nationalists and Constitution parties, but not all of it. I prefer to remain solidly unaffiliated and make candidates really earn my vote. They’ve been pretty unsuccessful of late.
I agree with you jtownejeff – I’ve been saying it for years. The next civil war in this country will be along idealogical lines. If you cannot see that one brewing, you are obviously just like the Who’s Tommy – and I doubt anything will shake you out of your funk. The power grabs described by everyone above are disgusting. Our elected (and worse yet non-elected) gov officials have been doing this for decades. Unfortunately for all of us, the latest group of clowns are the greediest most over-reaching scoundrels this country has ever seen. So, November is around the corner. Keep a clear mind and think about EVERYTHING written in this thread – obamacare, the way the Executive Branch behaves regarding our republic and the people’s voices. Remember fast and furious and now how Miss Hillary is overriding both repubs and dems and the congressional process – why? Because Egypt is reforming. Well boy do I feel better now that we’re giving them $1.5 billion of OUR tax dollars! Vote these bums out!
Wow. Some people have no clue.