Kucinich Challenges Tea Party On Patriot Act
Liberal U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich has given a harsh assessment to Tea Party Republicans in the House of Representatives – but not to criticize their values. Rather, Kucinich begged those Republicans to be true to their principles, especially their professed respect for the Constitution. Speaking before the House of Representatives, Kucinich noted,
“We started this Congress off with a discussion about reading the Constitution. Many of us carry Constitutions with us in our pockets. How about today we take a stand for the Constitution to say that all Americans should be free from unreasonable searches and seizures and to make certain that the attempt to reauthorize the Patriot Act is beaten down?
It is time that we really remember the essence of what that motto ‘Don’t tread on me’ means. It means you protect your liberties; you stand for freedom.”
Dennis Kucinich was asking liberals and conservatives to come together around bedrock American values – the values of the Bill of Rights. That includes the Fourth Amendment’s guarantee that the government can’t come along and grab records or snoop in on the private lives of Americans without a warrant showing reasonable suspicion that specific records and a search of a specific person and place will reveal evidence of a crime. The Patriot Act blatantly violates that constitutional standard.
The most abusive surveillance powers of the Patriot Act are on schedule to be extended once again – though they were supposed to expire years ago – in just over two months from now. Once again, the leadership of both political parties is exerting pressure for the Patriot Act to be renewed without any reforms.
This Saturday, Americans have a chance to send a message to their members of Congress: Not again! Americans are tired of the threat of terrorism being used as an excuse to undermine the constitutional freedoms of people living in the United States of America. This Saturday, March 12, at noon, Americans will gather to protest the Patriot Act and demand a repeal of the unjust law.
Will you stand with the new coalition of sincere patriots from the Left and the Right? Will you attend this protest?
