In some quarters of Washington DC, people have grown fond of saying that all Americans care about is the economy. But take a look at the five congressional bills looked up most often by Americans during the week of January 22, 2012: H.R. 3261 Stop Online Piracy Act: Popularly known as SOPA, this bill would [...]

When he ran for President in 2008, Barack Obama promised to restore our constitutional rights and the rule of law. He has not done so. In fact, by signing the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 into law today, Obama has expanded George W. Bush’s attacks on the Constitution.

H.R. 3676 only protects American citizens. It would still leave non-citizens within the United States without the right of due process of law. That is unconstitutional, and unacceptable. Consider how Americans would react if Russia declared that Americans traveling in that country had no right to a criminal trial if accused of a crime. With the National Defense Authorization Act, that’s what the United States has stated about all foreigners traveling, working and living within U.S. borders – they can’t be expected to have their legal rights respected by the U.S. government.

Susan Davis, and far too many of her Democratic colleagues in Congress, have forgotten their oath of office – to defend the Constitution, from enemies both foreign and domestic. The National Defense Authorization Act is in opposition to the authority of the Constitution. Susan Davis had a duty to vote against it. She failed in that duty.

The National Defense Authorization Act gives the federal government power to throw Americans into prison for as long as it likes, without criminal trial, and without criminal charge. President Obama has declared his support for this totalitarian provision. As a result, protests against Obama and the Democratic Party have erupted across America.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii now stands against protecting the constitutional rights of American citizens. Hawaii’s top Democrats have voted in support of removing one of the first freedoms established after the Revolutionary War – freedom from arbitrary imprisonment.

Where was Ron Paul, the supposed defender of liberty, during this vote? He didn’t even come to Congress for it. He was too busy, out on the campaign trail, promoting himself as a champion of the Constitution, to be bothered to actually show up to defend the Constitution.

Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand refused to take a stand for Americans’ constitutional rights this year, but they’re working hard to defend the integrity of pancake syrup. Seriously, they think that distinguishing between Aunt Jemima and maple syrup is more important than protecting the privacy of American citizens.

In the past two weeks, two Senators have joined a team of legislators looking to quash free speech. Just any old bill to ban the burning of the American flag would be promptly struck down as unconstitutional if passed because the First Amendment to the United States Constitution declares that freedom of speech shall not [...]

Yesterday’s markup was an opportunity for reform of the abusive law, with amendments that could have brought the Patriot Act closer to compliance with the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment guarantee of protection from unreasonable search and seizure. Yet, every single reform that was offer was rejected by the House Judiciary Committee.