...was the prevention of a dangerous precedent becoming forever engrained within the fabric of this great nation and how it's government conducts itself. Well, as of (Thursday), President Obama has just confirmed the worst of my fears.

 

 By not acting on, or merely addressing adequately, Bush's egregious violations of the rule of law and overreaching usurpation of non-executive powers; Congress, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Supreme Court, the media, lawyers, and everyone else who either chose not to act, or didn't know they should've (due to a lack of information) have paved the way for an era in America that sees post-Bush dictatorial rule.

 

 Right-wing talk radio has been claiming that President Obama is a dictator ever since he was inaugurated, but Obama's new proposal to go beyond what Bush ever achieved or even attempted in asserting a power to detain people ("terrorists") for preventative measures actually confirms their claims. The right-wing may support the president in this move as being "tough" on terror, or oppose it just because he's a Democrat (or claims to be one).

 

 Obama's comments in 2007 in opposition to the effort to impeach Bush now makes more sense...or it should to all of you reading this. I predicted that Obama would be a danger to our constitution, and am afraid that his actions here, in addition to his support - both in the Senate and now in the White House - for warrantless wiretaps on Americans, military commissions, as well as his concealing - in defiance of a judicial order - photos that depict heinous acts perpetrated at the behest of a twisted regime, his refusal to acknowledge, investigate, and prosecute same said regime's crimes, and his pussyfooting on Iraq (with a not-so-secret plan that circumvents the will of Iraqis and embeds our forces permanently in their midst, thusly giving rise to concerns about whether the occupation is really coming to an end) may very well affirm that prediction.

 

 He is actually a greater danger to our constitution, than was Bush, because he - unlike Bush - is outrightly proclaiming his right to carry out these illegal acts. He enjoys public support well in the 60s, and is therefore undetered. How can he be? How can Congress or even the media hold him accountable for continuing the practices of the previous regime, who they let get off scot-free?

 

 Look, I voted to give Obama and Biden their sound victory over McCain and Palin. This was reluctant and due to my fears of what the prospect of a McCain or even a Palin administration held for us, but now those fears mean nothing. I distrusted Obama's willful ignorance to the rule of law and how Bush's actions violated such, but no one listened to me. This certainly would not have been an issue with a President Kucinich, but I digress.

 

 I don't fear Obama's economic policies, nor do I fear his environmental policies. He's alright on those fronts thus far (though, I don't feel as if he went far enough with the stimulus). On healthcare, I've seen all that I expected to see (in that, the option of single-payer is off the table, and the corporate interest win out as a result) from him. His foreign policies are about half and half. I'm supportive of the diplomatic approach to our rivals and enemies, rather than the jump to hostility, but his policies on Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan concern me gravely.

 

 Should Obama carry out his plans for this new and controversial proposal, fail to reverse the numerous Bush policies that he has adopted, and refuse to direct the Justice Department to investigate everyone involved in the war crimes of the previous regime; I'll be forced to respond by drafting and circulating a petition that would demand the impeachment of our President. Doing so may well be required to protect our liberties and founding principles from further erosion.

 

 Tyranny should never be tolerated, whether hosted by a Democrat or a Republican, and it is OUR responsibility to demand strict adherence to the Constitution and thusly the rule of law.

 

 I leave you now with a series of quotes, by our founding fathers:

 

"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematic plan of reducing [a people] to slavery."

 

"Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day."

 

"Force is the vital principle and immediate parent of despotism."

 

"Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations; but, on a candid examination of history, we shall find that turbulence, violence, and abuse of power, by the majority trampling on the rights of the minority, have produced factions and commotions, which, in republics, have, more frequently than any other cause, produced despotism. If we go over the whole history of ancient and modern republics, we shall find their destruction to have generally resulted from those causes."

 

"Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged against provisions against danger, real or pretended from abroad"

 

"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty."

 

"A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever"

 

"The origin of all civil government, justly established, must be a voluntary compact, between the rulers and the ruled; and must be liable to such limitations, as are necessary for the security of the absolute rights of the latter; for what original title can any man or set of men have, to govern others, except their own consent? To usurp dominion over a people, in their own despite, or to grasp at a more extensive power than they are willing to entrust, is to violate that law of nature, which gives every man a right to his personal liberty; and can, therefore, confer no obligation to obedience."

 

"Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness"

 

"If men are to be precluded from offering their sentiments on a matter which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences that can invite the consideration of mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of speech may be taken away, and dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter"

 

"Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power."

 

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety"

Benjamin Franklin

 

TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS"