Left to our own devices...are we a just and moral people?...Or do our corporate cultures reflect the ethics of whole winning at all costs? Also, if such ethics exist in any faction of our culture is the rest refectivly encumbered?

Date:   7/15/2005 9:09:49 AM ( 19 y ago)

COMMENT: Majestic Congress?

Dear A-Letter Reader:
In 1785, when the United States was yet to be constitutionally formed, a
leading French journalist and politician, Pierre-Louis de Lacretelle,
viewing the infant America from afar, spoke enthusiastically about what
he saw as "the hope of mankind...an open refuge and a promise great."

Addressing himself to the members of the American Continental Congress,
Lacretelle, wrote: "Lawmaking peoples, never lose sight of the majesty
of your function and of the importance of your task. Be nobly proud and
holily enthusiastic at the prospect of your destinies vast influence."

That was then...This is now.

Some months back I reminded you about an old American saying: "Two
professions one should avoid observing at all costs are, legislating and
sausage making." The thought being that, if one knew what went into the
final product and how it was created, political or physical indigestion
would be the inevitable result.

As far as the US Congress, I've been there, done that. Eight years as a
Member of the House and 15 years as a staff member before that gives me
a wry perspective on what I read about Capitol Hill in the newspapers.
(Will Rogers used to say that if he needed any new jokes, he's just
tell people what Congress had done that day).

All of which is a preface to news reports in the last day that lawmakers
in Washington, on three separate congressional committees, moved to
impose restrictions on some of the worst unconstitutional elements of
the misguided law known as the USA PATRIOT Act. The NY Times suggests
this signals "continued resistance in Congress to the idea of giving the
government unchecked authority to fight terrorism."

I hope this is so. These developments do support a glimmer of hope that
a majority of the "peoples' representatives" will roll back the
burgeoning Bush police state. But expect plenty of dire warnings of
terroristic doom if these unwarranted powers are curbed, as they should
be. Expect the true horrors of 9-11 in the US and 7-7 in London to be
sighted as some sort of proof that liberties should be sacrificed to
false, unattainable security.

Congress only has a few weeks to its annual August recess, so keep a
close eye on what's happening. Near adjournment the legislative snakes
crawl, and they like to move undercover. What we don't need is to
extend the Act blindly, as Pres. Bush advocates, but rather to review
every line of its 362 pages, then drastically revise it to conform to
the US Constitution. There wont be many pages left after that.

Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar, who served as Pres. U.S. Grant's attorney
general, once noted that a member of Congress "is like a pig. To first
get their attention, you must hit them on the snout with a stick." So
e-mail your congressmen and senators; remind them you're watching.

Let's hope Congress returns to that long lost "majesty of its function."

That's the way it looks from here.
BOB BAUMAN, Editor

PS: Your Rights & Liberties Are Under Attack. Click here:
LINK: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/190SPATY/W190F715/



 

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