No Sunset for the Patriot Act

I have been in Prez Obama's camp since his Democratic nomination. His ideas/ideals have been refreshing and sorely needed. Now comes the bad news. The infamous Patriot Act introduced under the previous administration was set to expire this year. In political circles this is known as "sunset". Now, however, it appears that Mr. Obama just can't seem to let it die.
A quick review of the law should scare anyone. It allows for the arrest and detaining of a "suspect" without habeas corpus for just about anything authorities may deem a "terrorist act". Check out too many books on radical Islamic Faith and risk having the librarian report you to the F.B.I., no, it's not because she's a mean busybody, it's because the law requires such notification ; your buddy sends a $500 check to his friend Ibn in Niarobi which immediately draws the attention of the Dept. of Homeland Security and his possible arrest. This law allows for the searching of our phones, computers, and just about anything that might be considered "suspect". Which could lead to arrests with out right to legal counsel indefinitely.

Every civil rights organization under the sun has come down hard in opposition to the act, but their pleadings have fallen on death ears.

Pardon my naivete, I looked to Mr. Obama to change this capricious law with an executive order the first day he walked into the White House. It didn't happen. Later, I waited for him to ask Congress to deny reauthorization of the bill this year. It didn't happen, either.

Obama's position on this issue begs for logic only to find none. Yep, it's all about politics. In this sense one could think of the Executive Branch as a sponge soaking up yet more power that it doesn't want to release. Think Lord Acton and you get a better picture: "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely".



Benjamin Franklin got it right when he said: "Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve either".

Goodbye to a National Icon

John Hope Franklin was a legend. Save for the Neo-Nazis, I cannot think of an American who is not indebted to him. How is that? In great measure, it was his research that helped Thurgood Marshall achieve victory over segregation in the famous BROWN v. TOPEKA SCHOOL BOARD, wherein the very conservative U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9-0 to outlaw discrimination in public schools. Had Mr. Franklin not been in the throes of disgust over Jim Crow Laws one could pretty much guess that Marshall wouldn't have had the ammunition to win over the court and the Supremes would have sent Brown packing just like they had done previously in the famous Plessy v. Ferguson Case of 1898.

Mr. Franklin, you were one hell of a man.

The Common Worker Takes a Hit .....Again

The Prez's plan to give back $400 to the common worker is taking a hit by the Rebubs. To me it is obvious, because: 1) $400 couldn't really help anyone and it's almost nonsensical; but, 2) the repubs want to put a stop to it.

Just totally forgetting #1 because it is too little too late, is one thing. But #2 is, well, what could we expect from the Repubs. Are they kidding? They have so little concern for the common guy/gal at the workplace that they just can't wait to "serve it up to the big business" that they want to erase the $400 stimulus monies from the "little" guy and dedicate all the monies to business. Yep, another episode of screwing the little guy.
It's just another example of Corporatocracy.