What if…?
I have a few questions for my Friends.
- What if we wake up one day and realize that the terrorist threat is a predictable consequence of our meddling in the affairs of others?
- What if propping up repressive regimes in the Middle East endangers both the United States and Israel?
- What if occupying countries like Iraq and Afghanistan - and bombing Pakistan - is directly related to the hatred directed toward us and has nothing to do with being free and prosperous?
- What if someday it dawns on us that losing over 5,000 American military personnel in the Middle East since 9/11 is not a fair trade-off for the loss of nearly 3,000 American citizens, no matter how many Iraqi, Pakistani, and Afghan people are killed or displaced?
- What if we finally decide that torture, even if called enhanced interrogation techniques, is self-destructive and produces no useful information - and that contracting it out to a third world nation is just as evil?
- What if it is finally realized that war and military spending is always destructive to the economy?
- What if all wartime spending is paid for through the deceitful and evil process of inflating and borrowing?
- What if we finally see that wartime conditions always undermine personal liberty?
- What if conservatives, who preach small government, wake up and realize that our interventionist foreign policy provides the greatest incentive to expand the government?
- What if conservatives understood once again that their only logical position is to reject military intervention and managing an empire throughout the world?
- What if the American people woke up and understood that the official reasons for going to war are almost always based on lies and promoted by war propaganda in order to serve special interests?
- What if we as a nation came to realize that the quest for empire eventually destroys all great nations?
- What if Obama has no intention of leaving Iraq?
- What if a military draft is being planned for the wars that will spread if our foreign policy is not changed?
- What if the American people learn the truth: that our foreign policy has nothing to do with national security and that it never changes from one administration to the next?
- What if war and preparation for war is a racket serving the special interests?
- What if President Obama is completely wrong about Afghanistan and it turns out worse than Iraq and Vietnam put together?
- What if Christianity actually teaches peace and not preventive wars of aggression?
- What if diplomacy is found to be superior to bombs and bribes in protecting America?
- What happens if my concerns are completely unfounded - nothing!
- What happens if my concerns are justified and ignored - nothing good!
Adapted (and slightly reformatted) from a speech given on the floor of the house of representatives by the congressman from Texas Rep. Paul (I have changed the first line)
Questions that need to be asked, and so I shall repeat them here
“Patriot” Act
Over-reactions are fun sometimes and sometimes spot on
You want my overeaction to the subject.
I guess we can call it the Patriot Act because the bill is practically spitting in the face of real patriots interested in freedoms from oppression... stirring them up to act and get off their butts.
SOOOO... it's a bill that creates Patriots.
I could see how it could be called the Patriot act if you think about our original patriots and the types of laws that stirred them to action.
It's certainly not an actually patriotic bill. It doesn't support the principles of the founding of this country.
CONGRESSMAN CHAFFETZ
There is quite a bit of conversation going on over on the FB page of Utah Representative Jason Chaffetz ... because he was one of those that previously was against the PA and just recently voted to support several provisions.
People are rightfully shocked by an apparent change of heart.
He has invited discussion... of which there has been much. Though as of yet we haven't really heard from him yet.
Here were my responses so far as I'm thinking through the issues and principles at hand:
Written to Rep. Chaffetz
Well Kudos to you for asking us about this issue. (Honestly I like that)
Sadly it was a little late... after the vote... this conversation would have been better served prior to the vote. Your vote will be in the books For-e-ver.
I think most people just assumed that you would vote against it.I don't read many bills so forgive me for my ignorance... but it seems it doesn't say much... just extends parts of the Patriot Act. Wouldn't that make it the Patriot Act?
Anyway, it just references other sections. I'm having trouble following so please if you say you want us to "read the law" point us to it. Heck if it's so short paste the text of those provisions that you're extending. There's only 3 provisions.
We'll gladly tear them apart or praise them.
That was in response to his status:
Some are concerned about my vote tonight. Please, read the bill. It is 1.5 pages. It simply extends three provisions for 10 months. Many parts of the law have dramatically changed since the P.A. was first introduced. Don't rely on arguments from 10 years ago. Read the law now and let me know your specific concerns. I have an open mind, but I can only respond to specifics of the current law...not the old P.A.
You can read his notes on the details of the vote here
And my reaction to reading that was:
I'm softening my revulsion just a little bit. But something here just makes me sick to my stomach.
Maybe it's a where do we draw the line scenario, perhaps the power is in the definitions section of terrorist and foreign powers
... in 20 years do we just state roving wire taps are what we have always done so why do people care just because we're putting ALL conversations into a big database, or starting to be more lenient on who gets tapped. (OK there's probably plently of other scenarios better than my random one I just made up)
I think I just don't trust the "supervisors" as part of it and I guess them being secretive we'll never know just how many abuses there are.
When abuses are acted in "the light" we can see how Checks and Balances are serving us or failing us.But I do urge more debate just as the congressman has called for on the essence of this bill. Seems like time is well spent here as on the newest thread which is getting more commentary.
He asks for reasons why we his constituents don't like the bill so several have responded... Of special interest are reports that there have been many abuses of power
Still learning
It's interesting to read the other comments because many of the people state what they feel and what I feel much more eloquently.
I appreciate the discourse and the perspectives because I am not 100% familiar with all these laws and going ons. I am still learning.
I invite people to share solid reasonings based on solid principles.
I appreciate trying to understand how both sides feel and how they reason their support.
