Bush Took Away Your Rights?

In 2002, when George W. Bush signed the Patriot Act, liberals all across the country were outraged that he was “taking away their rights.”  I can’t help but wonder what they’re thinking now.

The Bush administration gave itself the right to monitor, and take action against terrorist and suspected terrorist activity without a warrant.  This included telephone monitoring of suspected terrorists and their associates and gave the government the right to detain those same suspects during investigation.  It gave the government the right to monitor attorney-client conversations with suspected and/or convicted terrorists after attorney Lynne Stewart smuggled messages concerning increased violence out of the federal prison where her client, the blind sheik, was being held.

Here is a list of “some of the fundamental changes to Americans' legal rights by the Bush administration and the USA Patriot Act following the terror attacks…”

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor religious and political institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror investigation.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed once-public immigration hearings, has secretly detained hundreds of people without charges, and has encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records requests.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute librarians or keepers of any other records if they tell anyone that the government subpoenaed information related to a terror investigation.

RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may monitor federal prison jailhouse conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny lawyers to Americans accused of crimes.

FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may search and seize Americans' papers and effects without probable cause to assist terror investigation.

RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans indefinitely without a trial.

RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or being able to confront witnesses against them.

People complained because the Patriot Act gave the government the right to do these things to American citizens.  But let’s take a look at what President Obama has done….

* Executive Order 10990 allows the Government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.

* Executive Order 10997 allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels, and minerals.

* Executive Order 11000 allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

* Executive Order 11001 allows the government to take over all health education and welfare functions.

* Executive Order 11002 designates the Postmaster General to operate a national registration of all persons.

* Executive Order 11003 allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.

* Executive Order 11004 allows the Housing and Finance Authority to relocate and establish new locations for populations.

* Executive Order 11005 allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways, and public storage facilities.

* Executive Order 11049 assigns emergency preparedness function to federal departments and agencies, consolidating 21 operative Executive Orders issued over a fifteen-year period.

* Executive Order 11051 specifies the responsibility of the Office of Emergency Planning and gives authorization to put all Executive Orders into effect in times of increased international tensions and economic or financial crisis.

* Executive Order 11310 grants authority to the Department of Justice to enforce the plans set out in Executive Orders.

* Executive Order 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit, and the flow of money in U.S. financial institutions in any undefined national emergency. It also provides that when the president declares a state of emergency, Congress cannot review the action for six months.

That’s not all but it’s a comprehensive list.  And people complained about Bush?  The President also signed the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act  - you know – that Dodd/Frank bill - conceived and written by two of the key players in the financial meltdown of the last decade.  In that bill the President gave himself the authority to take over or liquidate any major company he deems a threat to the financial stability of the country.  (Or a threat to his re-election, no doubt.)

And how about the authority he gave himself to detain anyone indefinitely, without due process, if he suspected them of terrorist activities, assisting with terrorist activities, or association with known terrorists?  Bush did that, you say?  But when Bush did it you whined about your rights being violated!

On July 6^th he signed yet another Executive Order giving himself the authority to seize control of all communications in the event of an emergency.  (Gee – just a few years ago the President criticized Mahmoud Ahmadinijhad for doing just that when people in Iran were protesting his election.  I guess he decided it was a good idea after all.)

Oh – and did I forget to mention that he extended the Patriot Act and has now given himself the authority to kill Americans deemed to be terrorists (or helping terrorists) without due process?  And how about those drones flying in American skies….?

So come on all you Obama supporters who vilified Bush for his response to America being attacked – let’s hear your justification for what Obama has done “to keep America safe.”  Funny – we don’t seem to hear too many of those same complainers talking bad about their exalted leader.  Hypocrisy on the left knows no bounds….