The Erosion of the U.S. Constitution ... and It Starts in the White House

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/erosion-us-constitution-and-it-starts-white-house




***SNIP

How's that morning coffee treating you? Nice and warming? Mmmm.

While you're savoring your cup o' joe, imagine the president of the United States hunched over his own coffee, considering the murder of another American citizen. Now, if you were plotting to kill an American over coffee, you could end up in jail on a whole range of charges including -- depending on the situation -- terrorism. However, if the president’s doing the killing, it's all nice and -- let’s put those quote marks around it -- "legal." How do we know? We’re assured that the Justice Department tells him so. And that’s justice enough in post-Constitutional America.

Through what seems to have been an Obama administration leak to the Associated Press, we recently learned that the president and his top officials believe a U.S. citizen -- name unknown to us out here -- probably somewhere in the tribal backlands of Pakistan, is reputedly planning attacks against Americans abroad. As a result, the White House has, for the last several months, been considering whether or not to assassinate him by drone without trial or due process.

Supposedly, the one thing that’s held up sending in the drones is the administration’s desire to make sure the kill is "legal." (Those quotes again.)

[SamKnause]

1. The "Justice" Department

Illegal=legal.

Legal=illegal.

You know your country has gone down the crapper when The "Supreme" Court declares corporations are people and have more rights than living breathing humans.

You know your country has gone down the crapper when a special and secretive court, The FISA "Court" has to be established to skirt the laws of the land.

With Liberty and Justice for All; I think not.

[newfie11]

2. Scary, what we have become

Lies upon lies from Bush on.
I fear this will not end well for our country.

[TheMathieu]

3. Sounds likes it's tough to be President.

My vote for him was a vote of confidence to make the decision he deems necessary.

[madokie]

5. I'll take an Obama over any of the others thats for sure

I'm proud of the three votes I sent his way
I'd do it again if given the chance too

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. !!!!! n/t

[JoePhilly]

4. Obama has ruined everything!!!!

Apparently.

[woo me with science]

7. K&R. Unconscionable.

I never, ever thought I would see my country come to this.

[woo me with science]

8. Not "erosion." Systematic dismantling.

Erosion makes it sound as though it were a natural process, rather than destruction through deliberate, chosen actions.