life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness--What do they mean?

[redirish28]

My wife brings a very good question.

She's been reading all the stuff about the Facebook Privacy matter and the fact that Kagan- may in fact believe that privacy isn't protected in the Constitution. What is protected.

Yes the line comes from the Declaration of Independence but when you think about it this is what the founding fathers where fighting for and wouldn't you think when they wrote the constitution they had this mind?

Yet in the 21st century we are basically debating and in sense fighting this very issue. I mean if we don't have the right to privacy, and basically healthcare... what else is next. Will marriage be next... yes, it is for some now but do we outlaw all marriage or say it isn't a right for anyone to married? How about money? Where does it say in the constitution that an employee deserve his/her paycheck? What if a employer decides they will take X amount of dollars from your paycheck and reinvest it for you? I mean who to stop a corporation from arguing a employees right to a paycheck as being something not guaranteed in the constitution?

Okay may sound outrageous or stupid to some but her question in general is where does all this stop? What exactly does the constitution protect and if these items are not protected than what is and where and when do we take a stand for ourselves?

[Adsos Letter]

1. Two excellent books your wife might enjoy, if she has time for reading...

The Elusive Republic: Political Economy in Jeffersonian America by Drew R. McCoy
http://www.amazon.com/Elusive-Republic-Political-Economy-Jeffersonian/dp/0807846163/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273730270&sr=1-1

The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787 (Published for the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, Williamsburg, Virginia) by Gordon S. Wood
http://www.amazon.com/1776-1787-Published-Omohundro-Institute-Williamsburg/dp/0807847232/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273730400&sr=1-1

[redirish28]

3. I'll let my wife know. Thanks

[Morning Dew]

2. Companies already infringe on your rights

They can limit your right to free speech.

They can search you without cause.

They can drug test you without cause.

They can require that you not smoke in your free time.

They can check your credit for any position - not just financially sensitive jobs.

They can monitor what you do in your free time. See facebook/twitter brouhaha)

They can pretty much do whatever they want.

But, they're not the Government.... so it's ok.... even when it's not.

[redirish28]

4. But as she was asking. If the Government can't do this why should

our fellow citizens or companies be allow to infringe on these principles.

[Morning Dew]

5. They shouldn't.

[redirish28]

7. I guess perhaps the issue my wife is raising is that if the government doesn't

step on these rights why shouldn't the government protect us from those corporations and citizens that do?

[Morning Dew]

8. I don't have a good answer -

I guess the idea is that if an employer is too intrusive, you are free to work elsewhere.

Increasingly, it's difficult to find work where you don't shelve some of your liberties in trade for a paycheck.

In a bad economy, corporations seem to institute draconian policies just because they can . . . it satisfies the frustrations management feels when it can't control employees.

I just hope that when/if the economy improves, beleaguered employees will flip them off and walk.

Sorry, I wish I had a better answer.

[Hannah Bell]

9. the answer is that the government works for the corporations & financiers,

& the constitution is mainly for them, not their serfs.

and that's the truth.

[Echo In Light]

6. The Corporate/State nexus