The stellar victory in Iraq will boost President Bush’s approval ratings back to levels we haven’t seen in months. I’m afraid his administration will capitalize on this revived popularity by trying to pass several issues on his agenda. His right-hand man, John Ashcroft, has been waiting for months for this victory so he could push for one of the most terrifying acts ever introduced to Congress. If Ashcroft can exploit Bush’s popularity, he may get away with an act that would devestate our way of life.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, Ashcroft didn’t waste any time on the Patriot Act, which gave broad powers to the government. These powers extended the government’s reach into our lives to a level never seen before. Ashcroft was able to get this act passed because of the high level of patriotism that was sweeping through Congress.
If the regulations of the Patriot Act weren’t bad enough, he’s been working on the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 (often called Patriot Act II), which is even more outrageous than the first. If Ashcroft gets this act passed, he may nail the coffin shut on civil rights.
Some of the more shocking proposals include deporting legal residents without criminal charges or evidence if the attorney general considers them a threat to security. This can even happen without a court appearance because habeas corpus is exempt in some cases.
How can Ashcroft even dare try to downplay the importance of habeas corpus? It’s one of the fundamental rights our country is based on.
The government could also take DNA samples from people without a court order. As long as they suspect the person, it’ll be legal. They could also wiretap and track your Internet usage for up to 15 days without a court order.
Patriot Act II also has provisions that would let the federal government take over any autopsies, or place gag orders on juries and take over court proceedings if they feel it’s necessary. So, if trials aren’t going in their favor, the Feds can take over to make sure they win.
Some people choose not to care because they feel if they don’t do anything wrong, they don’t have to worry about someone watching them. However, this is a naïve mindset. We’re essentially giving away our liberties for security. We all want to be safe, but we can’t let the administration dictate all the terms and then pressure Congress to pass laws.
One of the purposes of Congress is to aid in the drafting of an act. However, as with the original Patriot Act, the second one was written without any aid from the legislative branch. Ashcroft is essentially trying to eliminate checks and balances throughout the government.
Patriot Act II is still in the draft stage, but I’m sure Ashcroft would deliver a copy to Congress now if he sensed an opportunity. The problem with Congress is they always want a quick solution and are usually too scared to speak out against a popular president. They also tend to forgo logical thought in the aftermath of a catastrophe.
According to several members of Congress, some members of both houses weren’t even able to read the Patriot Act before they voted on it. Adding more pressure, Vice President Dick Cheney said if members of Congress didn’t vote in favor of the act, they would be blamed for not preventing the next terrorist attack.
President Bush and his administration can’t seem to understand that Congress exists to provide balance. They don’t want anyone to stand in their way, and the administration is essentially trying to bypass the current government structure to install a dictatorship. Patriot Act II is taking powers away from many organizations and placing them in the hands of a select few.
Some Americans have been accused of being unpatriotic when they protest in the streets – something which is protected by the Constitution. Why don’t people make the same accusations to an administration that is single-handedly destroying the rights Americans have enjoyed for over 200 years? They’re trampling over the Constitution as they try to gain unrestricted powers.
Aside from considering them unpatriotic, we should consider certain members of this administration a terrorist threat, as they are trying to undermine our Constitution.
Vijay Ramanavarapu is a sophomore in business. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
