June 12, 2013

Not Fit To Lead

By Tammy Derouin

The government’s conduct and activities are leading us down a dark and dangerous path.  History is repeating.  The United States will succumb to totalitarian rule if we continue to ignore the disappearance of our Constitution.  

The crimes committed against the people of the United States by our government, are precisely the reason the colonists fought for independence from British rule.  The Declaration of Independence states why the line was drawn.  If you haven’t read it lately, read it.  The similarities are frightening.   We the people must restrain our government.  The Constitution prevents the government from encroaching over that line.  We have the tool but it is in jeopardy.

Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) gave a critical review this past week of the president and his administration.  His list included such activities as selling weapons to drug cartels/terrorists south of our border.  The weapons our government provided to our enemies claimed the life of an American border patrol officer.  The President, the State Department and his administration lied about the Benghazi attack.  They knowingly gave false information to the American people.  This activity cost four American lives.  Not only did the activity bring about their deaths but our government did nothing to help them once they were under attack.  Attorney General Eric Holder authorized surveillance of a Fox News reporter and his family.  The DOJ confiscated phone records of the Associated Press.  The administration used the IRS to target political opposition.  He could have added much more.  Why are we accepting so much corruption and deceit?

In today’s world, I call Rep. Bridenstine courageous.  Although he states the truth, making any negative statement against the Obama administration is dangerous.  Whistleblowers and those that want to preserve and follow the Constitution have become targets.

USA Today (London) reported this past week, “Under orders from a secret court, Verizon has been giving the National Security Agency its call records for millions of U.S. customers every day since late April.”  Don’t assume you’re safe if you use a different carrier. According to The Blaze, “Though Verizon is the only phone company that has been confirmed to be involved with the NSA’s spy program; many fear other major U.S. telecommunications companies are involved as well.  However, the court orders prohibit any one from revealing the existence of the secret program.”  That would explain, “We decline comment,” Ed McFadden, Verizon spokesman.  Phrases such as “secret court” should be grabbing your attention.

We have been told by the Obama administration; that they are only collecting “bare data,” such as phone number to phone number or email address to email address, not content.  William Binney, an NSA whistleblower stated, “Their statement about, ‘we don’t have content’ is an outright lie.”  He went on to mention that emails, videos and other content are covered under the NSA and the FBI’s secret “PRISM” program.  The Washington Post was one media outlet to exposes the secret “PRISM” program.  It involves tapping into the servers of nine top Internet companies to collect tons of user data.  There is debate as to how much data and whose data is collected.  If communication companies are forbidden to reveal its existence and the press is non-existent, who do you trust, the government?  Don’t forget, the Utah Data Center opened last week.  It all kind of makes sense now, doesn’t it?  Technology can be a wonderful tool.  If used with morals and with checks and balances, it will benefit the people.  If it is abused, it will be used against the people. 

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asked if bloggers deserve First Amendment protection.  What has happened to us America?  Today’s blogger is yesterday’s, well, soap box critic.  Americans have freedom of speech as listed in the Bill of Rights.  The Constitution states that Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of the press.  What’s the difference?  American citizens have the God given right to be critical of the government and to express their opinions and concerns.  We can state them on paper, verbally or electronically. An American citizen who is a member of the press collects a paycheck.  The citizen part never changed.  We don’t have to agree with our government.  We shouldn’t feel threatened if we are critical, not in the United States.  This is what makes us exceptional.  It’s no accident that the government is silencing the press.  Individual speech is the next target.  History is repeating.

Rep. Bridenstine also indicated that the evidence that has been forth coming demonstrates Obama is “not fit to lead.”  Let’s face it, have you seen anybody point the finger or deny knowledge more than Obama?  Is he incompetent or negligent?  It’s one or the other and either one is just cause to question his ability but more importantly, his motive.  There isn’t a third option.    

“The only problem is that his vice president is equally unfit and even more embarrassing.”

Rep. Jim Bridenstine