We The People

Today is Constitution Day.  Take a minute out of your hectic schedule and reflect upon the importance of this document.  No, it is not just a piece of paper.

The original document continues to be safely preserved and displayed in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building. Parts of the building, however—including the new William G. McGowan Theater—were badly damaged by flooding that occurred this past June. Repairs are under way, but the theater will not be ready in time for this month’s programs.

Judge Rules for Immediate Halt to NSA Wiretap Program

This is the program that allowed the NSA to wiretap calls to foreign countries if a person connected to it had a loosely defined relationship with Al Qaeda.

DETROIT - A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government’s warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it.

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency’s program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy.

The Constitution in Crisis

Congressman John Conyers released his report, “The Constitution in Crisis; The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution, and Coverups in the Iraq War, and Illegal Domestic Surveillance” today.  The report is over 350 pages and contains over 1,400 supporting footnotes.

I don’t expect that most of us will read the entire report; however, I encourage you to read the following:

From the Analysis section:  Thwarting and Stonewalling Congress and the American People