TownCriers back street news

Americans, it's time to act before it's too late

Al Gore: 'Restoring the Rule of Law'



"I call upon Democratic and Republican members of Congress today to uphold your oath of office and defend the Constitution. Stop going along to get along. Start acting like the independent and co-equal branch of government you’re supposed to be.



But there is yet another Constitutional player whose pulse must be taken and whose role must be examined in order to understand the dangerous imbalance that has emerged with the efforts by the Executive Branch to dominate our constitutional system.



We the people are—collectively—still the key to the survival of America’s democracy. We—as Lincoln put it, “[e]ven we here”—must examine our own role as citizens in allowing and not preventing the shocking decay and degradation of our democracy.



Thomas Jefferson said: “An informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.”



The revolutionary departure on which the idea of America was based was the audacious belief that people can govern themselves and responsibly exercise the ultimate authority in self-government. This insight proceeded inevitably from the bedrock principle articulated by the Enlightenment philosopher John Locke: “All just power is derived from the consent of the governed.”



The intricate and carefully balanced constitutional system that is now in such danger was created with the full and widespread participation of the population as a whole. The Federalist Papers were, back in the day, widely-read newspaper essays, and they represented only one of twenty-four series of essays that crowded the vibrant marketplace of ideas in which farmers and shopkeepers recapitulated the debates that played out so fruitfully in Philadelphia.



Indeed, when the Convention had done its best, it was the people – in their various States – that refused to confirm the result until, at their insistence, the Bill of Rights was made integral to the document sent forward for ratification.



And it is “We the people” who must now find once again the ability we once had to play an integral role in saving our Constitution.




“The accretion of dangerous power does not come in a day. It does come, however slowly, from the generative force of unchecked disregard of the restrictions that fence in even the most disinterested assertion of authority.”




As a result of its unprecedented claim of new unilateral power, the Executive Branch has now put our constitutional design at grave risk. The stakes for America’s representative democracy are far higher than has been generally recognized.



These claims must be rejected and a healthy balance of power restored to our Republic. Otherwise, the fundamental nature of our democracy may well undergo a radical transformation.



For more than two centuries, America’s freedoms have been preserved in part by our founders’ wise decision to separate the aggregate power of our government into three co-equal branches, each of which serves to check and balance the power of the other two.



On more than a few occasions, the dynamic interaction among all three branches has resulted in collisions and temporary impasses that create what are invariably labeled “constitutional crises.” These crises have often been dangerous and uncertain times for our Republic. But in each such case so far, we have found a resolution of the crisis by renewing our common agreement to live under the rule of law.



The principle alternative to democracy throughout history has been the consolidation of virtually all state power in the hands of a single strongman or small group who together exercise that power without the informed consent of the governed."



I endorse the words of Bob Barr, when he said, “The President has dared the American people to do something about it. For the sake of the Constitution, I hope they will.

We now have an impeachment activist tool kit available online http://www.impeachpac.org/resolutions



A special counsel should immediately be appointed by the Attorney General to remedy the obvious conflict of interest that prevents him from investigating what many believe are serious violations of law by the President. We have had a fresh demonstration of how an independent investigation by a special counsel with integrity can rebuild confidence in our system of justice. Patrick Fitzgerald has, by all accounts, shown neither fear nor favor in pursuing allegations that the Executive Branch has violated other laws.



Republican as well as Democratic members of Congress should support the bipartisan call of the Liberty Coalition for the appointment of a special counsel to pursue the criminal issues raised by warrantless wiretapping of Americans by the President.



Second, new whistleblower protections should immediately be established for members of the Executive Branch who report evidence of wrongdoing—especially where it involves the abuse of Executive Branch authority in the sensitive areas of national security.



Third, both Houses of Congress should hold comprehensive—and not just superficial—hearings into these serious allegations of criminal behavior on the part of the President. And, they should follow the evidence wherever it leads.



Fourth, the extensive new powers requested by the Executive Branch in its proposal to extend and enlarge the Patriot Act should, under no circumstances be granted, unless and until there are adequate and enforceable safeguards to protect the Constitution and the rights of the American people against the kinds of abuses that have so recently been revealed.



Fifth, any telecommunications company that has provided the government with access to private information concerning the communications of Americans without a proper warrant should immediately cease and desist their complicity in this apparently illegal invasion of the privacy of American citizens.



Freedom of communication is an essential prerequisite for the restoration of the health of our democracy.



It is particularly important that the freedom of the Internet be protected against either the encroachment of government or the efforts at control by large media conglomerates. The future of our democracy depends on it.”

To read the full speach go here



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Stand up with us again this Earth Day to help protect our wildlife and stop the big oil companies, greedy developers, and their friends in Coingress from wrecking our natural treasures. Join the second Earth Day Virtual March - to Leave No Species Behind!


President George Bush has proposed selling off more than 300,000 acres of public lands to private developers. The move would sell off some of our last remaining wild places to greedy developers, oil companies, and mining interests.


The Department of Interior has turned over wolf management in Idaho to state officials. Within days, the state announced plans to kill up to 75% of the wolves in an area of Clearwater National Forest. And it’s refused to enforce a federal law that could end the aerial slaughter of Alaskan wolves that is happening right now.


Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA), Chairman of the powerful House Resources Committee, has rushed legislation through the House that would gut the Endangered Species Act -- the landmark law that has helped save so many animals from extinction. The Senate will consider it soon.


Send a message to your Senators and Representative to protect the wildlife we all love. Join the March to Leave No Species Behind




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posted by Webintel @ 12:14 PM