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Anthony D. Romero

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Ryan Has a Plan to Unravel Civil Liberties, Too

Posted: 08/11/2012 10:29 am

The focus in the coming days will be all about Rep. Ryan's budget blueprint and Medicare proposal. Let's hope the American people also get a debate about his blueprint for LGBT equality, immigration, voting rights, reproductive freedom and other constitutional issues. Indeed, it's just as abysmal as Romney's.

On LGBT equality, opposed allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military and supported enshrining anti-gay discrimination into the U.S. Constitution twice and the Wisconsin Constitution as well.

Forget about Ryan joining the bi-partisan ranks in Congress who are trying to move our nation to a more humane immigration policy. He opposes the DREAM Act and voted for building a fence across the U.S.-Mexico border.

He's also in lock-step with the decades-old assault on women's reproductive freedom. He voted against Planned Parenthood funding and repeatedly voted to roll back abortion rights.

He also supports voter ID laws that would disenfranchise thousands of citizens in his home state.

There's no constitutional daylight between Ryan's civil liberties positions and Romney's and that means a pall of darkness over our Constitution and the rights it guarantees.

In the coming months, we need a vigorous debate about civil liberties, including a safe and free national security policy, for which President Obama and Vice President Biden as well as Romney and Ryan have less than stellar records.

Paul Ryan may end up a heartbeat from the presidency, but he'll be light years from civil liberties.

 
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The focus in the coming days will be all about Rep. Ryan's budget blueprint and Medicare proposal. Let's hope the American people also get a debate about his blueprint for LGBT equality, immigration,...
The focus in the coming days will be all about Rep. Ryan's budget blueprint and Medicare proposal. Let's hope the American people also get a debate about his blueprint for LGBT equality, immigration,...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
camotim
05:29 PM on 08/13/2012
Are you supporting Free Exercise of religion these days?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
susiewatusi
Dancing around words daily...
12:50 PM on 08/16/2012
Yes! Lest you forget... that free exercise clause includes the right to be free from the exercise of your religion. Are you supporting that right these days?
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
01:22 PM on 08/12/2012
Amendment 14, Section 1 -

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

It would be nice if folks everywhere remembered this.
05:05 PM on 08/17/2012
Taking history classes is not considerd worthy of our educative process. Didn't 'cha know we compete with the Japanese?
fo3angels
Equality is only equality if it is for all
07:18 AM on 08/12/2012
What is it with these two that they claim to love a Constitution they are trying so hard to change?
05:26 AM on 08/12/2012
thanks for reinforcing that he reflects America's desires quite well...
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demisfine
Often correct, NEVER right.
08:13 AM on 08/12/2012
Not the America I love.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

In Ryan's America, only wealthy white men would be welcomed.
Any other can enter through the servants' door. And survive in the shadows.
08:12 PM on 08/12/2012
so where are lazy liberals referenced?
01:08 AM on 08/12/2012
"Let's hope the American people also get a debate about his blueprint for LGBT equality, immigration, voting rights, reproductive freedom and other constitutional issues. Indeed, it's just as abysmal as Romney's."

You had comments related to all the other subjects, but nothing on immigration. Fact is, supporters of immigration law are not big fans of Ryan and would have preferred Pawlenty. But I'm guessing you were going to complain about any person Romney chose because the ACLU is partisan and for some reason open borders even though open borders has nothing to do with what the ACLU claims to stand for.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
susiewatusi
Dancing around words daily...
12:57 PM on 08/16/2012
"Forget about Ryan joining the bi-partisan ranks in Congress who are trying to move our nation to a more humane immigration policy. He opposes the DREAM Act and voted for building a fence across the U.S.-Mexico border."

Maybe you just "skimmed" the article and missed the fact that he references the stance on immigration. :\
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moviefantastic
The truth shall set you free
10:34 PM on 08/11/2012
This is a defining moment in our time. What we do here and now. I don't want to be part of a generation that let civil liberties fall by the wayside. I don't want to be a part of a generation that looked at awe at our vets, and then dropped kicked to the curb everything they fought and died for.

I want to be part of the generation that took a good hard look into the darkness, didn't flinch, said a prayer, wasn't afraid, or, more afraid of losing than doing nothing.

A civil liberty denied to one, will ultimately be a liberty denied to all.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
johnpw41042
Not 1% of anything
07:57 AM on 08/12/2012
Yes, you are correct in your posting. Thanks for posting. Speaking for myself when someone mentions civil rights relligious freedom comes to mind. I want to be free and not live under some one else's idea of relligion, and not having a religion having sway over the laws of the land. There is way to much of people throwing up their Bible at others and then they don't even abide by it.
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moviefantastic
The truth shall set you free
04:39 PM on 08/12/2012
Thank you and well said. Didn't the Pilgrims come to the "New World" to practice their religion, freely, without the King threatening them with treason?

Freedom of religion, to practice your faith without fear, or, to be free of a religion, and practice none at all.

Heresy? Depends on who you ask. But it makes sense.
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voyager48
Illegitimi Non Carborundum
09:05 AM on 08/14/2012
Civil liberties and minority protections derive from laws and if all you do is try to break down the law in general, you have in fact made yourself fundamentally irrelevant.

Trouble is that the ACLU is incapable of bringing anything to the table - only to try to claim the moral high ground and throw rocks. They are undeniably partisan, bigoted and working on an agenda, which means they will never be part of any practical solution. Sort of like that whiny cousin that nobody actually likes.
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moviefantastic
The truth shall set you free
09:00 PM on 08/14/2012
I suppose it depends
on whether they've helped an individual or not. 
I have also heard where the ACLU took up a case, that was on the web
site "Justia" regarding a known sex offender who wanted access to the
library.  My argument is:  where is the right of children to be safe in
a library.  The ACLU has it's place, I
just question their choice sometimes.  I
believe a child's right to be safe in a public library trumps a predator's
right to be in a public library.  So, I
kind of agree with you. 
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MarcDel
thank G they'll blame you for everything
09:55 PM on 08/11/2012
Interesting when his beloved philosopher Ayn Rand said, "Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)."
fo3angels
Equality is only equality if it is for all
07:23 AM on 08/12/2012
Apparently they figure they 'know better' than some of the minorities (or in the case of women, the majority) when it comes to individual rights. I guess us disabled, and you who are not pale hetero males with personal incomes over $250K just need someone to look out for you because you don't know any better.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
johnpw41042
Not 1% of anything
07:59 AM on 08/12/2012
Yes, it is somewhat like those who want to use the Bible to persecute others, but refuse to live up to the same standards they set for others.
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realsurfin
Pardon me, can you help out a fellow American
09:07 PM on 08/11/2012
Obama should send Romney a food basket for picking Ryan....
05:27 AM on 08/12/2012
Agreed ... now BO won't have to talk about his appalling record.
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BOBinPS
Really?
06:47 PM on 08/11/2012
If you want a country ruled according to someone's vision of scripture, who better to run it than a Bishop?
06:19 PM on 08/11/2012
I've stated many times this election season that it's amusing to watch Romney make gaffes, flip flop, etc. But with Ryan on board now...it's starting to just sound really dangerous for our nation to even consider these two for the 1-2 positions. I simply cannot fathom why any regular so called 99% citizen who's a registered republican would consider voting for these two. Don't they realize these radical plans would affect them as much as the Democratic party citizens? Or it is that they like going backwards instead of fowards.
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johnpw41042
Not 1% of anything
08:04 AM on 08/12/2012
I am beginning to think that for a good portion of the Republicans it is a matter of who wins and not the results of that win are to the country. I have read so many times in writings by Republicans the phrase "anyone but Obama". By Republicans stating that phrase that they would not care if PeeWee Herman got into office just as long as President Obama did not win again.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Heroldness
from the frozen Northland
05:56 PM on 08/11/2012
It's times like these when reading what Rep. Ryan views are on other people's rights that I remember my father saying, "if I don't protect the rights of others, who will be left to protect mine?" I think to few citizens ever think about this. They just expect that their rights will always be there and yet many are about to follow two men who have a very narrow view of who should have rights.
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johnpw41042
Not 1% of anything
08:05 AM on 08/12/2012
I agree, thanks for posting.
04:01 PM on 08/11/2012
I could care less about the dream act and so do most taxpayers.
It amounts to us doing without so someone else gets a free ride.
The others I do not agree with.
Skizzel
No Tea, Koolaid. or Koch for me,
12:26 AM on 08/12/2012
A child brought into this country illegally who grows up and serves in the military that guards us while we sleep is a free ride that makes you do without?
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johnpw41042
Not 1% of anything
08:07 AM on 08/12/2012
Yes, sort of like the wealthy getting some more free rides off the backs of the middle and lower class of people in this country?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jdubhub
02:23 PM on 08/11/2012
Romney/Ryan will have today and the Sunday talk shows. Once the week arrives and the smoke clears, people will get to see what Ryan really brings to the table. Team Obama already has an oppo file for Ryan and it ready to use it.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dennidus1680
06:59 PM on 08/11/2012
And I can't wait to see the debates. It should be amusing. Kinda like Bush's first debate with Gore. He got creamed until the announcer said he held his own. That guy must have watched a different debate or was paid off well.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
William1950
everything I say could be wrong.
01:38 PM on 08/11/2012
when the conservatives talk about smaller government, they mean less regulation for the wall street crowd, less environmental protections, less emphasis on safety for the working poor.
AND ... more laws regulating personal behavior, more laws regulating what you can say, do, and who you can love... they would put cameras on every street corner and drug test everyone on demand... they would have everyone carry "citizenship papers" on their person and be able to produce them on demand...
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johnpw41042
Not 1% of anything
08:09 AM on 08/12/2012
Yes, very similar to the National Socialist policies from a country in Europe in the last century.
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kathy smelser
01:35 PM on 08/11/2012
their idea for America ....TOTAL DICTATORSHIP