My Oath of Office

As required by Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, Members of Congress are bound to support the Constitution. We take the following oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter."

As the representatives of the American people, our job is in many ways quite simple: to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." There's no question in my mind that Democrats were given a majority in both the House and the Senate based on their promises to change the course of the country. We were elected to strengthen the nation by ending this war, restoring our standing in the world and returning the nation to an adherence to the rule of law. An integral part of that mandate was to reverse and stop the Bush Administration's assault on the Constitution.

Yet, we today are faced with the possibility that the Senate will see a renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that enables the Bush Administration to broadly eavesdrop on American citizens and provides for retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that helped them violate civil liberties and the law.

The Constitution of the United States belongs to the American people, not to the Bush administration. It is our responsibility as Senators and Congressmen to stand up and fight for it.

That's why I announced last week that I would put a "hold" on any FISA reform legislation that includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies -- and why, if my hold is not honored for some reason by the Senate Leadership, I pledge to filibuster to stop telecom amnesty from becoming law.

The need to honor our oath of office isn't limited to defending the Constitution. Anyone who has paid attention these last five years knows that there is no military solution in Iraq. We will be more safe and more secure when we get our troops out of Iraq. To continue on this failed course, to continue to fund our involvement in Iraq's civil war is, in my opinion, a dereliction of our oath of office as well.

The path forward is clear: it's time for Congress to set a date certain for withdrawal from Iraq and tie it to funding. If I could, I'd say we start bringing our troops home tonight to the heroes welcome they deserve. At the same time, we have to act to defend the rule of law and support the Constitution.

The truth is, I never thought I'd be running for President on a platform of restoring the Constitution and America's standing in the world or something as elementary as honoring the oath of office we take. But with our security at risk, we haven't any other choice. I haven't forgotten the words I first uttered on January 4th, 1975 and I will dedicate myself to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic until I take the oath of office on January 20, 2009 - this time, as the President of the United States. I hope you'll stand with me and ask your Senators to do the same as they consider further funding for the war in Iraq and retroactive immunity for telecom companies.

Learn more about my campaign at ChrisDodd.com.

Follow Sen. Chris Dodd on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SenChrisDodd

Comments

[flatus]

impeach.

[WireDolly]

Thank you, Senator Dodd,

You have my absolute support. I am glad to see some Dems with cajones break out of this stupor that we've been in. I was beginning to think there may actually be something in the water in the Capitol, some right-wing flu virus or something.

Props to you and Pete Stark for standing your/our ground and starting at least to take back what is ours from those "domestic enemies"--that shamefully include our un-elected White House Resident Bush.

[LoriAnn]

Thank you Senator Dodd....Go­od Blog...I am very irate with my wireless provider Verizon for getting involved in these "witch hunts". Who knows if I was someone on their list or perhaps my college age daughter who traveled abroad in these past couple years...it­s frightening!! What has this country become and what does it say about this administration and the citizenry that supports them. I am actively seeking another wireless provider after a good number of years paying Verizon to be what amounts to a "double agent".

[bigbear]

Chris The congress has the power to CHARGE-TRY­-CONVICT-a­nd JAIL Bush and Cheaney. Read Article 1. Section 8. and the Fifth Amendment because no Grand Jury is needed,most important only a simple majority is needed to do this. They have violated the Geneva Convention-the UN Charter- thr Allied War Codes at Nuremburg 1945,Etc. Impeachment would follow!!!

[CALORNA]

I hope you stick to your principals­.I am so disappointed in the dems I could scream.Do not confirm Mucasey!!!!

[Overd0g]

I'm rooting for you. Hopefully you'll begin the process of invalidating the New Deal programs, which are clearly unconstitutional.

[dyannne]

Bravo, Senator Dodd. I trust that you are a man of your word and that you will follow through with a REAL filibuster. Talk till you're blue. Don't stop. Keep going. We're behind you. And I do believe like someone before me said, that you have a real chance at the presidency if you stand firm. You will stand out from the pack. We need someone who will stand for us, we the people. We have spoken. You know what we want. We need a hero, Senator. You could be it.

[llozano]

Thank you Senator Dodd. I would hope that the Senators from my state of California will stand by you.

[Mark701]

Thank you Senator we all appreciate your efforts.
Many Americans seem to have forgotten that our physical safety is not the most important thing we have to protect. If we believed this is 1776 we'd still be speaking with an English accent. Our freedom is what counts. Our freedom is what thousands of men and women over the generations, disregarded their physical safety to protect. Most Americans will never be faced with having to go to war. But we can honor these men and women that gave everything they had to protect the US Constitution by being a little less afraid and a bit more corageous when it comes to protecting our freedoms. By telling the George Bush's and Dick Cheney's of the world that we will not allow ourselves to be frightened into giving up our freedoms. That we are willing to take the chance and suffer any potential consequences of protecting our liberties. We owe this to those who died for this country and to those who will inheret the consequences of our actions. I would happily give up a little security for a little liberty.

[veda]

HE GET'S MY VOTE!!!! NOT LIKE THE OTHERS, TOTALLY REAL NOT PLASTIC!!!

[bleek]

What you're promising to do is a pretty large order, i.e., hold, filibuster the retro immunity.

Why would you not filibuster the re-authorization of the program, also? Because it appears as if you are only concerned with the past abuses and not those going forward.

You definitely have me watching, now. Please don't disappoint.

[Weeza]

I am a strong supporter of Senator Dodd, I urge all of you - go to his website to get a real idea of what this man stands for. Its a damn shame that in the country what best qualifies you to be president is how much money you can raise. Chris Dodd, BY FAR, is the one person who has consistently stood for what is right, has not cowered to the Bush agenda, and is a man of his convictions - regardless of whether or not his stand was the popular one. This man is intellectual, insightful, respectable and has my vote

[Pdubya]

I also encourage you, Senator, to support Ron Paul's HR Bill 3835 The American Freedom Agenda Act.

It will protect what you have been honoring as a representative to the people. Thank you

blue dog dem for ron paul

[OldKnute]

Dearest Jane.

The LAW is all we have.

I have watched the Radical Right Puntits for 50 years.

Their chanting is always the same, TAKE THE LAW INTO YOUR OWN HANDS.

WRONG!

Limbaugh, Nancy Grace, Diane Dimond, Bill O`Reilly. Denis Miller, Pat Robertson, Ted Haggart, Joseph McCarthy, Nixon, David Duke, George 41, Al Hage, Kissinger, General McNamara, James Mitchell, Abington, Cheney, R. Armitage, Gordon Liddy, Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Rumsfeld, John Dean, H.C. Lodge, Ann Coulter and many many others all seem to be cut from the came cloth!

They will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, site extreme examples of circumstance, violations, crimes, political circumstance, social unrest, political tensions, boarder or internal incursions, injury or insult and cry out at the TOPS of their lungs, THE LAW HAS FAILED US!

Especially the FOX NEWS CROWD.

ABANDON THE LAW!
We should take the LAW into our own hands.
The Government cannot or will not protect us.
We need WAR!
We need a false Justice of stacked and biased Juries.
We need to manipulate the law for the greater good.
Activist Judges are just too Constitutional.

What??? WHAT????

I just believe this is very, very WRONG!

Review their statements. TODAY and YESTERDAY.

It is always the same, TO HELL WITH THE LAW!

MAKE WAR!

International laws, local laws, Federal laws, State laws, Codes of Conduct, Codes of War, Treaties, International agreements, National Sovereignty, invasions of Privacy, Wrongful Wiretapping, warrant-less investigations, intimidations, trial by Media.

IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME.

Always the same!!!!

AND,,,,,,, It is WRONG!

I will defend the Constitution, America and the LAW, because it is all that stands between us and anarchy, chaos, dictatorship and total slavery.

My America,,,,,,, FOLLOWS THE LAW!

And will have nothing LESS! There,,, IS,,, nothing less!!!!

To this end, I see many of Congress,,, WORKING TOGETHER!

I see it MORE and MORE and MORE and I am PROUD!

You know who I credit with embarrassing the Republican into action? Nancy Pelosi!

Humm???

I wonder if Nancy has a nice, single, sister??????

JMO

All the best

Knute (Neo-LIB)

[OldKnute]

Dear Senator Dodd,

This is a MOST important issue.

I believe there is not one American that does not want to see investigations of people that would harm America. The Constitution contains provisions for this to be done.

WITH A WARRANT.

We can keep our country SAFE, by issuing warrants to the FBI to seek out these individuals on our shores. I believe, if they are outside the possessions or lands of the United States the foreign surveillance services of America, the CIA, working in conjunction with the FBI, should be granted these same types of warrants by the Courts to investigate, build a case and prosecute these individuals who would threaten America.

Mr. Dodd. As far as the Telecommunications companies, if it can be proven that their were acting under the direction and authority of the currant administration in performing illegal and warrantless wiretaps on American citizens, we need to know this. If they have been, I would ask you to hold them 100% BLAMELESS, if they are willing to be honest and give up all information of these wiretaps, the names of all involved and the names of ALL the individuals they were asked to give surrender information on.

BY NAME.

Mr. Dodd, these Companies have violated their professional agreements with the American citizen. We have paid for their companies to grow through what used to be called a *Copper Tax*. In addition to approved rates for services, we as Americans gave the charters to operate in the public good, but have financed their expansions seeing it as a benefit and a part of the greater infrastructure of a growing America. Communication companies in rural America were even granted special fees.

In no uncertain terms, Mr. Dodd, we OWN these companies, not only as investors, but we helped BUILD them. This would also include the satellite based systems, as the rockets that put these systems into orbit are placed there, by the TRILLIONS of dollars we have paid to support the space programs over the years.

Thank you.

All the best

Knute (Neo-LIB)

[Cybershaman]

Knute,
You are spot-on with your analysis. But, we have a situation where 'THE LAW' has been twisted and perverted in order to persecute a large percentage of our population, mostly minorities but not restricted to only people of color. A generation of people who understood what a folly it was to strive for peace through uber-violence have been systematically targetted for imprisonment and representative disenfranchisement, while those born with silver coke spoons in their mouths, have been rewarded for supporting the status quo with positions of power and vast amounts of money.
The injustices this country has practiced on other nations has come home to roost in many ways. This 'new direction' must be able to undo fifty years of intentional institutionalized abuse. Are you listening, Dodd?

[Nooneyouknow]

Ah, dude, you've got some spittle on your Hawaiian shirt...

[Sephirothii13]

Thank you Sen Dobb, Thank you for showing me there are Dems that do have backbones or at least some do

[constitutionalive]

Last night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tavis Smiley explained how children's healthcare could be passed by the House and failed to get the minimum 60 votes from 60 US Senators. Having been raised and educated in the FDR/Eisenh­ower/JFK-L­BJ era or presidential rebuilding and uplifting of this USA nation, I find it not merely offensive but heinously violating the US Constitution for members of the US Congress to take US taxpayer moneys and use those moneys for their personal agendas, be they their own personal political pet project or, worst violation, to run and support other countries, whilst slamming into poverty and hardship the poor and working-ge­tting-poor­er of this country ! Such a juxtaposition of presidents who love the people and want to lift them up from the bottom into the middle class, and the current ungodly bunch who want to enrich a few whilst dispossessing and ruining the rest ! Nancy explained the difference, i.e., former presidents truly believed and acted upon faith values stated in Matthew and Isaiah re: feeding and healing and housign our poor and needy. The current bunch are indeed defilers of the J-C faith, standing upon the Bible and touting the flag whilst seeking votes through misrespresentations to the voters, then pushing-pu­lling-mani­pulating through the Legislature the most heathen-like bills and fundings. Meanwhile, as TIME noted, Justice Roberst and the rest of the Supreme Court Judiciary shun the hard cases which take issue with the federal [and or state] government failing to uphold rights guaranteed by the US Constitution, and fail to enforce laws protecting the most vulnerable US citizens, e.g., the disabled, the elderly, and the children who cannot protect themselves and are limited by their physical/financial abilities to fight for their own rights and needs.
So,
Chris Dodd, are you ready/strong enough to turn this country around from the precipice, back to post WWII years of presidential love, concern and support for US citizens, and caring lifitng up of US poor, whilst shoring-up US middle class ?