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
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Between you and Ron Paul, a strong republic grows from the ashes of both parties. I'm not suggesting a thing, only being optimistic.
Thank you Senator Dodd. Your patriotism is a globalist's nightmare. Now, would you please remove the fascists blocking the light of freedom?
http://www
All the best, my friend.
Senator Dodd: You are highly respected by both Democrats and by all Republicans that are independent thinkers. I have been around many decades and have at one time or another voted for candidates of both political parties. But, I have to say I have never seen anything like the current lunatic fringe of neoconism that has captured the Republican Party. There has never been such a need for sanity, truth, and objective thinking, and I can't think of any Senator that has more of these qualities than you.
Senator Dodd, Thank you for restoring my faith in our government. It is really so simple, good men must stand up and resist the attacks to our constitution. Thank you for having the courage to be that person. I will support you as long as you support our constitution.
I hope the 2nd tier candidates continue to push the 1st tier candidates with measures such as Dodd's.
Chris Dodd for Senate Majority Leader!!
Well, good to see that there are now three elected officials in DC that understand we must restore the constitution of this country.
I hope Dodd understands that some of the restoration is dire. Things like abolishing the fed reserve, the patriot act, and the military commissions act (just the name of it spells out how bad it is) is no way to run a free society. Most people want a simpler life. They are figuring out that the more complicated we make it (as in socialist) the less free we are. The new era of political agenda is not to legislate more but to legislate more to do less. Let people of states, districts, counties or their own cities decide what is best for them.
From one of you constituents: THANK YOU!
I know my last vote to keep you in office was well cast.
Go to his web site and sign hid petition:
http://www
Senator Dodd,
The strength of huffingtonpost is we can discuss issues without having to self censor to avoid offending the sensabilities of the American people at large. I know those in congress don't have this luxury, but if someone could start a discussion it might end up being of great value to the country in the long run. The issue is our troops in Iraq. They were sent through no fault of their own, they are just following orders, but they are not protecting America. In fact, they are making us less safe by turning the rest of the world against us. They can't spread democracy by starting wars. They can't kill the enemy when their killing just creates more hatred toward us. They are not even fighting for American interests because it is only the owners of certain oil companies that stand to gain. They took a relatively stable global oil situation and have made it of more concern to the consumers of the world. The soldiers are doing the job they have been given, but they are not fighting for us. If a senator could bring this issue up, he would probably get voted out of office, but he might be able to start a discussion that would echo forward and ultimately be our salvation as a nation. That might make such a senator more of an American hero than any president could ever be.
Chris Dodd is the only presidential candidate who is addressing the issue of the piecemeal destruction of our Constitution and also trying to do something about it. We owe him a debt of gratitude and need to stand up and stand behind him.
Except for Kucinich who would have kicked bush and Cheney out years ago and has filed articals of impeachmen
I totally agree although Kucinich would defend the Constitution too. Chris Dodd is a good man and is certainly qualified to be President. We also know that he has real courage because he was willing to support Ned Lamont against Joe Lieberman in his state. He has earned our respect and support.
RJ Crane, editor
topplebush
Sentator Dodd,
To see you follow through on this plan will make me, for the first time in many years, very proud of one of my own CT elected representatives. As you know, and voters who read and pay attention know, empty words from calculating politicians no longer carry the day, so I send you support as you help filibuster some good old common constitutional sense into your very lost colleagues.
Many thanks.
Chris Dodd is a mature, reasonable, and experience politician who actually has maintained his moral value system. Heck, Dodd has even maintained a sense of humor in the midst of craziness.
http://the
In other words, everything that George Bush is not...
Senator Dodd, if you filibuster FISA with an honest aim to stop it dead, if you make a stand heroically against this administration, if you become the political resistance fighter we need in the Senate, you will get my vote. Even if you are the only Senator to filibuster (which you won't be), if you lead the charge, I will support you. Restore habeus corpus. Get the spooks out of our private electronic communications. Get us the hell out of Iraq. And impeach! You could be the next President if you take a stand. And you will certainly contrast yourself against Senators Clinton and Obama, because those two wouldn't be caught dead within a mile of someone taking a heroic stand.
P.S.: As you know, the corporate media will rip you shreds. At some point, however, the more they rip, the more support you will get. The one thing the media can't defeat is someone who just won't give up.
Thank you Senator Dodd for your leadership. May I suggest you restate your oath at the next Democratic debate and ask the other candidates to do the same--during the debate. I would like to see if it means as much to them as it does to you.
Thank you.
“ The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.
Hello Senator Dodd,
I think it is honorable and brave of you to write here as so many other elected officials don't. You're welcome.
Now, if you are fighting the enemies of this country, how come you're not openly supporting an impeachment of Cheney and Bush? I know that you know that Cheney and Bush are enemies of this country -- and that is not some cute play of words but 100% real. And if you're not willing to go public with your support of an impeachment of Cheney and Bush then at least you should conspire with your colleges to bring about an impeachment. Actually, merely supporting an impeachment is not enough. You should campaign for impeachment.
Also, you should make sure that enemy of the U.S.A., Felix Rohatyn, gets kicked out of Nancy Pelosi's office and out of the Democratic party. That traitor is telling Pelosi to keep the impeachment off the table (apart from facilitating the destruction of the US auto industry and campaigning for privatization of the military). If I'm not totally wrong, you are favorable to that enemy of ours.
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