I was motivated. I was energized. And yes, dear friends, I was even filled with hope.
It was nice while it lasted.
Barack Obama is a lie like all the rest. At this point I can't even call him a liar. It implies an action... a specific flaw. No, he is not a liar. He is a lie. Everything about him is a lie. And I fell for the lie -- hook, line, and weighty, weighty sinker.
I championed Obama. I rooted for the guy. I cheered when the underdog rose above the top dog. His campaign inspired me. His speeches moved me. But it was all words... empty rhetoric.
For those who missed it, the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution reads as follows:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Isn't that a pretty section of the Bill of Rights? The prose has a dynamic flow that lures the reader into believing American citizens have the right to privacy. As of this week, the Fourth Amendment is null and void. It is now a Congressionally mandated lie... a lie Barack Obama helped to enact into the law of the land.
For those who missed it, Obama joined the ranks of the Republicans and Democrats who voted for an amendment to the FISA bill that, in short, allows for wiretapping of Americans without just cause, and allows the telecommunications companies immunity from prosecution for their complicity in the unconstitutional wiretapping ordered by the President of the United States. Initially against the bill, Obama changed his mind, claiming the bill had been modified to his satisfaction. What, you may ask, were the modifications? Fantastic question.
First, the originally proposed amendment gave blanket immunity to the telecommunications companies, which our man Obama didn't like. So the amendment was changed, only not really. The amendment that was ratified in the Senate with 68 votes offers immunity only to those companies that have a letter from the US government stating the unconstitutional wiretapping was legal. Of course, every telecommunications company was given such a letter, so the change is, in point of fact, not a change at all. To summaruze, every company has its own "Get out of jail free" card.
Second, Obama said he didn't like the idea of the government conducting surveillance of US citizens without a warrant. The ratified amendment does not allow for that. Seriously... it is forbidden in no uncertain terms, only not really. The amendment includes provisions for when warrantless invasions of privacy occur. In other words, according to the amendment, illegal searches are wrong, but when the government chooses to do wrong, they must follow certain guidelines. Yes, dear friends, the government now has an instruction manual detailing how to violate the rights of US citizens. The good news, according to supporters of the amendment, is that when the government determines a US citizen has committed no crimes, it must destroy all records and evidence of the unconstitutional surveillance. To summarize, they can spy on you, but they can't keep records on you until they catch you doing something wrong.
Barack Obama agreed to those changes. He is a lie, not because he changed his mind, and not even because he signed off on legislation that relegates the Constitution of the United States to the same status as Hints from Heloise. He is a lie because he claims to be a proponent of change, a harbinger of hope, and an independent thinker. He is none of those things. He is a lie.
I cannot vote for Barack Obama. I cannot vote for John McCain (who also voted in favor of the amendment). This is a clear indication that whichever candidate wins in November, the next four years will be more of the same. Our basic freedoms will continue to be denied. Our basic liberties will continue to be stripped away. Our government will continue to be answerable to no one... not even to itself.