Can you hear me now?
No, I'm not checking reception from my cell phone.
Just wondering if the government snoops can hear me. Or if the American public can hear our basic freedom melting away.
In grade school we all learned Patrick Henry's famous quote: "Give me liberty or give me death."
Benjamin Franklin said more or less the same thing: "The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either."
But the message from Bush, Cheney & GOP is: Give me your liberty or die.
And a lot of us seem to be buying it.
Last summer, Congress passed the Protect America Act giving government snoops more or less unlimited power to listen in on our phone calls.
Democrats expressed some reservations, but they wanted to go on vacation.
Can't wait, said Mike McConnell, director of national intelligence. Al Qaeda's ready to attack and Americans will die if you go on vacation without giving us unlimited power to snoop.
So, the Democrats caved and did what they were told. Couldn't give up any of their vacation to spend time with hearings and debate.
But some folks back home didn't like like that very much. And the Democrats were embarrassed. Never again, they vowed.
Again is here. The Protect America Act will expire this week if Congress doesn't renew it.
Make it permanent, say Bush, Cheney & GOP or the terrorists will kill us. The Democrats are offering a 30-day extension to give them time to consider the issue in a more deliberate fashion.
We'll die if the law expires, Bush says. But he'll veto a 30-day extension. Do it my way or die, seems to be his position.
Will the Democrats cave again? It's hard to say. But we'll know this week.
Will the terrorists kill me if Congress stands up to protect our freedom?
Give me liberty or give me death. Can you hear me now?
That's my two cents' worth. What's yours? -- Jerreigh@contemplayshuns.com
Comments