My reasons for writing this post are solely to encourage you, and to arm you. I am compelled to do so not only by the events of the past eight years, but by what has been revealed in Keith Olbermann's interview with former National Security Agency analyst, Russell Tice.
My intent is simple: that you and your family, if you have not been focusing your attention on national politics, as indeed, I myself did not until last August, are able to become aware of and absorb the events that occurred in this country under the auspices of the Bush administration.
The events which sent the United States barreling towards becoming a Fascist Republic, and signified the end of our Democratic Republic. Indeed, in the 200+ year history of our nation, such a situation had never been allowed to occur, and yet it did, on our watch. We must guard our freedom well to prevent any possibility of a recurrence, because we love our children and our country. And guarding it requires awareness and action.
But..... it's over, you say. President Bush and Vice President Cheney are no longer in power. In part, certainly. However, in order to safeguard our freedom for future generations, we must all be aware of, and pass on what happened to this country to cause it to conform with the ideals of a fascist republic, and give up our constitutional rights to a group of men who sought power that was not their's under the tenets of our constitution.
This is so important, that this era of our history will forever become a part of all unbiased teachings about our constitution, the history of our republic, and so on. We as a country, came just this close to becoming what the constitution was supposed to have prevented.
It occurred because a group of men, led by President George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove, sought an inordinate amount of power in order to personally benefit from the wielding of that power. Their methods included the intent to instill so much fear in the American people that we would willingly accept restrictions upon our liberty, the revocation of the tenets of our constitution, and they were indeed highly successful. They benefited personally on a scale never before seen, and we have been left with the nation's coffers empty, the monies handed over to Halliburton, Blackwater, and others, a resulting economic crisis of a magnitude not yet reached, a global financial crisis that may take years to recover from, two wars, one of them completely unnecessary and immoral, and our reputation in shreds all over the world.
videos after the jump
Although it is highly unlikely to happen, these people should be tried for high treason, in my opinion. For what is more treasonous than to seek personal gain by destroying the very fabric of the country they are supposed to serve, by sneering at the constitution as they tore down the barriers to their power?
Democracy can not exist without a free press
The second video is new, released Wednesday night, and it is the testimony of whistleblower, and former National Security Agency analyst, Russell Tice, who reveals to Keith Olbermann on MSNBC that one of the groups spied on by the NSA was the press. How important is that? It is of the most extreme importance in a free society, for without the press, we would not have discovered much of what occurred during the Bush administration. The press is a deterrent, and a watchdog, and a partner to the people in any Democracy. So important that Democracy can not exist with out a free press. You will find both videos at the end of this post.
Please watch these videos with your children over the age of 12, stress to them the importance of personal responsibility, and the tenets of the constitution. Teach them that Democracy must be guarded, and certainly not taken for granted. Help them to look up related info online. Or, in other words, teach them what every citizen should know about their civic responsibilities.
Executive Powers
The process of returning this country to the rule of law began on January 21 when President Obama issued his first Executive Order, which revoked Executive Order 13233 of November 1, 2001, signed by former President Bush. EO13233 enabled former Presidents and Vice Presidents to limit public access to their records. An order designed to allow the former President and the former Vice President to cover up their activities while in office, and eliminate the transparency heretofore decreed by the Constitution.
To encourage President Obama to move rapidly on this, I urge you to contact him, as well as your senators and representatives, and ask that the executive powers accorded to President Bush that are unconstitutional and dangerous, be revoked immediately. The fact that President Obama has started this process is admirable, and important, but we can not ever again be content to sit on the sidelines and assume that a president will do the right things. We must pay attention, and we must let government know that we are paying attention. This matters.
Video No. 1 - Keith Olbermann - 8 Years in 8 Minutes
Video No. 2 - Keith Olbermann - Whistelblower reveals surveillance target
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
For further information on President Obama's first executive Order, and the Presidential Records act, click here. For further information on the crimes committed by the Bush administration, start here.
Cross-posted on A World of Progress TeamZine.
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