17
Feb
I believe the PATRIOT Act represents the cracked domestic crown jewel of a disastrous global war on terror which led us to attack Iraq based on lies, invade Afghanistan based on a misreading of history, indulge in occupations which have fueled insurgencies, extend war to Pakistan and other countries, demonstrating a total lack of common sense.
The PATRIOT Act issues from a pestiferous soil laced with lies and distortions. We created a national security state which threatens our Constitution and weakens our basic liberties. This is not about whether you are a Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, but whether we can actually realize that we have been sold a bill of goods, lies about WMD’s, questions about the nature of an anthrax attack, which caused us all too willingly to limit our civil liberties.
I joined other Members of Congress in approving the United States launching attacks on training camps after 9/11 because we have a right to respond and defend ourselves. We also have an obligation to defend the Constitution. We have an obligation to defend the truth. Freedom isn’t free and we shouldn’t freely give our freedoms away.