More Abuse of Power

Once again the President has used a signing statement to expand his authority at the expense of the Constitution and civil liberties.

A statement attached to postal legislation by President Bush last month may have opened the way for the government to open mail without a warrant.

The White House denies any change in policy, but civil libertarians are alarmed, saying the government has never publicly claimed that power before.

Federal law has long required a search warrant to open first class mail unless postal inspectors suspect it contains something dangerous, like a bomb or a hazardous chemical...

 

Of course, the Administration denies it's up to anything here.  Tony Snow says, "All this is saying is that there are provisions at law for — in exigent circumstances — for such inspections. It has been thus. This is not a change in law, this is not new... What the signing statement indicates is what present law allows, in making it clear what the provisions are..."

 

Not true. 

 

Americans have, and should continue to have, an expectation of protection from arbitrary rule.  No single person, or single branch of government, should have the authority to declare what 'threats' exist and what actions they may take to deal with those threats.  Our constitutional liberties should be preserved, not sacrificed to the judgment of a President- least of all to a President who has shown such a monumental lack of judgment in terms of policy decisions.

 

I hope Americans make their views known on this matter.

 

Better not use the mail, though.

 

GP