PATRIOT ACT ISN'T IN OUR BEST INTEREST

Regardless of what one writer believes ("Trust U.S. officials to protect us"), the Patriot Act is the worst piece of legislation ever devised by this corrupt administration. It systematically butchers our Constitution by letting our own "trusted" government officials to suspend our own rights (and habeus corpus laws) in this war on "terror"--whenever they feel like it.

Using pieces of our own history to justify our government to believe it is "above the law" in the here and now--isn't in our nation's best interest.

Perhaps the writer would also like to reflect on what one of our own founding fathers said: "Those that sacrifice their freedoms and liberty for a little piece of false security--deserve neither." (Benjamin Franklin.)

I am not afraid of terrorists hitting our shores--ever since Bush told them to "Bring it on!"

But I am not about to let our own government destroy our nation's heritage in the face of fear.

The same fear and ignorance which they themselves orchestrated by making such secret and covert deals in the first place--with the very same terrorists that we are forced to confront today.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

BUSH'S FISCAL HYPOCRISY

It's sad and pathetic that Bush is now trying to crack down on spending bills--when--for the last six years...?

He's never had to veto a single one of them.

So why start now?

History's already got him pegged as being the most spendful and "wasteful" President to ever take the Oval Office; surpassing Ronald Reagan and his own father on spending initiatives.

Coupled with two debts, two wars, tax cuts for the rich, and now a flood of booming retirees, there isn't much Bush can do--except to keep on spending our country into debt until he leaves office.

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX

BUSH KEEPS REDEFINING TORTURE

Remember when Clinton famously said: "It depends on what you mean by definition"?

Well now, here we are--six years into this embarrassing excuse for a Presidency--and Bush has constantly had to "redefine" himself and what definitions mean for certain things.

Things like:

The Constitution

Federal law

Oath of Office

Illegal spying

Indefinite detention

Human rights

Executive power

Habeus corpus

and of course--my all time favorite?

Torture.

Here we have water-boarding, exposure to extreme temperatures, and slapping people till they are blue in the face.

Each and every one of these methods are construed as methods of torture--but Bush keeps redefining them as "legal and lawful methods of interrogation". (Severe as they may be.)

So it makes me wonder:

What will a rogue nation like Iran or Syria use if they capture some of our soldiers out in the battlefield tomorrow?

Will they call it "legal and lawful"--as Bush has done many times over?

I mean--after all--if we can torture our enemies in secret, surely other nations can do the same in return.

After all: Fair is fair--in time of love and war.

Right?

Schuyler Thorpe

xxxth Street xx #X001

Everett, WA 98204

(XXX)-XXX-XXXX