|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Miscellaneous |
|
Giving up our liberties to protect... |
Current rating: 0 |
by Loretta Manning, alumni UIUC
Email: lorettam (nospam) telocity.com (unverified!)
Phone: 847-864-5592
Address: 1029 Ashland Evanston, IL 60202 |
21 Oct 2001
Modified: 13 Nov 2001 |
|
Giving up our liberties to protect.. |
October 20, 2001
I wish government officials and news organizations would talk more about these issues:
Are we to give up liberty and democracy to protect liberty and democracy?
Anti-terrorism legislation the executive branch is rushing through congress creates new powers of search and seizure that cut into traditional notions of privacy, oversight by the judiciary and undermine due process in general. These new provisions ought to be enacted just for the search of terrorists and should not be used in other alleged criminal investigations, and they ought to have a time limit or so-called sunset provision. The sunset provision means that these new laws have to be reconsidered after a time period like 18 months or two years so that the public and lawmakers can look at it in a reasonable, non-hurried and appropriate manner. These issues cut to the core of the bill of rights.
The construction and implementation of the anti-terrorism effort ought not to be turned over completely to the executive branch. This is counter to the very fabric of our democracy. Government officials have shown by their having turned away in the past from international terrorism conventions and the protocol on biological weapons that they need input at home and political agreements abroad Congressional oversight and public input into political and military expenditures and policy is the democratic way. I hope also that fear is not used opportunistically to prop up legislative directions.
Finally, the executive branch should not use the terrorist acts to push through "yes or no" fast track authority on negotiating multilateral trade agreements. Congressional oversight and public input is needed for these secret agreements. For instance, recently it has come to light in the Nation magazine that certain provisions cause litigation problems to assess damages - due to dangerous or faulty products, which are promulgated by large corporations across borders. Multilateral trade agreements constructed by large corporations pushed by the executive branch without our input affect our lives, laws and values.
Are we to give up liberty and democracy to protect liberty and democracy? |
|
uh help |
by jean
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
13 Nov 2001
|
|
i dont undersand this i have to do a project about executivve branch and their duties AH HELP |
