A few days ago, Congress approved a law which expanded the federal government’s authority to eavesdrop without getting a warrant from a court, as is presumably required by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. In theory, this does not affect conversations between two Americans inside the country, but since we’re supposed to trust the snoopers to make the proper distinctions – well, who trusts the government, especially under the current regime?
But since everyone who voted for this abomination – including both Salazar brothers, alas – has at one time or another sworn to uphold and defend our Constitution, it dawned on me that the document might have changed in recent years:
New Version: “The Unitary Executive shall have Power To engage the armed Forces of the United States at any Place and Time of his Choosing for an indefinite Duration.”
New Version: “The Congress shall have Power … To protect the Revenue Stream of the Disney Corporation, to extend time and again indefinitely the exclusive Right to the Use of its cartoon Characters, and further, to Criminalize the hitherto Civil Tort of Copyright Infringement.”
New Version: “He [the Unitary Executive] may issue ‘Signing Statements’ indicating which Laws, if any, he chooses to follow while performing such Duties of Office as he deems appropriate.”
New Version: “Congress and the Unitary Executive may cause the establishment of religion by funding the Faith-Based Initiative Program. The freedom of speech may be abridged by National Security Letters which are too secret to explain here. The freedom of the press shall not be abridged so long as it is devoted to celebrity activities, tawdry trivia and the misdeeds of the British Royal Family. The right of the people to assemble may be limited to First Amendment Zones hidden from public view. The right of the people to petition the Government for redress of grievances shall be directly proportionate to their Funds for engaging Lobbyists.”
New Version: “All searches and seizures, if ordered by the Unitary Executive or an Agent thereof, shall be deemed legitimate whether conducted with or without a Warrant.”
New Version: “The Unitary Executive may deprive any person of life, liberty, or property at any time for any reason, or no reason at all, and shall not be called to account for such actions.”
There are people who say our federal constitution is a “living document,” but when we ponder the traditional concept of a government with limited, enumerated powers, our constitution today looks more like a “dead document.”
Ed Quillen of Salida (ed@cozine.com) is a former newspaper editor whose column appears Tuesday and Sunday.
