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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 federal 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 national constitution, it dawned on me that the document might have changed in recent years:
Old Version, Article 1, Section 8: The Congress shall
have Power ... To declare War....
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.
Old Version, Article I, Section 8: The Congress shall
have Power ...To promote the Progress of Science and useful
Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and
Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings
and Discoveries;
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.
Old Version, Article I, Section 9: No Money shall be
drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of
Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and
Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public
Money shall be published from time to time.
New Version: The Expenditures of public Money for any
Activities that may be designated as related to National
Security, as defined by the Unitary Executive, shall be
hidden from the Public, and any Person revealing any such
Information to the Public shall be deemed a
Traitor.
Old Version, Article 2, Section 3L He [the President]
shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully
executed.
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.
Old Version, Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of
grievances.
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.
Old Version, Amendment 4: The right of the people to
be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects,
against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable
cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly
describing the place to be searched, and the persons or
things to be seized.
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.
Old Version, Amendment 5: No person shall be ...
deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process
of law.
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.
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