The Constitution is NOT a List of Suggestions!

This week the Senate voted to pass President Bush’s FISA bill amendment. A bill that will grant retroactive immunity to telecommunication corporations that violated the constitutional rights of an untold number of American citizens. This is not acceptable.

The first and most fundamental responsibility of every member of Congress is to uphold the rights enumerated by the United States Constitution. And July 9th 2008 will forever go down as the day when Congress failed to uphold their duty. The Constitution is not a list of suggestions. It is a list of rights that no President and no Congress have the right to take away.

The simple truth is that no one benefits when our civil liberties are compromised. When the civil liberties of Americans disappear no one is safe regardless of race, gender, or political affiliation. Furthermore, laws like this FISA bill set a dangerous precedent for the future. We should never compromise our inalienable rights. First the Patriot Act, then the suspension of Habeas Corpus, and now the FISA amendment; which constitutional right will go next?

It’s time for our representatives to vote for what's right for America rather than what's right for their political careers. It’s not good enough to simply send someone to Congress because of the "D" or "R" next to their name. When voting, Americans must ask themselves one very simple question. "Who will fight for my rights?"

-- Diane Benson