I sent this letter ( personlized of course) to my congressman, and both of my senators from Texas. I'm sure I'll be hearing little clicks on my phone any time now. If you have not done so, please take the time to compose a quick letter, and send it to your congressmen. If they get enough letters, we just might make a difference. My point is that your either with the Constitution and the people, or you are with Bush. That needs to be the meme.
Letter below the fold
" Senator Hutchison, unfortunatly I had to use government affairs as my category, as there is none on your website for Constitutional violations. And currently we are in a serious Constitutional crisis. I have been very disappointed to see recently, that you would rather defend your party and a politician, rather than stand up for the Constitution and the 4th ammendment rights of your constituents.
I am of course referring to your approving of president Bush using the NSA to spy on American citizens. All the word parsing and legalise in the world doesn't make up for the simple fact that the president abused his powers, broke the FISA law, and violated his oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Its very simple really there are only two positions on this, either you protect the president, or you protect your consituents 4th ammendment rights and uphold your own oath to the Constitution. So which will you decide to defend?
I can assure you that this issue will not go away during the holiday recess. Everyone I have talked to is very concerned about this, and even die-hard conservatives ( of which I include myself) are completely against this abuse of power. This is basic Constitutional law. Be honest with yourself if no-one else; you are an intelligent person, you know that you did not vote to authorize the president to expand his powers to violate the constitution in the 2001 vote to authorize force against al-queda. You also know that the 4th ammendment supercedes any "powers" the president thinks he may have to violate the remainder of the Constitution, and you know that the president does not have the responsibility to protect the American people by abusing their rights as he continually states.You also know that the FISA law allows the president unprecedented powers, and flexibility, yet he couldn't even follow those simple rules. Why? You should be asking this question and getting the answers ready for your constituents.
The only talking point I have heard from the president on why we can believe him when he only approved wiretaps on al-queda members is "trust me". You mean like I trusted him on WMD's? Sorry, but I don't trust this president or any president who thinks he is above the Constitution, and neither did our founding fathers, thus the separations of powers, and the 4th ammendment. How do we know that the president didn't mis-use his office and spy on political opponents or innocent citizens? We don't because he violated the FISA law which REQUIRES him to get judicial approval. As a senator you should be outraged that the president unilateraly decided that he was above a law congress passed. Would you feel the same under a democratic president?? I think not, and that is where you are not only violating your oath, but violating the trust of the citizens of Texas if you do not support an investigation.
You were sent to Washington at the will of the people to serve the people; not to be a Republican senator and lapdog of the president, but be an AMERICAN Senator of the people. Start to act like one. "