Former republican Representative Bob Barr (R-GA), known as a rogue among some of his fellow party members, has been one of the more vocal critics of George Bush's domestic spying program and has expressed serious concern over the renewal of the Patriot Act. Yesterday, at the Unitarian Church in Montpelier, Vermont, he joined congressman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on a panel to discuss the crisis in civil liberties and he made some very interesting remarks.
People familiar with former Representative Barr likely recall him as the congressman who led the charge on the 1998 Clinton impeachment hearings. A self-proclaimed ardent defender of
limited government, the free market, and of steadfast adherence to civil liberties, Barr sided with the libertarians in support of impeachment, not because of the Starr investigation, but because of
"his scandalous record of violating the Constitutionally protected civil and economic liberties of American citizens."
Eight years later, this case against Clinton seems paltry and petty in comparison to this administration's roughshod trampling of civil liberties and blatant disregard for constitutional checks and balances. Yesterday, two politicians, whose polar political views span the entire congressional body, chaired a panel along with Vermont civil libertarian Ben Scotch, Vermont Law School Professor Cheryl Hannah, and UVM librarian Trina Magi. I heard the story on Vermont Public Radio morning edition while driving into the office so the exact details are not yet available but, from Sanders' website I was able to find the following press release:
Montpelier, VT-Vermonters today joined Congressman Bernie Sanders and conservative Republican Bob Barr, former U.S. Representative from Georgia, to discuss the crisis in civil liberties. Bob Barr, one of the more conservative former members of the U.S. House of Representatives, has been an outspoken critic of the USA Patriot Act, and represents a growing number of conservatives who are deeply concerned about the Bush Administration's policies on civil liberties.
Sanders said, "Throughout America people from all walks of life and all political persuasions are becoming increasing concerned about the Bush Administration's assaults on our constitutional rights. Whether it's the overall secrecy under which the Bush Administration acts, or the USA Patriot Act, or secret prisons and the defense of torture or Bush's directive to the NSA to snoop on Americans without court approval, the President has shown great disrespect for those values which make us a free country."
Sanders and Barr were joined on a panel with Vermont civil libertarian Ben Scotch, Vermont Law School Professor Cheryl Hannah and UVM librarian Trina Magi. The event took place at the Unitarian Church in Montpelier, Vermont.
Lamentably, Sanders did not include in the press release former Representative Barr's damning comments he made on the subject of the unfolding constitutional crisis. If I could paraphrase from memory, Barr proclaimed that, "in cases such as these, we must put the constitution ahead of the party. If resolution of this crisis demands a change of party power, than I support that change." (I've put a call in to Barr's communications director for a transcript of the panel.)
Does anyone find this striking? I understand that Barr, one of the most conservative former members of the U.S. house of Representatives, has consulted on privacy issues with the ACLU in the past, but potentially advocating a change of party power in 2006 to check this administration's self-proclaimed executive authority to eradicate civil liberties and constitutional checks and balances in the name of unitary power is profound....
..but not entirely surprising..
I expect, as the cloak of secrecy and protection is pulled layer by layer away from the pretend monarch, more and more constitutional advocates from the right will join hands with the left and restore the nation's faith in the constitutional process by taking what appears to be the remaining effective action - returning power to the democrats.