Recently, many Democrats have come out and used their new found full majority to speak in favor of removing the freedoms that they see give advantage to the Republicans.
Not now, nor ever, is removing peoples freedoms a good ideas. We must rule with example, we must be better than the Bush administration of the past 8 years.
Never has curtailing liberties been a good thing. Be it the Patriot Act, Illegal Wiretapping, Hate Speech laws, or the fairness doctrine.
In 1917 the Espionage Act was passed by Woodrow Wilson, who was one of the founding members of the Progressive Movement, and part of the Democratic Party.
Under the Espionage act over 200 people were prosecuted, for simply encouraging people to resist the draft, speaking out against World War 1, or speaking out against any politician.
Amongst the people arrested was Eugene V. Debs, presidential candidate of the Socialist Party. He received over 2 million votes as a independent candidate from jail.
In fact Eugene V. Debs was not released by any Democrat, but by a Republican: Warren G. Harding.
A important lesson, we Democrats must learn from these inhumane acts taken by Wilson, is that curtailing freedoms is NEVER a good idea.
Recently many Democrats have come out proposing a reinstatement of the fairness doctrine, a act that would force radio stations, tv stations, and internet websites to provide both conservative and liberal coverage, but this is another infringment on the freedom of speech?
How can we, as Democrats, lead by example, when we are willing to create laws that are no better than the Patriot Act?
How can we, as Democrats, strip away basic freedoms, and expect to somehow better than the Necons?
The answer is simple: We can't.