I faxed the following letter to my Senator, Claire McCaskill today and thought I'd share it here in case anyone else doesn't have the time to write a letter or email and would like to use it or improve on it. (I borrowed my 4 points (below) from mcjoan's frontpage diaries today).
Dear Senator McCaskill:
The so-called Protect America Act is oxymoronic: it’s both un-American, and it will re-authorize the violation of basic American liberties, not protect them. American rights cannot be protected through legislation that tramples them, not even (or perhaps especially not) in the name of combating terrorism. When laws like these are passed, the terrorists win, unlike when they strike deadly blows against Americans. Reprehensible acts of terrorism galvanize Americans . Assaults on our freedom like the Protect America Act are more insidious, however. Far too many Americans fail to recognize them for the assaults they are because they are disguised in patriotic language. But these are precisely the kinds of attacks on American values that eviscerate our constitution in a way that no terrorist ever could in his wildest, most monstrous and ghoulish dreams.
You should VOTE AGAINST renewing the Protect America Act, but to remain loyal to the oath you took to uphold the constitution you absolutely must VOTE:
- NO on telecomm immunity. Do not vote to protect wealthy companies that lacked the simple courage, decency and patriotism to insist on warrants from the government (despite having high priced legal teams in house and on retainer) before secretly collaborating with the government to violate the constitutional rights of millions of Americans.
- NO to basket warrants or reverse targeting,
- NO to sequestration of illegally obtained evidence, and
- YES to a 4 year sunset provision.
Every generation of Americans faces new and different threats to our liberties and freedom. Terrorism is but one of those. Unchecked government power is another. It was the reason brave Americans revolted against the British empire, and it is the central premise of our constitution: a government of limited and clearly defined powers. Other congresses had to muster the courage to repeal similarly odious laws that infringed on American rights like the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and the Sedition Act of 1918. It’s as much your job as any Supreme Court justice’s to undo unconstitutional legislation. Your time has come, Senator McCaskill. Do the right thing.