Nontransparent government

The federal government continues to grow nearly unchecked and has an ever increasing impact on the lives of every citizen. In the name of security or the guise of the “common good”, the federal leviathan continues to grow at the cost of its citizens. Whether it’s mandating the purchase of a good or service or violating our Constitutional rights, the federal government usurps more and more liberty from its citizens. Some of these are done publicly with much fanfare and media coverage, like Obamacare or the financial reform bill, while others are done under a veil of secrecy with little to no coverage in the media. Did anyone see Obama signing the executive order on March 16? It’s not a surprise that there was no coverage of this order, but there should have been. This executive order allows the President to take control of all the labor, resources and manufacturing in the country. Of course this can only be done in the event of a national emergency, such as a terrorist attack or natural disaster, or can it? The key part in the entire executive order is the use of the word potential. This power can now be invoked in the face of a POTENTIAL threat. Who determines a potential threat? A hurricane off the gulf coast could be a potential threat; does that mean the federal government can then step in and take control of all the resources of the country or region? While this may seem like an executive power grab, it isn’t really anything new; it’s a renewal of a 1950 law. Maybe March is secrecy month, just about a week prior to the executive order; President Obama signed HR 347 into law. This bill is a direct attack on the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” HR 347 is a direct assault on free speech, peaceful assembly and a redress of grievances. On the surface, this bill may appear to have the best intentions, but opens the door for massive abuses. It allows civil servants to be insulated by groups that have a different opinion and want to voice their concerns and it is not even limited to the top ranking government officials. The President can order Secret Service protection for any individual and the Secret Service will determine who can and cannot be in the “restricted area” and even decide what is restricted. The United States is a republic, with a limited central government, at least the way it was designed. The Founders intent was to keep politics as local as possible. The states created the federal government and now, much like “The Little Shop of Horrors”, has grown uncontrollable. Please see my examiner article here for links, especially the Judge Napolitano video on HR 347.