Secrecy and Democracy Don't Mix

[Eric J in MN]

For the US to be a democracy, citizens need to know whether our civil liberties are being protected.

Citizens need to know far more about the Bush Administration's warrantless wiretapping, in order to reach our own conclusions about whether it's consistent with our Constitution, and decide whether to vote against the Republicans in 2006 and 2008.

But a proposed bill would stomp about our democratic right to know what our government is doing.

A bill by Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) would punish whistleblowers:

The draft would add to the criminal penalties for anyone who "intentionally discloses information identifying or describing" the Bush administration's terrorist surveillance program or any other eavesdropping program conducted under a 1978 surveillance law.

Under the boosted penalties, those found guilty could face fines of up to $1 million, 15 years in jail or both.

We need MORE INFORMATION on what our government is doing, not less. This is supposed a "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

Please ask your Congressperson and Senators to vote against an NSA bill. Contact information is at www.vote-smart.org. Type a last name on the top-right.

[AX10]

1. Sherrod Brown better defeat DeWine.

[Eric J in MN]

2. I hope so (nt)

nt

[Eric J in MN]

3. Please contact your representatives against the NSA bills.

nt

[donco6]

4. Reminds me of "Good Night and Good Luck".

If you haven't seen it, you should.

[Eric J in MN]

5. How is the bill like the movie?

nt

[donco6]

6. There's a section of the movie

that talks about government secrecy and how if the govt is allowed to keep everything secret (i.e., evidence of communist participation kept in sealed manila envelopes), then it's just a dictatorship.