Status Report: America, March 2006

An emailer from Colorado sends in a good review:

Americans must decide if government actions taken in our name over the past few years are acceptable, such as:

*Approving a budget including $60+ billion in taxcuts for the wealthiest Americans, while cutting back on Medicaid, Medicare, student loans, and child support services ($39 billion) to aid elderly, students, children and poor citizens;

*Allowing torture, abuse, even deaths, of U.S.-controlled prisoners in the name of fighting terrorism;

*Allowing prisoners labeled “enemy combatants” (even U.S. citizens) to languish in prisons for 3-4 years without basic rights of being charged with crimes, access to attorneys and court trials;

*Rendering prisoners in U.S. custody to countries that allow torture; running secret prisons in eastern European countries;

* Spying on U.S. citizens without getting warrants through the special Federal Intelligence Surveillance Court, established post-Watergate to provide quick warrants while preventing government abuses;

* Cutting out aid to African Union peacekeeping troops working to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan. Since 2003: 50,000-80,000+ dead, millions driven from their homes;

* Proposing programs & appointing people not representing “moderate,” mainstream American views; refusing to recognize the need for listening to, and compromising with, those with opposing views;

* Ignoring the constitutional balance of power between the 3 branches of government -- the President released a weekend, pre-New Year’s statement asserting his right to ignore the (McCain) amendment— passed 90-9 in the Senate-- outlawing torture;

* Spending almost $5.9 BILLION a month on Iraq, at the brink of civil war following our seriously miscalculated, preemptive war;

This is not the America I grew up with. We need to let our elected officials in Washington know that we expect them to uphold the principles on which America was founded. Demand a return to a country of conscience! Support and encourage both Democratic and Republican politicians who come forward, questioning the ethics of these actions. Please speak out against government actions which run counter to your beliefs.