Mr. President-
First, allow me to congratulate you on a
relatively successful first term. Frankly, sir, I was not certain that
you could pull it off. Your credentials going into office had me
convinced that you were too inexperienced to deal with the very highest
levels of the halls of power in this nation. Your signing of the Nuclear
Arms reduction treaty, your ending the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy
of the military and taking up the cause of the Lesbian/ Gay/ Bisexual/
Transsexual community as an initiative of global human rights, Seal Team
Six's successful mission to end Osama Bin Laden... All are very
laudable credits you deserve!
However, your administration is haunted by a poorly performing
economy. This is unfortunate, as it is not your fault. Nor was it the
fault of your predecessor, or of any previous American President. That:
"At least I kept it from being worse!" catchphrase your administration
is so fond of? Pure bunkum, IMO... The fault, I believe, is the
exacerbation of having economic advisers who consistently reduce
economic theory to Keynes vs. The Austrian School, or Keynes vs. the
Chicago School, often by Monetarists who declare themselves "Keynesian",
without a proper grasp of ALL of Keynse's works... More importantly,
all sides of those arguments totally ignore the works of Thorstein
Veblem, David Ricardo and Robert Malthus. This denial of economic
realities is what currently "bites them in the ass"..
Even more crucial to understanding our economic woes are the theories
of Joseph Schumpeter on creative destruction and employment. He
foretold of a point where our efficiency in manufacture would outstrip
our ability to create new jobs. Of course, many would blame China for
it's cheap labor (while overlooking the fact that China subsidized it's
shipping for decades, while we pretty much scrapped our Merchant Marine
fleets..) or India for outsourced technologic expertise (while
forgetting that we supplied the equipment and training that made it
possible..). But, those who do blame global competition often overlook
the devastating effects of software and automation in replacing human
labor. One receptionist to take the place of an entire office pool. One
accountant with spread sheet software now able to serve ten times the
number of clients than 20 years ago... Retailers put out of business,
not competing with national chains, but with online, non-taxed sales.
Car companies losing yearly sales simply because the cars last so much
longer...
But, Mr. President, I ask that we put these matters to one side. I am
compelled by the greatest sense of urgency to address what I believe to
be the most important issues of this time. And to warn you of the
greatest danger our country now faces..
Benjamin Franklin once said; "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Do you, Mr. President, believe that Americans deserve neither liberty nor safety?
I speak of two bills: The National Defense Authorization Act and the
Stop Online Piracy Act. Either act is an affront to the rights of
American citizens. Taken together, they represent the gravest threat to
essential freedom we have ever known. In fact, and you can seek the
opinion of legal scholars to verify this claim, the very act of writing
this letter to you can be punished under the provisions of these acts...
A hyperbolic claim? I don't know... This blog has included material
supporting the acts of file sharing, and encouraged transparency of
government. This blog has also shown support for the Occupy movement,
and reported the case for Anonymous, Lulzsec and other social hackers.
These items, by themselves, could be considered violations of SOPA. And,
by signing the NDAA, you are now authorized to detain and question me
for an undetermined amount of time, without warrant and without Habeas
Corpus to ensure I have a trial...
I understand that you inherited the PATRIOT Act, just as you
inherited the Alien and Sedition Act written by John Adams. But, Mr.
President, it was you that signed the NDAA.. Your claims that you will
not be tempted to exercise such powers not withstanding, I fear that
America faces a crossing of the Rubicon. Your latitude in exercising
powers without producing justification is now equal to any known tyranny
upon the globe. And soon, you will have authority over the Internet as a
means of exchanging information, in exchange for protecting the wealth
of those who do not deserve it. This, sir, must stop now.
Considering the riots in England, and the ramifications of the Arab
Spring, I suppose I can be empathetic to your cause. It must be truly
frightening to see the Occupiers marching, knowing how well democratized
the means to co-ordinate mass activities have become. Knowing that the
insecure masses have become uneasy with those controlling the reins of
power. Perhaps you could show good faith and justification in your
judgement by marching down to K street with the National Guard and the
officers of the Attorney General, and indefinitely detain the Lobbyists?
But, sir, I believe your lack of faith in the integrity and loyalty of
the common American is unjustified and beneath the nobility of your
office. Are we to enter again into the era of J. Edgar and Nixon? Of
Cointelpro? Your parents, their friends, people who you grew up knowing,
all were persecuted by such forces...
Mr. President, I beg of you... Please, stop this. Immigrants look to
us as the home of champions for liberty. That we care more for the
rights of our animals than their native lands consider the rights of
themselves, their parents and their children. That we can freely speak
our minds and share information. Have we not tarnished that image
enough? Mr. President, do not sell us out....
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