Reply #43: Do you READ what you post???? [View All]

[MercutioATC]

"PITT: If you win in 2004, will you repeal or scale back the Patriot Act?

DEAN: I would do two things. First of all, I would remove the parts of the Patriot Act that are clearly unconstitutional. It can't be constitutional to hold an American citizen without access to a lawyer. Secondly, it can't be constitutional for the FBI to be able to go through your files at the library or the local video store, to see what you've taken out in the last week, without a warrant. The other thing I would do is appoint judges that would uphold the constitution. This President is appointing people from the far-right Federalist Society who have a different view of the constitution than most Americans. I hate to agree with anything Dick Nixon said, but Dick Nixon used to say that he wanted strict constructionists for the bench. This President is appointing right-wing judicial activists. We need strict constructionists that believe in the constitution and will uphold it as written."

That's YOUR post, not mine.

HOW do you not understand this??? Dean has always said that he agrees with some of the funding issues addressed by the Patriot Act, but that he would seek to repeal the sections that infringed on Americans' rights. There ARE valuable parts of the Patriot Act. Repealing the entire bill would be akin to "throwing out the baby with the bathwater". Since it's already law, isn't is prudent to only eliminate the sections that infringe upon our rights while leaving such things as funding for inspections of incoming cargo at international ports intact?

What's your argument with this (aside from the fact that Dean said it)?