Warrantless mail searches may be allowed

[RickSp]

More assaults on the 4th Amendment by the Bush administration.

Warrantless mail searches may be allowed

A statement attached to postal legislation by President Bush last month may have opened the way for the government to open mail without a warrant. The White House denies any change in policy, but civil libertarians are alarmed, saying the government has never publicly claimed that power before. Federal law has long required a search warrant to open first class mail unless postal inspectors suspect it contains something dangerous, like a bomb or a hazardous chemical, reports NBC News' Pete Williams. "What the signing statement indicates is what present law allows, in making it clear what the provisions are," Snow said Thursday in his daily briefing. But members of Congress — Republicans and Democrats alike — say that's not what they intended the law to do. And they call it another example of a president claiming new legal authority while signing a bill into law. “I was really surprised. There was absolutely nothing in the Postal Reform bill that in any way diminished or changed the privacy protections for domestic sealed mail,” Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said. The law requires government agents to get warrants to open first-class letters. But when Bush signed the Postal Reform act, he added a statement saying that his administration would construe that provision “in a manner consistent, to the maximum extent permissible, with the need to conduct searches in exigent circumstances. ...”

Once again the Bush thugs show their contempt for both the rule of law and the Constitution. Based on what we have seen so far, the Bush administration will define "exigent circumstances" as "when we feel like it."

[Praxius]

Yeah I read about that.....

The funny thing is, some here disagree with revamping the US government because they want to keep many of the rights that the country represents, yet the current government is already destroying these rights, so what could revamping your government make worse?

It'll be a great day in the world when the US government, as well as a few other governments, such as my own, get redone over and updated to governments that can actually function for everybody, not just those who have all the money.

[RickSp]

I would happily settle for government officials who protect and preserve the Constitution, as they are sworn to do, rather than trying to destroy it.

[Osborn F Enready]

Why are the U.S. citizens not demanding these people be held accountable for gross violations of Constitutional Law, tried and held to the maximum extent the law will allow?

I am so tired of asking when Americas citizens are going to wake up.....

[Praxius]

Maybe because society has lost its way in knowing how to organize against the government, like they used to do in the 60's.

Everybody is so dispersed over the internet and it's been such a long time since large organizations and protests were as effective as they once were..... everybody vents their frustrations over the internet, they feel their issues and opinions have been expressed, and they move on, until the next time they need to complain.

That and keeping the middle and lower class under the big dollar bill's big boot (tongue twister) and giving them no real motivation for an better way of life except staying in limbo to how they live now, most are just used to sucking it up and trying to get by.

Canada's not much better off.... we got plenty here bitching about things, but nobody's willing to do anything.

I'm just waiting for the right time, myself..... which is going to be within the next 5 years.

[pahl]

The mail too?

Sucks to be you...

Here is a fun idea, send an inpetrable lead box with a loudly clicking clock inside. Preferably to an aunt in DC near the white house or something.

[Osborn F Enready]

That called asking to get arrested for "attempting to cause a terror scare".

Don't put anything past the police state means, methods or levels of reason.

[RVonse]

Quote by: Osborn F Enready Why are the U.S. citizens not demanding these people be held accountable for gross violations of Constitutional Law, tried and held to the maximum extent the law will allow? I am so tired of asking when Americas citizens are going to wake up.....

I thought Americans woke up during the last election, but the message delivered by the people does not seem make any difference to our leaders anymore.

Well I guess if the government is going to be reading my mail anyway, maybe I can talk them into filtering out my junk mail.

[Spartacus]

Democrats are anxious to exercise "oversight" that the GOP did not want to use for fear of insulting their imperious leader. I am sure that this mess will be looked into as well as the signing statements that Bush seems to think will cover his a** when he breaks the intent of the law.

[Krazyjuice]

Even if they did pass this, the dems will take it away faster than you can say "vote".

If bush fights them on it, it will be the end of his party.

[Osborn F Enready]

LOL....

Anyone want to bet on what the results will be of this change of leadership to the democrips? This supposed "demand" they recognized by the people?

I am betting dollars to donuts, Business as USUAL.

We will lose more rights, get a few more taxes, and have a bunch of huffen and puffen over "moral victories" because they raise the minimum wage, and poke a couple small holes in lobby reform.(nothing effective of course, just ask the pork barrel boys to sign their receipts)

[brien]

Now I know why some of my mail gets lost. Just one more nail in the coffin of freedom and liberty. Ben Franklin's ghost needs to haunt someone.

[Technosoul]

We know they can open a package that looks like a bomb - if it is pretty evident to postal inspectors.

Bush claims that we always had a law for opening the mailif it is known that the mail is to or from a spy, or perhaps a terrorist (person of interest). However Democrats (newly arriving on the hill) believe that the original intent of that seldom used law was not properly interpreted by Bush who, in signing the bill, is opening the door for all kinds of underhanded hanky panky. To think he is signing in a new law that was already on the books anyway is silly, why do that? No sir, he is expanding the law.

Now, without any oversight, the snoops can open your mail and you cannot claim your rights were violated. Simple as that.

Private matters can no longer be communicated in any manner via public or electronic forms.

So I am starting my new Technosoul's Pony Express, it takes longer to deliver but we shoot anyone who tries to stop us (like in the good old days).
Hi ho silver.

[Compugasm]

The only reason I goto the mailbox, is to empty out the junk mail.