The administration is claiming extraordinary presidential powers at the expense of civil liberties and is putting the president above the law. |
The attorney general took an oath to uphold the Constitution and serve the American public - not to push the White House's agenda. In America, no one is above the law, not even the president. The attorney general has an obligation to investigate this gross violation of the law, and at the bare minimum, should be providing answers to Congress. Effective oversight cannot occur without the full facts. |
The board has an opportunity to show that it is not in the pocket of the president and is truly concerned with the liberty and privacy of the American people. Given the ever-growing expansion of the government's law enforcement powers, effective oversight is absolutely essential. We hope that the board will provide real oversight, and not simply the illusion. |
The Constitution exists to protect rights, not undermine them. |
The executive power of our country is not an imperial power. |
The executive power of our country is not an imperial power. The president has demonstrated a dangerous disregard for our Constitution and our laws with his authorization for this illegal program. |
The idea that immigration law is being used as a tool of censorship is unacceptable. By regulating speech at our borders, we are sending the wrong message to the world. We must not have a double standard regarding the freedom of speech and dissent. That is one of the strengths of our democracy. |
The Patriot Act debate is far from over, and we will continue to fight for reforms to protect civil liberties. While Congress failed to adopt much-needed reforms to the law to better protect freedom and privacy, lawmakers also rejected pressure from the White House to include significant and unwarranted expansions of government power. We applaud those fair-minded lawmakers that have fought to bring the law in line with the Constitution, and together, we will continue to push for reforms to keep America safe and free. |
The president cannot use the pursuit of national security as a carte blanche to undermine the very freedoms that define America. This administration - like that of President Nixon - has apparently secretly adopted a legal view of the Executive Branch's power that is unbounded. A commitment to the Constitution and our laws demand an independent investigation. |
The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and an essential protection of that right is the Voting Rights Act. Every voice must be heard and every vote must be counted. State and local governments continue to adopt voting laws, practices and procedures that deny equal access to voting - without the Voting Rights Act, there would be little protection against these efforts to deny some of us our right to vote. The Voting Rights Act is necessary to help ensure that every American citizen is able to exercise the franchise. |
These proposed amendments pose serious problems, in effect barring the courthouse door for many immigrants who deserve their day in court. Too many provisions of the various immigration bills paint immigrants as the new scapegoats. Congress must approach the issue in a manner that upholds our commitment to our core American values. |
These provisions, if adopted, would have a chilling effect on the First Amendment rights of the American people. The right of the people to petition the government must not be denied or abridged. Congress can and should take steps to address corruption and the undue influence of special interests without sacrificing the rights of Americans to petition government. |
These sections of the act are extremely crucial. We have a nationwide campaign going on. (Renewing them) is a priority. |
This administration, like that of President Nixon, has apparently secretly adopted a legal view of the executive branch's power that is unbounded. |
This amendment is a commonsense step in the right direction. Politicians of all stripes should rally behind this effort to promote health families and healthy pregnancies. |