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Our withering Constitution belies the flagging will of the People

The birth of our nation was 232 years ago. It was signed into being in the Constitution. The Constitution is a legally binding document, so that the Government cannot override the people themselves. It has served and facilitated the will of the people spaciously in some instances like Mum Bett, and erratically or not at all at other times -an example is limiting the right to assembly peaceably and with the undermining effects of the "patriot act".

What worries me is the Constitution is being exploited and mined of it's strength by special interests that are hell-bent on gaining control of the interests of the US and molding the people to their will in order to do so. These special interests seem to be everyone from the oil industry to politicions who aren't thinking through what is in the balanced interest of the country.

One example, The First Amendment guarantees freedom of assembly, the right of citizens to gather peacefully. And that was a tool meant for the people to cause a little trouble and protest in order to bring about political change. Did you know that many cities require payment from the people who wish to assemble? And very often it is a crime to assemble without prior authorization, and assembly is only permitted in out of the way areas. This totally strips the power of uniting in assemblage! The power of Assembly was in creating a specticle and causing a delay, so that the sentiment of the people would be heard. It may not be practicle to have unlimited ability to assemble, but our rights to assemble have become so drained that assemblage has lost all power here.

Another example is the how the patriot act has been used to undermine our most fundamental civil rights. Look at the limiting of our rights with in just one act. (excerpt from hancock.constitutioncenter.org )

USA Patriot Act
The "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" Act, was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001. The stated purpose of the law is to "deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes."

USA Patriot Act II
A Justice Department draft of a proposed addition to the USA Patriot Act, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, was obtained by the Center for Public Integrity. This proposed act will give "the government broad,

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