Comment 1) reading critically 2) actions, not words (Score 2, Insightful) 1594
Two points:
1) The post states that "In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law." This is misleading. The president doesn't sign anything he wants into law unilaterally; Congress - the Senate AND the House - must pass a bill before it goes to the president to sign. The quote is misleading as it's not Bush alone who's doing something "stealth[y]". If blame deserves to be attributed to someone, it's to everyone who passes such an act in Congress AS WELL AS to Bush. Regardless of whether you like a bill or not, regardless of whether you like Bush or not, blaming him alone does not hold Congressional representatives accountable for their conduct. It's that kind of lack of understanding about the political system that has led to many of the troubles we have today as a people.
2) There is a massive amount of commentary on this issue, as there should be. However, while Slashdot does have a pretty massive reach, commentary here alone is inadequate to reach most of the people who need the most to learn about what's really happening in our country. Congrats to those who do more than just talk here, and to those who don't, go out and do something to realize your ideas of what this country should be, whatever those ideas may be. Being a citizen is not a spectator sport.
1) The post states that "In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law." This is misleading. The president doesn't sign anything he wants into law unilaterally; Congress - the Senate AND the House - must pass a bill before it goes to the president to sign. The quote is misleading as it's not Bush alone who's doing something "stealth[y]". If blame deserves to be attributed to someone, it's to everyone who passes such an act in Congress AS WELL AS to Bush. Regardless of whether you like a bill or not, regardless of whether you like Bush or not, blaming him alone does not hold Congressional representatives accountable for their conduct. It's that kind of lack of understanding about the political system that has led to many of the troubles we have today as a people.
2) There is a massive amount of commentary on this issue, as there should be. However, while Slashdot does have a pretty massive reach, commentary here alone is inadequate to reach most of the people who need the most to learn about what's really happening in our country. Congrats to those who do more than just talk here, and to those who don't, go out and do something to realize your ideas of what this country should be, whatever those ideas may be. Being a citizen is not a spectator sport.
