Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

The American Freedom Agenda’s (AFA) mission is twofold: the enactment of a cluster of statutes that would restore the Constitution’s checks and balances as enshrined by the Founding Fathers; and, making the subject a staple of political campaigns and of foremost concern to Members of Congress and to voters and educators. Especially since 9/11, the executive branch has chronically usurped legislative or judicial power, and has repeatedly claimed that the President is the law. (Though I do have to say that he DOES have power. Not full control, though. I understand what they mean by that.) The constitutional grievances against the White House are chilling, reminiscent of the kingly abuses that provoked the Declaration of Independence. (Huh. I never really thought of it like that, but...it actually makes a lot of sense.)

The 10-point American Freedom Agenda would work to restore the roles of Congress and the federal judiciary to prevent such abuses of power and protect against injustices that are the signature of civilized nations. In particular, the American Freedom Agenda would:

* Prohibit military commissions whose verdicts are suspect except in places of active hostilities where a battlefield tribunal is necessary to obtain fresh testimony or to prevent anarchy; (Agreed.)
* Prohibit the use of secret evidence or evidence obtained by torture or coercion in military or civilian tribunals; (VERY YES. For one thing, torture is incredibly inhumane and, in my opinion (and probably yours), morally wrong, but that's not it. When pressed hard enough, people will tell their tormentors what they want to hear, not necessarily the truth. So it's both inhumane and ineffective.)
* Prohibit the detention of American citizens as unlawful enemy combatants without proof of criminal activity on the President’s say-so; (Yes. The right to a fair trial, remember?)
* Restore habeas corpus for alleged alien enemy combatants, i.e., non-citizens who have allegedly participated in active hostilities against the United States, to protect the innocent; (I'd comment on this if I could remember what habeas corpus is...)
* Prohibit the National Security Agency from intercepting phone conversations or emails or breaking and entering homes on the President’s say-so in violation of federal law; (I'd burst into Call Connected Thru The NSA, but then you'd just get annoyed, so I won't. In any case, I most certainly agree. What they're doing is essentially spying. And remember 1984? I've...never read it, but doesn't the plot concern people being spied on all the time?
* Empower the House of Representatives and the Senate collectively to challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of signing statements that declare the intent of the President to disregard duly enacted provisions of bills he has signed into law because he maintains they are unconstitutional; (Yes. As I mentioned earlier, the President does NOT have absolute power.)
* Prohibit the executive from invoking the state secrets privilege to deny justice to victims of constitutional violations perpetrated by government officers or agents; and, establish legislative-executive committees in the House and Senate to adjudicate the withholding of information from Congress based on executive privilege that obstructs oversight and government in the sunshine; (I agree that justice should be served to those wronged by government people. I don't understand the second part, though.)
* Prohibit the President from kidnapping, detaining, and torturing persons abroad in collaboration with foreign governments; (I think stuff like that should, for the most part, be left to the foreign government, unless said government is extremely corrupt.)
* Amend the Espionage Act to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution; and; (Indeed! I see no reason for the government to hide stuff like that...)
* Prohibit the listing of individuals or organizations with a presence in the United States as global terrorists or global terrorist organizations based on secret evidence. (If there is evidence, I definitely agree that it should be released. If not, don't do anything to the people. Simple as that.)

* Amend the Espionage Act to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution; and; (Indeed! I see no reason for the government to hide stuff like that...)

I don't think it's really a matter of conservative vs. liberal, but justice and common sense vs. tyranny and fear.

As a moderate conservative myself, I really have to say these guys have some very good points. I don't think it's really a matter of conservative vs. liberal, but justice and common sense vs. tyranny and fear. Conservatives, as a whole, are not in favor of tyranny and fear.