This writer cannot count the number of deep expressions of worry about the future of our Constitutional Democracy received in the past year from worried American citizens.
Citizens are worried about the voting process in America and for good reason. Voting rights have been manipulated by Republican partisans in government office to keep many citizens from voting. Legally cast votes have gone uncounted. Laws have been passed to force state and local governments to use voting machines that can be hacked or programmed in ways to facilitate vote fraud.
Voting rights issues have been deeply explored by voting rights activists and widely documented on the Internet. Bev Harris of Black Box Voting.org ( see: http://www.blackboxvoting.org ), Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman at Free Press.org (see: http://www.freepress.org ), investigative reporter Greg Palast (see: http://www.gregpalast.com ) and Brad Friedman of Brad Blog ( see: http://www.bradblog.com ) are just a few of these voting rights activists.
Just as important to preserving Constitutional Democracy in America is the strength of an independent judiciary in the "checks and balances" system of federal government power devised by our Founding Fathers. Senate Democrats are demonstrating a very serious lack of spine by not filibustering the Supreme Court nomination of Alito. Alito has clearly shown a lack of respect for Constitutional rights of individuals and a tendency to support government power favoring the governing elite over the common man.
The Bush Republicans seem to have gained control over the federal government with the backing of huge corrupt corporations. Election fraud can be concealed and legalized by a Republican partisan Supreme Court. Other illegal abuses of government power by the Bush Administration can be ignored or legalized in a similar manner including imprisonment without trial, illegal wiretapping, opening the private mail of citizens, blacklists among others.
Senators of both major political Parties do not seem willing to stand against abuses of power by the Bush Administration that clearly threaten the Constitution. This can be understood from the Bush Republicans but not from seemingly moderate Republicans and all Democratic Senators.
Citizens must demand a return to a working Constitutional Democracy with a working "checks and balances system" that includes a real independent Supreme Court and a free, honest, open voting system of fair elections. We must demand all elected officeholders, especially members of the U.S. Senate, work tirelessly and vigorously to achieve these goals.
Written by Stephen Crockett ( co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.democratictalkradio.com ). Mail: P.O. Box 283, Earleville, Maryland 21919. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com .
