GOP pays lip service to small government
Recently, a phone call was made to Congresswoman Judy Biggert's office regarding the American Travelers Dignity Act. The act would subject TSA employees to the same laws as the rest of us, ensuring that they are, “not immune from any U.S. law regarding physical contact with another person,” or, “making images of another person.” Essentially, it protects our 4th Amendment rights, which have been unilaterally circumvented by the new TSA full-body scans and pat-downs.
Biggert replied that she agreed that we “must protect our civil liberties. However, we should not tie the hands of our TSA officials who are keeping us safe. That's why I believe if we have the technology we shouldn't prohibit the use of the technology. Moreover, we live in a dangerous world and we have to take whatever means necessary to protect all travelers.”
Whatever means necessary? Surely, we'd all be safer if we went through airport security completely naked and received full body cavity searches. But when is enough, enough? In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
The letter from Biggert points out that she is ideologically incompetent. Like most attorneys, Biggert shows no regard for the Constitution and the rule of law and sees no problem giving away the liberties of the American people. Beyond that, Biggert, like most Republicans, only pays lip service to the ideals of small government. They cry about keeping the government out of our business (though Biggert voted for H.R. 1424, the original Bush bailout), but that somehow does not apply to our rights to travel.
It is rumored that Biggert will not seek re-election. Please Judy, call it quits and put an end to your forgettable congressional career.
Rob Esposito
Lisle