How can our Gov. protect miles &miles with only Barb wire But can not protect our most improtant of America?
600001
The ONLY way we will ever solve the illegal immigrant problem is to take away the incentive for them to come here. If they couldn't get jobs and free social services without legal status, they wouldn't keep coming.
1168864
Of course we don't have as much freedom as we did 30 yrs ago. There are cameras everywhere, we can't smoke, our children have to have social security numbers, paranoia runs rampant as any stranger is a potential child molestor or terrorist, we have restrictions on what can be brought into schools, federal buildings, etc, we have metal detectors, there are more rules and restrictions and fees in every aspect of our life, we have Homeland Security, and now our civil liberties are being taken away. In essence we have traded our freedoms to become safer but are we any safer than before? No. Our borders are not sealed, we can't eradicate terorism, or prevent crime, we can't legislate consciousness. I am amazed when people say 1984 passed and nothing happened. Perhaps we are not able to see what has happened to us objectively.
660894
I think it is because power and authority corrupts some people. Police officers have a lot of power over citizens and citizens have little recourse if you have no witnesses if a cop does something wrong to you. Many other people have power and authority that abuse it. Politicians, doctors, teachers, military personnel, supervisors, managers, big company CEO's, etc. Just to name a few. That's just the way it is.\n\nThe only way we can protect ourselves, is to protect our rights. Particularly the right to keep and bear arms, the 2nd amendment, ensures that we as Americans can protect the other rights that we have.
1048558
Yep... we call them chain-link fences with razor wire, but a group of professional soldiers could breach one in about three seconds and disrupt our power grid so bad and so fast that the whole country could be plunged into darkness for days by less than 500 men, maybe way less. Let's just hope the terrorists don't figure that out.
64820
I have nothing to hide. I understand the fears that some people have of a government with unlimited secret controls, but those are usually your conspiracy buffs, anyway.\n\nSpy, guys... spy. We are living in the greatest and strongest nation in the world, and many resent us for that. Sadly, the greatest harm to our way of life will come from within our own borders,
148949
If the government fails to do the job of protecting the body politic then according to Jefferson we have the right and the responsibility to do something about it.\n\nWe are Americans, one of THE halmarks of Americans is that we are self-relient, we don't depend on government.  It is no different than a neighborhood watch looking out for your neighbors, when they spot criminals they call the police.
421154
absolutly- We have to protect our borders & the politicians can't seem to get it right.
696149
Back to the Middle America Democratic Party, after years of being infiltrated by Preppy scum who are just as unAmerican as their classmates on the Conservative side.  Since sissyhawks never protected our country the way we had to,  "protectionism" is a dirty word.  All they protect is the cheap-wage greed of the economic traitors.  \n\nGet this straight, rich thieves:  This is a democracy, not a republic.  We allow people to own businesses, provided that their selfish gain benefits us too.  We have eminent domain over all property on American territory, including cancelling their right to move our businesses overseas.
1082174
Because that's being a real American! We aren't immune to becoming a police state, by any means. This country was founded by a bunch of radicals who rose up against injustice. What sort of American would I be if I didn't uphold that legacy?\n\nAnyone who tries to circumvent the constitution, who lies to the American people (Bush, for instance), ought to be set straight. It's our DUTY. It's the only way unscrupulous people won't take over and completely destroy our way of life.\n\n(EDIT: Oh, and my family's been here since the early 1700's)
747180
concidering how our govenment couldnt even prevent 9/11 from happening or FIND Bin Laden, trust me, the govenment isnt as capable as they WANT you to think they are. Theyd rather control thru fear and misinformation.
1002558
These people are protected. Look at Rush Limbaugh. If you and I had broken the law twice in a month we would in jail.
814584
When could they ever control the people, law enforcement for the most part is just as corrupt as the government.  Now they are coming over here and trying to do the same thing.  They are destroying our benifits programs that we worked so hard to create.  They are bending laws and trying to take some of them out of effect or twisting them to their own advantage.  they must be stopped before it's too late.
1090407
Government knows best whats good FOR GOVERNMENT, namely keeping us "teaming masses" in check.  Since government not gonna voluntarily give up its power, YOU must choose your areas of freedom. The man can't be everywhere, all the time.
768261
i think youre talking about the checks and balances idea we have in the us. and its so one branch can't run away with power the problem is that right now with bush there is no one checking him. i heard a stat that clinton administration got 'checked' over a 1000 times by congress and the bush administration just once. some thing is wrong with that. but benefits is to keep a dictatorship from happening.
947810
all government agencies are run in black and white, right or wrong, up or down, with nothing in the middle. this is the only way they can function constitutionally (otherwise, they would treat some people one way and other people another way. all goverment agencies must react the same way to all people.)\n\ntherefore, "right" and "wrong" are decided by the lowest common denominator. look at airline security. nail clippers are contraband? all liquids over 5 ounces? this is ridiculous, yet dictated by a single occurance.\n\nthe single greatest constitutional protection against the government is the idea of "innocent until proven guilty." they cannot punish you for what they think you will do, only for what you have done. imagine the chaos if they could imprison us if we looked at a bank the wrong way, or thought about killing someone.\n\nwhat went wrong with social services is that somewhere along the line, society decided to allow social services to determine "threatening situations" rather than actual transgressions. in any government agency where this is allowed (e.g. public schools and their metal detectors) things go to hell very quickly.
72109
It is important to remember that laws are created and enacted by Congress, but the President does have certain powers that are above the law.  He or she is allowed to circumvent laws to protect the nation.  This is the President's ultimate task - to protect the citizens from destruction or harm.  This is also why so many people and news media have many things to gripe and report on.  It is often a matter of opinion as to when laws must be circumvented and what classifies as a true threat to the citizens.  This issue will only grow more argumentative as time goes on, but in the end, I believe the President will win.  Right or wrong, people are willing to sacrifice laws and freedom for security.
50956
Unfortunatly/fortunatly the US has been so sheltered geographicly and culturaly that the bulk of the population doesn't understand the situation we're in. Consider the level of terrorist activity that exists in Europe, Asia, or Israel. Bombings in England, 3 weeks of COORDINATED rioting in France, rioting in Denmark by muslim extremists too, multiple bombings in Idonesia, Abu sayaf group in phillipines regularly beheading christian missionaries, etc etc etc. Americans being 'sheltered' haven't found the balance between national safety and freedom.\n\n"domestic" spying in this case was on groups and individuals specificly communicating with or tied to acknowledged terrorits organizations. In addition there was a documented authorization process in order to get the 'taps' in the first place. The controvesy is entirely domestic politics. The same people who are outraged by the "spying" will be the same people outraged that the gov't didn't do enough WHEN the next attack occurs on US soil.\n\nTheres a cliche saying "don't confuse the argument with facts". It's all too true. The issue is only debatable when you think with your heart instead of your head. I guess 9/11 wasn't enough to wake them up.