Re: OT tobacco ... was motorcycles

Eisboch wrote:
> "HK" <payer33859@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
> news:qPCdnRDYEdjzUPLVnZ2dnUVZ_qfinZ2d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 
>> Please. This isn't a "free" country. There are countries in Europe far 
>> "free-er" than this one. This is only a free country for cor****ations.
If 
>> you are a working stiff, you are free to lose your job, lose your
health 
>> benefits, lose your pension, lose your house. We've also lost many of
our 
>> traditional freedoms during the last 7.5 years.
>>
>> This country is going to hell in a handbasket. I'm glad I'm old enough 
>> that I probably won't see its collapse.
> 
> 
> Please, Harry, tell us of the "freedoms" you have lost as a US citizen
over 
> the past 8 years.  Or the past 16 years.  Or the past 32 years.  Please
be 
> specific.
> 
> Eisboch 
> 
> 


You can start with these, which are only part of a list compiled by the 
Associated Press, and this list is a few years old.

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor religious and political 
institutions without suspecting criminal activity to assist terror 
investigations.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed once-public immigration 
hearings, has secretly detained hundreds of people without charges, and 
has encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records questions.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute librarians or keepers of any 
other records if they tell anyone that the government subpoenaed 
information related to a terror investigation.

RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may monitor federal prison 
jailhouse conversations between attorneys and clients, and deny lawyers 
to Americans accused of crimes.

FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may search and seize 
Americans' papers and effects without probable cause to assist terror 
investigation.

RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans 
indefinitely without a trial.

RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or being 
able to confront witnesses against them.

RIGHT TO PRIVACY: Government may eavesdrop without first obtaining a 
warrant on the telecommunications conversations of private citizens.