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Tool
Time with Brian Higgins
 We’re
always getting press releases from Brian Higgins in our e-mail
inbox, with titles like “Congressman Higgins Recognizes Local Letter
Carriers for National Achievement,” and “Congressman Higgins
Presents Bronze Star to Local WWII Vet.” But for some reason,
we didn’t get one last week titled, “Congressman Higgins votes
to authorize federal agents to rummage through your underwear
drawer without your knowledge.”
Higgins
was one of 43 Democrats in the House to vote with 214 Republicans
(including, of course, Tom Reynolds) for the “USA PATRIOT
and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act” last Friday.
156 Democrats voted against it, along with 14 Republicans
and the sole independent. 3 from each party didn’t vote.
The
bill’s main author is House Judiciary Committee chairman James
Sensenbrenner, the infamous douche who abruptly walked out
on a hearing about this very bill last month, and turned off
the microphones when the Democrats chose to stay and continue
the discussion. That’s who wrote the bill our man Higgins
voted for.
The
Patriot Act, rammed through congress while the country was
still reeling from the 9/11 attacks, was pitched as a temporary
suspension of liberties, necessary to find and punish the
evil-doers. But, as with nearly every “temporary” provision--from
income taxes to an extra penny in Erie County’s sales tax,
those in power get used to it, and never get around to repealing
it. Of course to get the Act passed in the first place, ‘sunset
provisions’ were put in place, but now, if the Senate agrees,
14 of 16 sections scheduled to end this December will become
permanent.
The
only non-permanent sections, of course the most controversial
ones, have been prolonged for another 10 years. These include
section 215, which means your financial, medical, library,
church, travel, video rental, and phone records can be searched
without your knowledge or consent.
As
Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Petaluma told the San Francisco Chronicle,
“Now we know the truth. The Patriot Act was never intended
as an emergency measure. ... It appears its sponsors were
always interested in a permanent crackdown on civil liberties.”
But really, that hasn’t been in doubt since Nixon was in office.
We endorsed Brian Higgins when he won his congressional seat
in a squeaker contested by Nancy Naples.
We
were pleased, for once, to see a Democrat win a tight contest
against a Republican. But after voting for the inhumanly corrupt
Bankruptcy bill last April, and now this, we’re wondering
if it would make any difference had Naples won instead. Higgins
is a joke, a shill, a phony—and a serious tool. This man does
not represent us.
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