Witnessing the Fundamental Transformation Pt.6

"We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America."
Barack Obama, 5 days before Election Day, November 2008

FREEDOMS UNPROTECTED? Trampling On The 2nd, 4th, 10th
SECOND AMENDMENT - "... the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

After the Washington Navy Yard shooting, Barack Obama said that tragedies like this "ought to lead to some sort of transformation." After the Newtown shooting, he tried to introduce sweeping new gun control measures, only to be defeated in Congress. Since then, he has directed officials in the administration to take steps that don't require approval from Congress. One of his recent proposals has mental health advocates concerned that people with mental illnesses will not seek care because they fear their conditions will become part of a national database and loss of privacy.

When Secy. of State John Kerry recently signed the Arms Trade Treaty, he reassured Americans that the treaty "recognizes the freedom of both individuals and states, to obtain, possess and use arms for legitimate purposes." As the Heritage Foundation points out, it recognizes that only nations have this freedom. All Americans should be alarmed, they say, because although the Senate didn't ratify it and unlikely will, the State Dept. "can argue that Senate action isn't required to implement the treaty in the United States." Senators Inhofe and Moran write, "our constitutional rights are too important to be entrusted to a dangerous treaty drafted by nations hostile to the ownership of firearms by private citizens."  http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2013/10/letting-the-un-target-our-guns

FOURTH AMENDMENT -  "the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable search and seizures, shall not be violated..."

It has been well established that this government is collecting all personal data on every citizen in this country; phone records, emails, documents, videos, buddy lists, contact lists, medical records, financial records, political affiliations, and photos. All in the name of security, and yet it's being done without suspicion, without warrant and without probable cause.

If that isn't enough, the government won't leave our kids alone. Although it is unlawful to do so, the federal government is building a national student database of personal information from preschool right on to career. The Dept. of Education decided to ignore Congress' laws to prohibit this, and instead essentially rewrote the laws. This goes back to the stimulus bill, which encouraged states to collect information in exchange for funding. The information being collected is health history, family voting status and family income, which, don't seem to be relevant to the DOE. http://nypost.com/2011/12/28/how-the-feds-are-tracking-your-kid/

Invading our personal space? In the name of energy efficiency, and improved energy security, many states are starting 'smart meter' programs. A smart meter is an energy meter installed in/outside of homes which records a home's energy use and then transmits the data to the energy provider. It is causing a multitude of problems, some of which are health related, such as nausea, rashes, and worse due to the radiofrequency energy it emits. Aside from these medical concerns, privacy is an issue as well. This is the first time there is an attempt to monitor what's going on in the home. Some are concerned that an advanced system would be able to "track a person's movements inside a home by recognizing the appliances they were turning on and off."  Some people have protested the use of smart meters, and have subsequently been arrested. In other incidents, a woman who refused the installation had her power cut off for 7 weeks. Another person watched as a utility worker knocked down his door looking for the smart meter. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/09/17/take-back-your-power-documentary-paints-dark-picture-of-smart-meters/

The levels of trespassing and privacy invasions are staggering. Our Fourth Amendment is being violated every which way and on a level that is incomprehensible in a free society.

TENTH AMENDMENT - "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

The Constitution gives the federal government enumerated powers, limited and specific. It is the 10th Amendment which prevents the federal government from exercising any rights not explicitly given to it. Obama has trampled on this amendment repeatedly throughout his presidency. A few examples: early on, he tried to compel the states to accept stimulus money, which in turn, had to be spent in certain ways. Eleven states fought back and refused the money.

Recently, there has been a confrontation in Utah regarding same-sex marriage. Whereas Utah had banned same-sex marriage, the federal government lifted the ban when a Federal District Judge deemed the ban unconstitutional. Some believe this infringes upon the rights of the state of Utah and uses unwarranted federal power.

When Arizona tried to regulate immigration in its state, the federal government issued a directive to federal authorities to disregard many of the calls reporting illegal immigrants from the Arizona police.

Education, too, is not an enumerated power delegated to the federal government; it is clearly in the hands of state or local governments. Yet, the federal government has inserted itself by way of Common Core, a national curriculum and standards setting as dictated by the feds.

Probably the biggest expansion of the federal government occurred with the passing of Obamacare, representing 1/6th of the nation's economy. States have become mere vehicles with which to enforce the massive law, required to set up health care exchanges.

(For more on violations of the First Amendment, see Blog of  November 11, 2013 - Witnessing the Fundamental Transformation Pt. 2)

It is increasingly evident that Barack Obama is fundamentally transforming this country in many ways. He views the Constitution as "a charter of negative liberties," and clearly regrets that his powers are limited. He continues to trample on our Bill of Rights to achieve his ends.  More ways we are witnessing the fundamental transformation of our country coming up in subsequent posts.