Thanks for Keeping the Powder Dry

The time has come to thank those who have worked so hard to protect the powder. For those who don't know, powder is a special legislative element, and must be kept as dry as possible. Wet powder can be a very unstable and hard to work with.

Now, the fruits of carefully tended powder are ripening into big, juicy delicacies for us all.

Let' take a look at a particularly luscious piece of low hanging fruit:

The so-called "No Knock" ruling that emerged from the Supreme Court this week is a lovely delicacy that could only be the result of very dry powder.

By paying careful attention to the hydration of powder, the Senate judiciary committee changed the face of the court to ensure the majority would rule in favor of stripping the 4th Amendment from the Bill of Rights, that little section of the Constitution that protects us from the dictatorial habit of deciding people are guilty until proven innocent.

How has the 4th amendment been stripped, you ask? Well let's turn away from the powder keg and look at the big picture. Supposedly "No Knock" simply means that police officers no longer have to provide a suspect (aka a person who might be associated in some way with a crime, but has not been found guilty of any crime) with warning that they're entering their home. In addition, they no longer have to identify themselves as police officers.

OK, so what's the big deal?

Well, that's where the big picture comes in. You have to look at this change in combination with two other features of our current system of government - FISA (a special provision that allows for retroactive search warrants for government spying) and that dry powder special we all know as the Abuse a Patriot Act.

You see, now, a person can come into your home, with no warning, and no probable cause. They can fish for whatever they think might constitute "evidence" and then go to a secret Abuse a Patriot Act court to get a retroactive warrant against you under FISA rules. And NOW, they can use the evidence gathered in the formerly illegal search against you, even if you've done nothing wrong.

There is no longer a reason for law enforcement to take any steps to protect your Constitutional rights as an American if they don't feel like it. Heck, they don't even need to pay lip service to your rights, because those rights are effectively gone.

Maybe you won't miss them, but then again, maybe you will...


[crossposted to Green Mountain Daily]