The current Administration and their “Yes-Men” in Congress decided recently to invest enormous power on the presidency while crippling the legislature (Congress) and the judiciary (the courts). These actions threaten all Americans who love liberty and the way our Constitution was designed to prevent any one branch of government from becoming all powerful. Ignoring the warnings of many groups in the nation, the Congress made permanent the authority of the Administration to rush into wiretapping by re-approving several provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Subsequently, four senators acted as though they would block legislation permitting torture. Then, those four senators switched their votes and let the administration authorize the torture of our prisoners, despite the opposition of people around the wold, many of whom had experienced torture and had claimed that it does not produce good information.

At a much more fundamental level, the right of habeas corpus, which requires that a person be freed if there is no charge made against that person, was surrendered by the Congress, thus making it possible for the Administration to put as person in jail and keep them there indefinitely.

And most recently, the Military Commissions act took away many of the Bill of Rights guarantees of a fair judicial process. So now, people accused of - but not convicted of - being terrorists may not have fair trials. Innocent people may well be convicted.

What shall Americans do to stop the power grab of the administration? You can help by attending....

The local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is inviting its members and their friends to discuss the current state of our civil liberties and what to do about them. The meeting will be in the Cabaret Room of the Uptown Theatre on Tuesday, December 5, at 7:00 p.m. The invited donation will be $5.00, and students are free.