An Open Letter to My Duly Elected Officials in Washington, D.C.

Congress and federal government officials continually assure us that “terrorists” are everywhere, scheming and preparing to kill us. We are now fighting a borderless and endless "War on Terror." Why, actually, does “terrorism” exist? This is something that’s never addressed. We are simply to accept that there are those hiding in the shadows all around us waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Why are there all these "threats?" Is it really because of our (quickly disappearing) "freedoms," or is it because the U.S. government's clandestine agencies and military have been fomenting discontent and mayhem across the globe for decades? Does terrorism exist because the U.S. government is spending trillions of dollars on alternative energy developing solar, wind and other forms of power? Or is it because instead of those worthwhile pursuits, the U.S. government is spending trillions of dollars (it had to print out of thin air) to fight baseless, senseless wars halfway across the globe where, aside from the corporate petroleum interests, the U.S. has no business? Is it possible that because Congress is now clearly controlled by corporate interests and their 25,000 lobbyists, that the U.S. has lost the respect it once had? Does it seem reasonable that we have military bases in 135 countries and we spend more on “defense” than the next 15 nations combined, yet our infrastructure is in serious decay? Our educational standing against other nations is gradually falling, thank you Department of Education. The U.S. is still dependent on other countries for oil, thank you Department of Energy. We have a serious immigration problem, real estate values have tanked, the dollar has lost 96 percent of its value since the Federal Reserve Act was passed 100 years ago, unemployment is high, health insurance costs are through the roof while continuing to rise unabated, and fraud in the financial industry is rampant and goes unpunished. Yet our leaders claim to have it all figured out, they know just how things are supposed to be done, and all you other countries better listen. Either yer with us, or yer agin' us. "Why" are there all these "threats?" Why indeed!

Most Americans found out last week that the NSA is, as a direct result of the handy and profitable “War on Terror,” recording every single phone communication it can get its tentacles on. (It used to be that individuals who referred to the NSA data gathering program were ridiculed as conspiracy theorists.) However, President Obama has confirmed that the NSA is seizing and recording data from some 3 billion personal communications every day—communications between Americans never suspected of having committed a crime, let alone “terrorism.” He said the program was “repeatedly authorized by Congress,” that it made only “modest encroachments” on our privacy, and that we need to strike a balance between privacy and security. Of course, as is always the case in these matters, the justification for the NSA program is “national security,” therefore there’s nothing that can be discussed as it’s all top secret and citizens mustn’t know about it. Here’s the thing: seizing personal information is unconstitutional in the absence of suspected criminal activity, and nobody believes that worn out national security lie anymore. 

I won’t vote for any incumbent who does not forcefully seek to end the NSA’s illegal spying on American citizens.

Andrew Wilt

Lower Saucon Township