Strain at a gnat, swallow a camel

Jesus often spoke with disfavor concerning pharisees:

Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. — Matthew xxiii. 24.

To-day, in the United States we have such a party in politics. They claim ‘family values’, patriotism, defender of all things american, and of being supportive of true religion...Yet, again and again, they strain at trivia and even fiction, while accepting whole absurdities and abominations. This they do on nearly everything, but let us just look at a very few.

Now, there is a motley horde proclaiming themselves ‘anti-government’ and pro-american. Some of us remember Lincoln’s “government of the people, by the people, for the people,”; the one Republican they disagree with. How can this be reconciled?

Let us look at the tragedies of 11 September 2001. One response, with the politicised, doublespeak, contrived acronym of ‘Patriot Act’ was signed into law on 26 October 2001. One, and only one senator, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, voted against it.

It has come up for review again. The rookie junior senator from Minnesota, Al Franken, had to read the Fourth Amendment to a ‘Justice Department’ functionary, David Kris. Kris did not like it, “this is surreal”. The one time professional comedian, a jester, is foolish enough to quote a foundational document of governance to a government lawyer. The lawyer did not like the impertinence.

The particular bone of contention was government wiretaps without warrants. The evidence has come out, that, perhaps the majority of these, are used in drug investigations. The over 300 page law is not about a “war on drugs”, but on terrorism; and some provisions are just carte blanche for police activities.

A month and a half from terrorist attack to the imposition of a book of laws, and one senator and 66 house members said nay. The book was written in a month and a half is something, an honest man with some thought, can not ever believe. Debate was minimal. Protest was ignored by the media. Now, shift that to the health insurance debacle, with raving, ranting, lying lunatics. Compare.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. ——Amendment the Fourth

How many teabagging idiots considered this under the previous, and unconstitutional, regime?