Over time, disappearing rights

Editor's note: The following letter was submitted in response to a previous letter titled "Public's misplaced anger."

If you think this started with Bush, you are mistaken. People are not "suddenly" mad. The frustration and disappointment in our elected officials is a long time brewing. We have been so busy fighting among ourselves that we hardly notice that they are stealing our money, our power and our rights. Bush passed the Patriot Act, and Congress whimpered about our freedoms, but they passed it anyway and Obama recently extended it. Now we have NDAA giving government the power to arrest and detain any American, indefinitely, without legal representation. Some of our legislators and at least one Supreme Court judge, though they swore to uphold and protect it, believe that our constitution is outdated and should be replaced. Yes, Bush spent more than $800 billion to fight an "illegal" war with the help of a Democrat-majority congress, who added another three times that amount, to bail out their buddies in the banking and housing industries ... and no one knows where half of that money is!

Instead of helping the corrupt politicians insult good Americans and divide us with accusations of racism, hatred, etc. ... take note of what is happening to your rights.

Jeannie Hinck, Cape Girardeau