OPINION:
In what some have referred to as “fireworks” during a House hearing with Attorney General Eric H. Holder, one of the more important revelations was the exposure of exactly how much literal contempt Mr. Holder actually holds for the American people.
In a bizarre scene, Mr. Holder, emboldened with a rather grandiose opinion of himself, became enraged when Rep. Louie Gohmert referenced Mr. Holder being sanctioned for contempt of Congress two years ago. Check out their exchange:
Mr. Gohmert: ” I still do not understand why your department can provide documents to terrorists’ lawyers, and many of them to four out of eight of the terrorists, and not provide them to members of Congress.
“Sir, I’ve read you what your department promised, and it is inadequate, and I realize that contempt is not a big deal to our attorney general, but it is important that we have proper oversight.”
Mr. Holder: “You don’t want to go there, buddy. You don’t want to go there, OK?”
It’s been obvious for quite some time that the Obama administration has no respect for how our system works or for the representatives of the people. President Obama has himself noted, sadly, that the system the Founders designed restrains him from doing what he would like to.
Yet watching this unfold live on C-SPAN, I was shocked to see how blatant Mr. Holder was in his arrogance and lack of respect. Here he is, testifying in front of the House, behaving as though doing so is an insult to him, while treating a member of the House as gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
When Mr. Gohmert was faced with such insufferable arrogance, he didn’t confront it at all. Anyone faced with “Buddy, you don’t want to go there” should ask, “Or, what?” That seemed to be a threat, providing another example of how the Obama administration views itself as above the law, and perhaps even beyond the principles and values of the United States as a whole.
Many of us are not big fans of Congress, but when the attorney general, while speaking at an official congressional hearing, decides to speak in a manner worthy of a gang leader, we see how serious the problem of an unchecked executive can be.
As worrisome, contempt for Congress and the American people continues to manifest in more dangerous ideas that strike directly at the freedom of individuals and at the relevance of the Constitution itself.
While speaking to a House committee last week, Mr. Holder revealed the Department of Justice is in discussions with technology groups discussing the creation of a “bracelet” for gun owners to wear. All in the name of safety, of course. Apparently, this “bracelet” would be required for the associated firearm to function. GPS monitoring was also on the table, meaning this new bling would be in touch with a satellite and, I’m sure, would also be subject to outside control.
They failed miserably when they attempted gun control before, and now the new approach seems to be: “Oh, sure you can keep your gun and enjoy your Second Amendment right to have a gun, and we’ll even give you some new bling to go along with it.” Bling that will guarantee federal control of that firearm.
Mr. Holder was a veritable fountain of new Orwellian information this past week. In an exchange that had to have been designed, Sen. Lisa Murkowski told Mr. Holder that she was shocked, just shocked, at how people in Alaska are getting illegal drugs sent through the U.S. Postal Service. He, too, was appalled:
“The Postal Service, the mails are being used to facilitate drug dealing. It is shocking to see the amount of drugs that get pumped into communities all around this country through our mail system, and we have to deal with that.”
Reason magazine looked at this assertion that more and more drugs are being sent through the postal system and found it wanting. We all want the scourge of drugs to be eradicated, but the gang who touts the mantra “Never let a good crisis go to waste” is on the hunt for another crisis to justify progressing from reading all your email to reading all your snail mail as well.
Reason reminds us we already have “prohibited mail narcotics teams” around the country,” but that’s not enough when the American people need to be trained to accept a complete end to any privacy whatsoever.
You see, if you have rights that limit what politicians can do to you, it affirms the fact that you are the sovereign of this nation, and the government is subordinate to you.
For the Obama regime, that’s an untenable situation, buddy. You don’t want to go there.
Tammy Bruce is a radio talk-show host, New York Times best-selling author and Fox News political contributor.
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