Recently, I've learned about and become terribly disturbed by the Asset Forfeiture laws.
FEAR.org
Wikipedia's Entry on Civil Asset Forfeiture
DOJ
As far as I can tell, these laws are a violation of the 5th amendment which guarantees all Americans the right to due process of law.
I brought this to Mr. Obama's attention. As a former professor of constitutional law, I have no doubt he is aware of this un-American violation of the U.S. Constitution, and I expect he is already developing a platform in favor of expunging the law books of all asset forfeiture laws. I look forward to learning his opinion on this terribly critical problem.
James Ealy is a monster who killed a pregnant woman and three children when he was a very young man. He was convicted of the murders, but his conviction was thrown out when it was discovered his right to due process of law had been violated. Late last year, he killed another woman in Lindenhurst, IL. If anyone should be denied due process of law, it should have been this monster. But, he was freed to kill again. While, regular Janes and Joes like you and me are exposed to Civil Asset Forfeiture laws that could be used to deny us property without the due process of law.
All of this is disturbing to me. I asked for Obama's views just yesterday. I hope for a response soon.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The buck stops where???
Dear Tricia,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the issues raised by the National Guard presence in Iraq and the slow response to Hurricane Katrina. I appreciate hearing from you.
As you know, guard members and Reservists are facing a period of unprecedented mobilization as their role has become increasingly substantial in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the military is stretched thin by these commitments, guard members and Reservists are facing longer and less predictable mobilizations. This issue has received added attention in the aftermath of Katrina, as Americans are searching for the slow response of the authorities.
Hurricane Katrina has only added to my concerns about the military's "stop loss" policy. Not only has this policy exposed a weakness in our preparedness for disasters, but it has extended many service members' and guardsmen's tours of duty well past their enlistment period. The families of the brave men and women called to active duty often face severe financial and personal hardship as well as increased child care and health care costs. This problem is exacerbated by the uncertain lengths of deployment. Families cannot plan for their financial future without knowing when a Guard Member or Reservist can return home and return to work. Our citizen-soldiers deserve better, and so do their families. If the concept of an "all volunteer army" is to have any meaning, the government should honor its commitments. It is as simple as that.
The use of the National Guard and Reserve troops is one of the long-term issues we must consider if we want to avoid this kind of tragedy in the future. National Guard troops have played a major role in disaster recovery in the past, and the shortfall of forces at home is one of the more important questions we will ask as we consider improvements in preparation for disaster and terror attacks. The poor response of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) clearly demonstrated that we have not fulfilled our post-9/11 promises of improved readiness and response. There is no excuse for that failure, and part of any effort to prevent a recurrence must include a full and independent investigation of what occurred.
The heartbreaking stories and photos in the news capture just a slice of the devastation wrought by Katrina. Just days after the hurricane ravaged the Gulf Coast, I joined former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush to visit the Houston Astrodome, where thousands upon thousands of New Orleans evacuees were finding their first food, water, and shelter in days. What we saw in these people, had been trapped without food or water in the horrid conditions if the Superdome, the New Orleans Convention Center and the attics of flooded houses across the crescent city, was a determination, resilience and spirit that will be emblazoned in my memory as long as I live. The day after my visit to Houston, I spoke on the Senate floor about what I saw. A copy of my remarks is attached to this email.
Thank you for writing, and please continue to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
9/29/05
Thank you for contacting me regarding the issues raised by the National Guard presence in Iraq and the slow response to Hurricane Katrina. I appreciate hearing from you.
As you know, guard members and Reservists are facing a period of unprecedented mobilization as their role has become increasingly substantial in Iraq and Afghanistan. As the military is stretched thin by these commitments, guard members and Reservists are facing longer and less predictable mobilizations. This issue has received added attention in the aftermath of Katrina, as Americans are searching for the slow response of the authorities.
Hurricane Katrina has only added to my concerns about the military's "stop loss" policy. Not only has this policy exposed a weakness in our preparedness for disasters, but it has extended many service members' and guardsmen's tours of duty well past their enlistment period. The families of the brave men and women called to active duty often face severe financial and personal hardship as well as increased child care and health care costs. This problem is exacerbated by the uncertain lengths of deployment. Families cannot plan for their financial future without knowing when a Guard Member or Reservist can return home and return to work. Our citizen-soldiers deserve better, and so do their families. If the concept of an "all volunteer army" is to have any meaning, the government should honor its commitments. It is as simple as that.
The use of the National Guard and Reserve troops is one of the long-term issues we must consider if we want to avoid this kind of tragedy in the future. National Guard troops have played a major role in disaster recovery in the past, and the shortfall of forces at home is one of the more important questions we will ask as we consider improvements in preparation for disaster and terror attacks. The poor response of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) clearly demonstrated that we have not fulfilled our post-9/11 promises of improved readiness and response. There is no excuse for that failure, and part of any effort to prevent a recurrence must include a full and independent investigation of what occurred.
The heartbreaking stories and photos in the news capture just a slice of the devastation wrought by Katrina. Just days after the hurricane ravaged the Gulf Coast, I joined former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush to visit the Houston Astrodome, where thousands upon thousands of New Orleans evacuees were finding their first food, water, and shelter in days. What we saw in these people, had been trapped without food or water in the horrid conditions if the Superdome, the New Orleans Convention Center and the attics of flooded houses across the crescent city, was a determination, resilience and spirit that will be emblazoned in my memory as long as I live. The day after my visit to Houston, I spoke on the Senate floor about what I saw. A copy of my remarks is attached to this email.
Thank you for writing, and please continue to keep in touch.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
9/29/05
World Hunger Broke my heart
Dear Tricia,
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the food crisis in Niger. I certainly understand your concern, and I share your distress over the terrible human suffering in this region.
I am deeply committed to combating world hunger and poverty, and I believe the U.S. must be a leader in this fight. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Subcommittee on Africa, you can rest assured that I will keep your views in mind as we continue to work on these issues in the 109th Congress.
In the meantime, I have contacted Secretary Rice about what more the U.S. can and should be doing to address the crisis in Niger, as well as serious food shortages in the neighboring countries of Mail, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. I will let you know what I hear.
Thank you again for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
9/6/05
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the food crisis in Niger. I certainly understand your concern, and I share your distress over the terrible human suffering in this region.
I am deeply committed to combating world hunger and poverty, and I believe the U.S. must be a leader in this fight. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Subcommittee on Africa, you can rest assured that I will keep your views in mind as we continue to work on these issues in the 109th Congress.
In the meantime, I have contacted Secretary Rice about what more the U.S. can and should be doing to address the crisis in Niger, as well as serious food shortages in the neighboring countries of Mail, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. I will let you know what I hear.
Thank you again for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
9/6/05
Sex Offenders and Bird Flu were causing my brain to swell in 2005
Dear Tricia,
Thank you for contacting me. I appreciate hearing from you and share your concern with pandemic influenza preparedness and our current system of monitoring sex offenders.
As you know, I was able to include $25 million in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill for international efforts to prevent and respond to outbreaks of the avian flu. That bill is now law. I was also able to add $10 million in the pending Foreign Operations Appropriations bill to expand on these efforts, and I am hopeful that this appropriation will become law shortly.
Regarding the sex crime offender, the recent tragedy of the Groene family has brought to light the dire need for improvements in our monitoring system. To that end, S.792, Dru's Law, has been introduced in the U.S. Senate. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this critical piece of legislation, which passed out of the U.S. Senate last year with the unanimous consent of all senators, but was unfortunately never passed into the House of Representatives.
Dru's Law would create a truly national sex offender registry, which would be searchable by zip code for all offenders in an area, regardless of state lines. Our current system is unable to adequately track offenders who move from state to state. Dru's Law would also require the notification of the State's Attorneys upon the release of a high-risk offender who has served a full sentence, so as to consider a civil commitment. Additionally, released offenders would be tracked and monitored for at least one year through electronic bracelet, monitoring by a parole officer, or other appropriate means. This information would strengthen existing mechanisms to prevent future instances of abuse.
Dru's Law could have helped notify the Groene family and the community of Mr. Duncan's whereabouts and past. As your U.S. Senator and a father of two young daughters, I understand the need to do everything in our power to protect our children, and I view Dru's Law as critical in this effort. Illinois Attorney General Madigan has also endorsed Dru's Law, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on this urgent matter.
Additionally, several other initiatives addressing this issue have also been introduced during the 109th session, such as the Sex Offender Registration Act, S.1086. If this legislation comes before the Senate for a vote, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.
Again, Tricia, thank you for writing, and please stay in touch in the days to come.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
7/20/2005
Thank you for contacting me. I appreciate hearing from you and share your concern with pandemic influenza preparedness and our current system of monitoring sex offenders.
As you know, I was able to include $25 million in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill for international efforts to prevent and respond to outbreaks of the avian flu. That bill is now law. I was also able to add $10 million in the pending Foreign Operations Appropriations bill to expand on these efforts, and I am hopeful that this appropriation will become law shortly.
Regarding the sex crime offender, the recent tragedy of the Groene family has brought to light the dire need for improvements in our monitoring system. To that end, S.792, Dru's Law, has been introduced in the U.S. Senate. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this critical piece of legislation, which passed out of the U.S. Senate last year with the unanimous consent of all senators, but was unfortunately never passed into the House of Representatives.
Dru's Law would create a truly national sex offender registry, which would be searchable by zip code for all offenders in an area, regardless of state lines. Our current system is unable to adequately track offenders who move from state to state. Dru's Law would also require the notification of the State's Attorneys upon the release of a high-risk offender who has served a full sentence, so as to consider a civil commitment. Additionally, released offenders would be tracked and monitored for at least one year through electronic bracelet, monitoring by a parole officer, or other appropriate means. This information would strengthen existing mechanisms to prevent future instances of abuse.
Dru's Law could have helped notify the Groene family and the community of Mr. Duncan's whereabouts and past. As your U.S. Senator and a father of two young daughters, I understand the need to do everything in our power to protect our children, and I view Dru's Law as critical in this effort. Illinois Attorney General Madigan has also endorsed Dru's Law, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on this urgent matter.
Additionally, several other initiatives addressing this issue have also been introduced during the 109th session, such as the Sex Offender Registration Act, S.1086. If this legislation comes before the Senate for a vote, I will be sure to keep your views in mind.
Again, Tricia, thank you for writing, and please stay in touch in the days to come.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
7/20/2005
Please run for President
Dear Tricia:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your kind words of support. It is truly a compliment to receive such positive feedback for the work that I am doing in the United States Senate. In order to effectively represent Illinois, it is important that I receive comments and opinions from the people I represent. I hope that you will keep me apprised of your concerns in the days ahead.
I am both honored by the privilege and excited by the challenge of representing the residents of Illinois in the United States Senate. In the short time I have been here, I have an even better appreciation of the opportunity I have been given to serve the residents of my state and the responsibility I have to you as your senator. My focus is exclusively on executing my duties as a senator to the best of my ability, and I hope that the majority of my constituents will approve of how I have conducted that job when I am faced with the decision of whether or not to seek a second term in the Senate in 2010.
Again, thank you for contacting me. If I can ever be of any specific assistance to you, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
7/27/06
Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your kind words of support. It is truly a compliment to receive such positive feedback for the work that I am doing in the United States Senate. In order to effectively represent Illinois, it is important that I receive comments and opinions from the people I represent. I hope that you will keep me apprised of your concerns in the days ahead.
I am both honored by the privilege and excited by the challenge of representing the residents of Illinois in the United States Senate. In the short time I have been here, I have an even better appreciation of the opportunity I have been given to serve the residents of my state and the responsibility I have to you as your senator. My focus is exclusively on executing my duties as a senator to the best of my ability, and I hope that the majority of my constituents will approve of how I have conducted that job when I am faced with the decision of whether or not to seek a second term in the Senate in 2010.
Again, thank you for contacting me. If I can ever be of any specific assistance to you, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
United States Senator
7/27/06
I'm a Fan!
I am a big fan of Barack Obama. I am happy that he is running for president. I am a believer, a voter, and lucky enough to be his constituent!
Over the the last two years that he has been my senator, whenever I have felt down about the state of the country, I have written to Barack Obama. He has always been very accessible, responds promptly and personally.
He is a superstar. I choose to believe he is genuine and tells the truth.
I plan on using this forum to post letters from Obama. If you have a letter from Obama, please let me know. I would like to post, those, too.
Over the the last two years that he has been my senator, whenever I have felt down about the state of the country, I have written to Barack Obama. He has always been very accessible, responds promptly and personally.
He is a superstar. I choose to believe he is genuine and tells the truth.
I plan on using this forum to post letters from Obama. If you have a letter from Obama, please let me know. I would like to post, those, too.
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