Stephen Preston, Jeh Johnson, Barak Obama, and the Complete and Utter Trashing of the Constitution of the United States

Top national security lawyers in the Obama administration say U.S. citizens are legitimate military targets when they take up arms with al-Qaida.

The lawyers were asked at a national security conference Thursday about the CIA killing of Anwar al-Alwaki, a U.S. citizen and leading al-Qaida figure. He died in a Sept. 30 U.S. drone strike in the mountains of Yemen.

The government lawyers - CIA counsel Stephen Preston and Pentagon counsel Jeh Johnson - did not directly address the al-Alwaki case. But they said U.S. citizens don't have immunity when they're at war with the United States.

Johnson said only the executive branch, not the courts, are equipped to make decisions about who qualifies as an enemy.

Now, folks... instead of directly demolishing the argument of Preston and Johnson, allow me to simply attach to this post a few excerpts from the Constitution of the United States and our Bill of Rights:

From Article 1, Section 8; The Constitution of the United States of America:

The Congress shall have power to...provide for the common defense...provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States...define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the Law of Nations...declare war, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water...suppress insurrections and repel invasions...

From Article 1, Section 9; The Constitution of the United States of America:

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

From Article 3, Section 2; The Constitution of the United States of America:

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

From Article 3, Section 2; The Constitution of the United States of America:

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

From Article 4, Section 2; The Constitution of the United States of America:

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.

The 5th Amendment of the Bill of Rights attached to The Constitution of the United States:

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

The 6th Amendment of the Bill of Rights attached to The Constitution of the United States:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

Now, folks, while I cheerfully admit that my knowledge of Western political philosophy - particularly the theoretical underpinnings of our specific Anglo-Saxon English Common Law influenced political system - coupled with my broad historical knowledge and thus contextual understanding of the Constitution gives me a leg up over the average American...

(Add to this my inherent intellectual honesty, consistency, and ethical integrity and I also cheerfully claim greater credibility than the average law school graduate and member of the bar!)

...but that said - indeed, when all is said and done - I submit to you that by simply reading the actual words our Founders gave us as the Law of the Land, most of you will immediately pick up on why I say that Preston, Johnson, Obama, and all who believe as these three do care nothing for our Constitution... care nothing for our Bill of Rights... and care nothing for morality or ethics.

Did you read Tuesday's newsbites, folks? Again... I'm begging you... if you haven't, then please, by all means, read the last two newsbites I posted within the comments section of Tuesday's newsbites.

We're losing our country, folks.

Federal power unchecked by the Constitution... unrestrained by the Rule of Law... is a danger to everything we love about America.

Please... I'm begging you... pay attention!