With the passage and signing of this horrific act, the President of the United States, no matter who he or she might be, or from which ever party, can deem anyone a military combatant against the government of the United States and can jail that individual without the protection of habeas corpus. Habeas corpus is the foundation of protection that the individual has against government authorities jailing him without any formal charge or provision for a hearing.

Without going through the proper amendment process outlined in Article V of the Constitution both members of congress and the president of the United States have altered the document by which they are to abide. The six Arizona republican representatives and two Arizona senators voted for the measure, while the two democratic representatives voted against the measure. However, such a vote by the democrats does not let them off the hook since they constantly vote for unconstitutional spending the rest of the time.

Members of congress vote to torture American citizens, debate gay marriage, extend permission to read private e-mails and eavesdrop on phone conversations. They vote to conduct unwarranted search and seizures and give away the economic and social heritage of all Americans through the passage of unconstitutional spending bills. However, nothing is done about the monopolistic practices of the Food and Drug administration, the impending Social Security insolvency, and the protection of the individual's inalienable rights, the purpose for which congress and the president exist in the first place.

Congress and the executive, composed of only democrats and republicans, continue to gut the very document they swear to uphold leaving American citizens defenseless against their own government.

The founders of this nation gave 21st Century Americans a gift by which the citizenry can almost completely change the composition of their government every two years. In two weeks all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 33 senators can be replaced by individuals who will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. These individuals call themselves libertarians. If voters elected libertarian candidates in their respective states and districts eighty-seven percent of the congress would change and new government based upon the United States Constitution would be installed. In Arizona Richard Mack is the libertarian candidate for the United States Senate and from Congressional District 7, which includes Yuma County, Joe Cobb is the libertarian candidate for the United States House of Representatives.

The beauty of the system that exists in the United States is Americans can change their government any time they choose and do it very orderly and peacefully unlike in many other parts of the world. The orderly process of change is one of the many reasons millions from all over the world desire to come to the United States of America. In two years it can be done again along with replacing the whole executive branch, and two years after that the remainder of the senate can be replaced.

The status quo does not have to exist. Change in government that supports the United States constitution is possible, if Americans will use the gift given to them. Before voting, individuals must determine which candidates for the senate and House of Representatives can test positive in support of the Constitution. Libertarian candidates meet that test. Libertarian candidates support and defend the United States Constitution. Supporting and defending the United States Constitution is the primary job of any elected representative or senator.

If one is not satisfied with the status quo, this year, the citizen has a real choice to vote for some one who supports the United States Constitution and the principles upon which America is founded.

The following are the libertarian candidates for each congressional district in Arizona: District 1: David Schlosser, http://www.schlosserforcongress.com, District 2: Powell Gammill, http://gammillforcongress.com, District 3: Mark Yannone, http://www.yannone.org, District 4: Ronald Harders, District 5: Warren Severin, http://www.severin4congress.org, District 6: Jason Blair, District 7: Joe Cobb, http://www.joecobb.com, District 8: David Nolan, http://nolan2006.org. For U.S. Senate: Richard Mack, http://richardmackforsenate.com. Candidates for Arizona governor and secretary of state include Barry Hess, http://www.hessforgovernor.com, and Ernest Hancock, http://ernesthancock.com, respectively. For more information go to www.azlp.org or www.lp.org

Mr. Ricardo Valenzuela, advisor to recently elected president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, president of Liberty Americas Foundation in Tucson, and former rancher, banker, and editorial writer, will be the featured guest at The Freedom Library Annual Education Forum November 2 at 7 PM at the Booth Machinery conference hall located at Araby road and 30th Street. His topic, "The Future of Freedom in Mexico and Its Impact on Arizona and the United States" is a very timely one.