Schiff should defend the Constitution

It is gratifying that Rep. Schiff praises the end of governmental discrimination against gay Americans in regard to marriage laws — an end in which he had no political role or responsibility in ending.

However, in regard to his actual political responsibilities, Rep. Schiff is simply failing.

When will Rep. Schiff actually take seriously his oath to “uphold the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic”? Rep. Schiff has not led, or even participated, in the effort to repeal the Patriot Act, the Congressional act passed shortly after 9/11, giving the federal government powers to spy on every American; to create secret courts; to imprison people indefinitely without hearings or trials; to commit acts of covert war without a Congressional declaration of war — all in blatant violation of the American Constitution.

The Patriot Act is nothing more than the American version of the Enabling Act of 1933 of Germany, which (after a similar act of political terror) allowed Hitler to rise to power by giving him the exact same powers as the modern Patriot Act.

Rep. Schiff should immediately resign for failure to uphold his Congressional oath and thereby support American’s rapid slide into a totalitarian national security state, or pick up the Constitution and defend it.

Ray Shelton
Glendale