There are numerous issues that have appalled me about the Bush administration, but none more than the following:
- the support for torture and rendition
- the suppression of habeas corpus
- the gradual shrinking of the 4th amendment (i.e., FISA rewrite)

Like it or not, these things happened largely because Democrats in Congress didn't stand up against them when they were briefed to select members of the House and Senate, and now that these tools/techniques/practices are in the hands of the law enforcement, intelligence, and defense agencies, there will be a real resistance to addressing these problems.

Ensuring that we respect the rights of US Citizens, POW's, and enemy combatants in manner that is in keeping with the intents of the founders is a good idea, and I want to make sure that Obama resists the pressure of those Democrats and Republicans in Congress who failed to do their job in the past, and now have a vested interest in supporting the status quo.

If we win the war on terror by torturing, imprisoning without trial, and becoming a surveillance state, we will lose ourselves in the process.