Kotin
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- Nov 29, 2007
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Bob Barr blasted the Bush administration on Wednesday for eroding the privacy of U.S. citizens, which he called the most fundamental of American rights.
"Obviously, under this administration, the right to privacy not only isn't important, it doesn't exist," Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president, told the Clayton County Rotary Club.
Barr spoke for about 30 minutes but only once, and in passing, mentioned his bid for the White House. But, the issue of privacy and individual freedom is one that resonates through the Libertarian platform and will be a major plank of Barr's platform.
"I intend, in the course of the upcoming campaign to talk about those issues with people, whether they vote for me or not," the former Republican congressman from Cobb County told the Rotarians.
Barr was asked during the program whether there is a way to balance the rights of private citizens and the need for the government to fight terrorism. This, after Barr accused the president and defense agencies of essentially duping Congress into granting them broad new powers to listen to Americans' private conversations without establishing a link to terrorism.
Barr said the balance already exists.
"The balance is the Bill of Rights," Barr said.
Afterward, Barr said he did not tout his own campaign during his speech because the Rotary Club is not a political organization and that he agreed to speak Wednesday before he announced his bid for the presidency.
He said his campaign team will be assembling in Atlanta in the next week. At that point he said he will begin more active campaigning. He already has campaign events planned in Washington, New York, Las Vegas and Portland, Ore., with more to come, he said.
"Obviously, under this administration, the right to privacy not only isn't important, it doesn't exist," Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president, told the Clayton County Rotary Club.
Barr spoke for about 30 minutes but only once, and in passing, mentioned his bid for the White House. But, the issue of privacy and individual freedom is one that resonates through the Libertarian platform and will be a major plank of Barr's platform.
"I intend, in the course of the upcoming campaign to talk about those issues with people, whether they vote for me or not," the former Republican congressman from Cobb County told the Rotarians.
Barr was asked during the program whether there is a way to balance the rights of private citizens and the need for the government to fight terrorism. This, after Barr accused the president and defense agencies of essentially duping Congress into granting them broad new powers to listen to Americans' private conversations without establishing a link to terrorism.
Barr said the balance already exists.
"The balance is the Bill of Rights," Barr said.
Afterward, Barr said he did not tout his own campaign during his speech because the Rotary Club is not a political organization and that he agreed to speak Wednesday before he announced his bid for the presidency.
He said his campaign team will be assembling in Atlanta in the next week. At that point he said he will begin more active campaigning. He already has campaign events planned in Washington, New York, Las Vegas and Portland, Ore., with more to come, he said.
