Mark Lawrence, Portland Press Herald
When I was elected district attorney for York County, I took an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States. This is not just the first act that all elected officials take, it is the most important act.
It is the acknowledgement that our nation is based on principles, not simply the whim of certain people. It is a pledge that each politician will put the fundamental rights of the people above allegiance to any political party, partisan agenda or personal ambition.
George Bush and Dick Cheney took that same oath when they entered their offices.
Yet there is substantial information that the Bush administration has acted far beyond the scope of powers allowed it, and in doing so, undermined the fundamental rights granted to Americans under our Constitution.