Ron Wyden, my senator.

I'm proud to say, Senator Ron Wyden is my senator.  Right now -- as in, this very moment -- he is helping Senator Rand Paul (okay, I know I disagree with 90% of what Senator Paul thinks and says, but he's spot on, here) hold up the nomination of John Brennan to CIA director.

Wait, why is that a good thing?

Well, because they're using the debate session on John Brennan's nomination, in order to question the fairness and legality of using drones to kill Americans on American soil.

You should be freaked out, because they -- the Obama Administration (no, I do not support 100% of his policies) -- will not let you know who they are targeting and when they're planning to use drones to kill Americans.  It's as if government has decided that terrorism is so important as to bypass the rights of all Americans.

You don't know if your name is on the no-fly list until you're on the no-fly list and told that you cannot fly.  If you, an American, are on the no-fly list, are you on a hit list?  You don't know, because it's entirely secret.

I'm no Ayn Rand libertarian, but I do believe in due process; without due process, we are no better than dictators and oligarchs.  Besides, what's the point of going to war against Al Qaeda (or anyone who supports a theocracy), if in the process of doing so, government suspends the rights of Americans at its discretion, and entirely done so in secret?

We've lost the war, if we follow this path, because we've embraced our enemy's own dogma.

Now, while Senator Paul is doing all the heavy lifting, Senator Wyden seems to always fall on the side of defending Americans, not by words, but by actions.  He blocked SOPA/PIPA, and he's introduced a bill to give Americans back the right to unlock their cell phones.  The current action by Senator Paul, is a direct result of Senator Wyden's attempts to force the Obama Administration to reveal the judicial reasoning for using drone strikes against Americans overseas, and Americans on American soil.

I can't say this often enough: I am proud that Ron Wyden is my senator.