Politics Without Principles

“The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles." - Mahatma Gandhi

And now for something a little different, almost.

In 1947 the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists at the University of Chicago started the Doomsday Clock to show the worlds relative placement towards a global disaster. When the clock was first started, it was set at 7 minutes to midnight (11:53pm). The closest the clock has ever come to midnight was in 1953 when it was set at 11:58pm after the United States and the then Soviet Union tested thermonuclear devices within 9 months of each other. Since then, the clock has been all over the board in time from 11:43pm in 1991 to 11:55pm as of 2012. The problem is that this current setting completely fails to address current geo-political events which effect the world on a global scale. The Doomsday Clock is strictly nuclear related. Let's take the following events into account:

• February 1, 2002: Passage of the USA PATRIOT Act (11:50pm)
• Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 +5
• February 28, 2011: Passage of HR 347, Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011 +1
• May 26, 2011: President Barack Obama signs a four year extension on key provisions in the USA PATRIOT Act +1
• Seeming defeat of SOPA in the United States -3
• Seeming defeat of ACTA in the United States -3
• December 31, 2011: National Defense Authorization Act 2012 +3
• July 6, 2012: President Obama gives himself complete control over all forms of communication in America. +1
• Russian Duma adopts 'web blacklist' making the internet less free. +1
• Passage of ACTA by Mexico. +3

Next to the events is a corresponding + or - number indicating the importance of severity of the matter which directly relates to our new geo-political Doomsday Clock. I decided to start the clock at the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act because I believe that this, for the West, is the first modern large scale suppressive act committed by a government against a country. This Act could've been repealed but wasn't. This is the beginning for the US. Also notice that many failed laws such as ACTA which fail in the US are later purposed in other countries. This list is not strictly for issues regarding the United States. Many examples are listed to reflect the severity not just on American citizens, but also foreign nationals who could find themselves in the United States or detained by United States officials. I wanted to give a broad spectrum of examples in which acts by a government are directly repressing peoples rights. am sure I undoubtedly forgot many repressive laws which have been passed in other countries. Feel free to leave missed laws in the comments section. My point is that the message is still the same though.

Now, know what time it is? 11:59pm. We are at the point where the doors to an open and free globe are closing fast. Our democracy in the United States as well as global stability is tipping because much of our human rights secured by laws and constitutions around the world have eroded away. We have reached a point where laws either need to be repealed or a new government needs to be founded. There is just no other solution at this point. Thoughts?