The Press of Atlantic City 

December 20, 2008

I have high hopes that Barack Obama will restore two words that were expunged from our vocabulary by President George W. Bush.

These two words are the foundation of our Constitution and the first casualties in all tyrannical societies. Their absence is the justification used by the Bush administration to ignore national and international laws and treaties.

Armed with legal gimmicks such as "unlawful enemy combatant," the Bush administration has stripped American citizens of constitutional protections and exposed us to indefinite detentions, warrantless wiretaps, home break-ins, access to personal records, denial of legal representation and, even, torture.

So, what are these two words that autocrats fear so much? They are "judicial review" - and they stand for transparency in government. They let everyone know that an impartial process is in place for the purpose of preventing abuse.

Nick Reina

Milmay