Bill of Wrongs

---

space

In case the title didn’t tip you off, Bill of Wrongs: The Executive Branch’s Assault Against America’s Fundamental Rights is not a happy read. 

The book examines the implementation of the Patriot Act of 2001 by George W. Bush’s administration.  Co-authors Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose chronicled instances of actions taken under the Act that courts later ruled violated fundamental provisions of the US Constitution. 

What makes the book stand out is the way Ivins and Dubose handle such heavy material.  They avoid a dry and clinical tone, and keep the narrative engaging—even when the events they describe are disheartening, and at times, agonizing.

This was Ivins’ final book.  In fact, she died before its completion.   Unfortunately, the bleak topic prevented Ivins from showcasing the humor that highlighted her earlier books and newspaper columns.  A spark still shines through a bit, though, in her introduction. 

Whether or not you always agreed with Ivins, her newspaper columns usually exhibited an optimism in America and its people.  Ultimately, this book reflects that and may be the general message she and Dubose intended to send.  The good news from this book is that a governing system of checks and balances can work, albeit slowly. 

Now—about 25 years since the passage of the Patriot Act—the United States seems to be experiencing Round Two of executive overreach.  Bill of Wrongs serves as a timely reminder:  the safeguards built into our constitution and our government still matter.

---

---

---