Spying and Freedom

And finally for this morning, there's this article. It becomes ever more clear to me that this Administration's view of America and mine will never match. Please note as you read the article, that as yet no one in the Administration has given any indication of why the 72-hour retroactive warrant process of the FISA court is in any way too restrictive of their ability to track and monitor terrorists.

Understand as you read the linked article, that while they continue to try to distract us with rhetoric about how anyone who doesn't support their program is trying to harm America, or isn't giving them the tools they need to protect America, what they're actually trying to distract us from is the fact that they do not want to be subjected to reasonable and proper oversight.

Our country was set up the way it is because our Founding Fathers believed in certain core principles, but they also understood human weaknesses. They knew that power corrupts, and they knew that very few people, if any, could be trusted to behave properly given a lot of power and no transparency or oversight. Our system was set up with checks and balances especially to prevent the United States from falling into monarchy, dictatorship or other form of repressive government. When the leaders are subject to the same laws the people are, and subject to open scrutiny to make sure that they are following those same laws, we as a nation have recourse to know that the system will correct any tendencies away from freedom and democracy.

Cheney, Gonzales and the rest are not being honest when they tell you that without these un-checked powers, they can't protect America. That's just an easier sell than “Trust us. We know what we're doing. You don't need to worry your pretty little heads about it.”

Liam.