In fairness, the Senate's version of the same bill is considerably less draconian.
But it's rather pathetic that anyone would see this version as
"enlightened". We'll allow the rack, but not the red-hot pokers to our
civil liberties.
Added October 5: Judge Roberts, in
his hearings before the Senate, declared that the President has the power to
order the torture of prisoners, if Congress was "supportive".
That's a strange reading. Why would a Supreme Court Justice care if
Congress was "supportive" of an unconstitutional act? Judge Roberts,
should the President arrest witches? If Congress is "supportive"...
The disparity between rhetoric and
reality is now a yawning chasm. America never ceases, for a second, to rhapsodize
about freedom and liberty and justice and the American Way. And then, without the
slightest inkling of opposition or dissent, casually renews the Patriot Act, making it
legal for the government to spy on whoever it wants whenever it wants with impunity, tap
your phones, read your mail, or search your home-- without even having to tell you that
you are under suspicion, without even having to tell a judge.
Nobody knows which way Judge Roberts is
going to vote on abortion or environmental regulations (well, actually, we do): this guy
has already ruled in favor of the government's right to hold people prisoner for as long
as they like simply by designating them "prisoners of war".
And Americans run the flag up the pole
and salute and sing their anthems and wave their flags, completely unconcerned.
And the police continue to flog the
illusion that these police state provisions have helped them catch terrorists. They
don't have a single terrorist to show for it, but that hasn't even slowed them down: we
need to spy on people to keep America safe.
When this measure was introduced, it
included "sunset provisions", which everyone happily pronounced would ensure
that this glaring intrusion on everyone's civil rights would expire in four years.
Just as I always expected, the Republicans are now trying to make those provisions
permanent. That is ghastly. That is just maybe the most outrageous act by an
outrageous congress. And the Democrats, petrified of being portrayed as
intelligent and wise, are rolling over like sheep. [Last minute correction: most
Democrats voted against the bill. That's actually interesting, because the
perception used to be that you could not win re-election if your opponent could accuse you
of a lack of enthusiasm for bombing or killing or suppressing civil liberties.]
