As a citizen of the United States, my national government can now legally seize my financial records, records of my internet activity, my phone records (including locations), listen to my phone conversations, and view the text of my emails, without a warrant.
Indeed, according to the President, Vice-President, Attorney General, etc.. they can legally seize ME and hold me without charge, without legal representation, and without notifying my relatives, if they have a good reason to believe that I am an "enemy combatant". Though, if they were to make a dreadful mistake, how would anyone know?
My government can now confiscate my property, without compensation or with a little, depending on whether I am a threat to security or just in the way of what they deem a greater public or private good. They can imprison me, deport me, strip me of my citizenship, and of course, torture me, on the premise that the U.S. is at war, and as such, the President has the plenary powers to do such things if he deems them necessary.
Such is the result of the bastardization of the "rule of law" brought about by nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, instantaneous worldwide communications, the Cold War, the War on Drugs, the 16th Amendment, RICO laws, and the PATRIOT Act.
In this era of increasing polarization of the U.S. electorate, the globalization of "Free Trade", mass emigrations, and the advancing technological capabilities of governments and "terrorists", does it concern you that such powers are now concentrated in the hands of a few individuals?
Would it concern you if someone else were to become President? Someone who does not agree with your definitions of what a "threat" is, what "freedom" is, or what "reasonable" is? Someone, perhaps, for whom the acquisition and use of power, through political means, is the focus of their entire existence?
It should. For the centralization of unlimited power inevitably leads to the abuse and misuse of that power. The Founding Fathers warned us, Lord Acton warned us, Lincoln warned us, and Eisenhower warned us.
Apparently, no one listened.
And so, soon, there will be only the clarity of silence.
stephenhsmith 4Mar2006
