It's a funny thing, you know. Government and law enforcement agencies are always asking for more and broader powers. They never show up in Congress saying, "Gee, ya know? I really think we're a little big for our britches and we're throwing our weight around a little too much. Please take away some of our broad powers that circumvent key parts of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights." Nope. It's always more. Always.
The Feebs ruined Richard Jewell's life. Ruined Stephen Hatfill's. Drove Bruce Ivins (whether guilty or not) to suicide. And, shocker, they want more power.
A Justice Department plan would loosen restrictions on the Federal Bureau of Investigation to allow agents to open a national security or criminal investigation against someone without any clear basis for suspicion, Democratic lawmakers briefed on the details said Wednesday.Catch the key phrase: without any clear basis for suspicion. Ain't that a kicker?
The plan, which could be made public next month, has already generated intense interest and speculation. Little is known about its precise language, but civil liberties advocates say they fear it could give the government even broader license to open terrorism investigations.
Have the American people really changed that much since I was a kid? There's NO WAY such a request could be made 30 years ago, in the post-Watergate USA. Memories of Nixon and his cronies abusing their power were still strong then.
Now? The sheeple trust that Big Brother and his appointed agents, the Feebs, the heinous ATF, and der Schutzstaffel - excuse me, DHS - will play nicely and always within the rules, no matter how many sweeping extra-Constitutional powers we give them.
Land of the free, home of the brave? I think not.
