A scary assault on civil liberties (Seattle Times)

[struggle4progress]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com.nyud.net:8090/ABPub/2006/06/21/2003076602.jpg Lance Dickie / Seattle Times editorial columnist

As historians tally the incompetence, profligacy and lawless opacity of the Bush administration, a shorthand is already emerging: Katrina, Iraq, Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib, signing statements and epic debt. Each reference speaks volumes.

Another topic may soon head the list: FISA, surveillance or domestic spying. A word or two will settle into the political lexicon to symbolize an assault on civil liberties by an administration with an aggressive disregard for the law. We will be haunted by this for generations.

Congress gave the White House permission to eavesdrop without warrants on international telephone calls and e-mails of American citizens. The Bush administration had sought to tinker with wiretap regulations it was already ignoring, when Congress essentially said, "Oh, what the heck, do what you want." ~snip~

The Bush administration cannot get body armor and rifle-cleaning kits to Iraq and Afghanistan, yet it can tap phone calls and rummage through e-mails as it sees fit. ~snip~

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003829263_lance10.html