One For Truth

Just Plain Wrong

After it became known that the Federal government was monitoring the phone numbers called by U.S. phone customers (but not listening to the conversations--scout's honor), the consistent administration line has been: don't worry, Common Man, we are only after the terrorists.

Then today, an ABC news reporter revealed that he was warned by a source in the government that the FBI was going through their cell phone logs to see if they had been in contact with anyone employed by the CIA as part of their search for leakers at that agency. No subpeona, no warrant. They just apparently called up the reporter's cell carriers and got what they wanted, thank you very much.

And not just a couple of reporters from ABC, but reporters from the New York Times and the Washington Post as well.

I don't live in fear of the U.S. government taking away my freedom, but I do believe that the balance between freedom and security has tipped away from freedom. Just as the balance between public interest and corporate interest has tipped to corporate interest. Congress is becoming a blank check for expanding corporate influence, and no one in the administration seems much embarassed by their own zeal in circumventing the spirit if not the letter of the Bill of Rights.

I don't know if it's yet, but there will be a redressing of these issues and a significant scaling back of government and corporate influence over our lives. There may not be urgency about it now, but more and more people will begin to be angered and disturbed by these trends. There is nothing inevitable about an erosion of freedom and an expansion of governmental and corporate power. We hold the votes, and the votes ultimately dictate the law.

posted by Zeke @ 2:10 PM