Apr. 21, 2004 - 21:48 PST

THE WONDERING JEW

Watchers

Mr. Bush went to Hershey, Pennsylvania Monday, but not to buy a Hershey bar or Hershey kiss. Trying to sell something nevertheless. Still waving the Paranoid Stars and Stripes you might say.

Article in the Register-Guard by The Associated Press, of Tuesday, April 20, 2004 headllined:

Patriot Act touted in key state."

President Bush gave an impassioned defense Monday of the Patriot Act, using a visit to this electoral battleground state to warn that if the law begins to expire as scheduled in 20 months it would undermine domestic security."

"It's a law that is making America safer," Bush said of the measure that expanded the government's sureveillance and detention powers -- and has been widely criticizied by liberals and conservatives."

"The purpose of this trip was twofold as Bush, for the first time this year, was raising cash for another candidate -- four term Arlen Specter, who is trying to fend off a primary challenge from conservative GOP Rep. Pat Toomey. The primary is April 27."

"Bush's message on the Patriot Act didn't mesh with Specter, who is among 18 Co-sponsers of legislation that would amend the law.

Another article in the same paper, same date, by Brian Bender of The Boston Globe, headlined:

Move afoot to consider domestic spying

Sub - "The Sept. 11 commission may even recommend such an agency despite criticism from civil liberties groups"

"The government's systematic failure to prevent the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has led members of the bi-partisan commission investigating them to consider what just a few years ago would have been unthinkable: establishing a domestic intelligence agency to spy on people in the United States who are suspected of sub-versive activity."

"In wednesday, commission member John Lehman, former secretary of the Navy, said, 'I came into this commission ... believing it was a no-brainer that we should go to an MI5."

But the possibility of a secret spy service operating inside the country already has prompted fierce criticism, linking such strange bedfellows as the American Civil Liberties Union, Attorney General John Aschcroft, former Attorney General Janet Reno, and FBI Director Robert Mueller and his predecessor Louis Freeh all of whom oppose such a move."

"Even during the most frigid days of the Cold War, we never saw a need to create a secret police force that would work ouptside of the constraints of the Constitution, said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union."

"Bush administration officials said they are considering the creation of a domestic spy unit within the FBI and are weighing a proposal to establish a national intelligence czar to oversee all U.S. spy activities.

"Opponents of a separate domestic spy service contend that withoout the constitutional restraints imposed on law enforcement personnel , a separate outfit could become a rogue operation."

+++++++++++++++

My opinions. Crikey, they are comilng at us from all sides now, aren't they ? They keep at it, trying to make the Patriot Act more restrictive yet and are trying to make it permanent. Now the bi-? ? ?-partisan commission is touting a super secret service which will operate without the constitution, without oversight, without approval of any kind, detain whoever they wish, for however long they wish -- just on someone's suspicion of terrorist activity, in all secrecy.

Looks possible if they push it through, our tax money will pay the FBI to spy on Homeland Security people who will watch the Watchers . . . . . . . . . . . .