On Mon, 22 Jul 2002 11:43:36 -0400, you wrote:

Well, the other possible interpretation is that the Feds are not black-at-heart, Big Brother, neo Stalinist fascist JBTs pouncing on any opportunity to make confetti of the Bill of Rights; but rather are actually trying to respond to 9/11 with a minimal impact on US Citizens.

...but of course, that would be an unpopular interpretation on this mailing list.

Popularity, or lack thereof, of acts and plans by the government, which the government itself holds secret, provides little support for the "fascisim arising school", nor for the "just looking out for our citizens" school. We are left to look back to history, and to see if we find any pattern of result from when extensive surveillance power, secret courts, secret detentions, suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, all during an undeclared war. Or we can see if we believe that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. But beyond this, did you see George W. Bush smile just after 9/11 when he said "This war is going to take a very long time"? Do you recall the popularity of Winston Churchill during WWII, and how he was immediately dumped after the German surrender? Do you recall how the US-Iraq war took Bush I to grand heights of popularity, but by election time, the war was over, there were no heroes marching, and it came down to "it's the economy stupid"? Now what did Bush II learn from this: Either 1) Make sure that Americans know you are on top of their concerns about the economy and you know how it is affecting everyday people, and keep the economy going strong. or 2) Even if there are no attacks on the US by Al Qaeda after 9/11, keep a war hysteria going and show military force as the basis of maintaining wartime support levels from wartime patriotism.