February 8, 2003
Ashcroft
FreedomAttorney General John Ashcroft's America is Orwellian, but with .all the signs .reversed: he sees the dystopia of 1984 as paradise rather than hell. Well, what can you expect from a grinning born-again who was defeated in his last run for office by a dead man?
The non-profit, non-partisan Center for Public Integrity revealed February 7 that Ashcroft ordered the Justice Department to develop sweeping legislation that would radically increase the government's police powers, particularly in areas of suveillance, secrecy and control; it further reduces judicial review.
The draft bill, titled "The Democratic Security Enhancement Act of 2003," has thus far been circulated only to a small group in secret, among them, according to a January 10 Justice Department document control memo, Vice President Richard Cheney and Congressman Dennis Hastert.
Bill Moyers focused on the story in the 7 February edition of his PBS "NOW" program. The NOW site features Moyers' excellent interview with CPI executive director Chuck Lewis, provides links to the full text of Ashcroft's secret legislation, and much more.
This is really scary stuff. Time to call or email your representatives in Congress, join ACLU, MoveOn,
Three final comments before the list of urls where you can examine all of this for yourself:
—Where is that idiot Ralph Nader who said there was no difference in Gore and Bush?
—The problem with people who think they're getting all the information they need directly from God is they never check to see if they're just getting crank calls.
—Do you remember that Hitler took power legally?.
Center for Public Integrity home page
CPI article: "Justice department drafts sweeping extension of anti-terrorism act
Bill Moyers' The NOW site, with many important links
transcript of Bill Moyers' February 7 interview with Chuck Lewis
Charles Lewis and Adam Mayle, "Secret Draft of Patriot II," on the tompaine.common sense website
Draft of "The Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003," (in Adobe PDF)
Greg Caldwell: "To what extent did Hitler come to power legally." Hitler, argues Caldwell, was elected Chancellor in a dubious election, used the February 1933 Reichstag fire as an excuse to curtail civil rights and get his "Ennabling Act" passed, then, when President Hindinberg died in August 1934 legally consolidated the offices of Chancellor and President into Führer.
Copyright 2003 by Buffalo Report, Inc.