Jeri, that’s what I wish would happen. But you know the old saying about if wishes were horses.

James – your first example is that of a corrupt town government I think, and your second is of the kind of thing the current Patriot Act fearmongering sets us up for. You’re right, our freedom of speech does have limitations. I considered inserting words like “guns, bombs, drugs” randomly throughout my post just to be funny and decided it might be a bad idea, especially in the current political climate. I’m a big fan of the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), a legal think tank devoted to dealing with electronic media, free speech and privacy, but don’t want to try ‘em out personally.

Holy – I’m going to out you on one thing. Before anyone jumps on you for not reciting the pledge – let me just point out that YOU ARE CANADIAN, and even as an expat living here, it’s kind of not required. LOL I really like your vision of America the peacemaker – rather than America the peacekeeper. I too could stand behind that.

Vince – the ‘small-l libertarian’ club, of which I’m a member as well – makes me smile. It’s amazing that a group of people as independent and anarchistic as libertarians have been able to organize at all. Agreed on the nation’s current paranoid security agenda – couldn’t we define one based on strategic thought and long-term vision?

And not even a month ago, I watched a comedy show with nothing but “Middle Eastern” comedians, most clearly very funny and all too aware of how hilarious their own society can appear, from both an insider and outsider point of view. One of them was the actor from the movie “Office Space”. He had apprently, in a “blog” format, made an obviously stupid comment intended for comedic purposes only, and found himself the subject of a very real FBI investigation. He made a statement in his stand up routine to the effect of “Now I do not ever, make any mention of terrorism online at ll, joking or otherwise, and advise you to do the same.”

I am grateful for my freedoms AND I am very well of the erosion of them since the time of GWB. I won’t even say 9/11, because it wasn’t 9/11, it was the response to 9/11.

I’ve tried to find an ideology within the political system i can subscribe to, but, alas, I believe I will be floating back to the permanent big “I”, being Independent. In my heart of hearts, I believe the only way Congress will be reformed is by an outside movement not affiliated or indebted or interested in any way to with the “system” of Washington. One in which the people are truly represented. I do believe this can happen. I must.

As for Obama, I too, have been disappointed on occasion yet I am more impressed than I have ever been with a President. It is easy to be the copilot and judge, without any of the information he is privy to. The reason I still have faith in him is I don’t feel I have been lied to. Note, I said *feel*. Do I think he has had to compromise ideals he came into office with? Yes. Do I think he has gone back on campaign promises? Yes. However, I have faith there are reasons for this. He seems to embody something I haven’t seen in a president for a long time. And, I do expect him to be human, he set the tone for that. He never said he was above reproach. I like that about him. But, he could fail miserable with this one. He knows the law…he could lose me on this one.

In terms of the Patriot Act, I would need to no more. I would like to see how it will achieve, “access business records, monitor individual terrorists and conduct roving wiretaps”. Will it include the same provisions as you mentioned in the original Patriot Act? If so, I am dead against it. The Patriot Act basically circumvents 7 of the 10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights. Congress, our elected officials, gave away the freedoms our founders with a signing of the pen, and we all stood by and watched. See why I don’t want Congress directing things any longer? They have failed, and failed miserably. All that being said, I do believe in Intelligence gathering, within a process with oversight. GWB reacted urgently – there was time to set up a commission and to look into covert operations with due process being part of the equation – he just wanted to do it on his own authority (overextending the power of the Executive Branch).

I’m not pro or con “big government”, I actually believe that is rhetoric thrown around for political purposes. What I am for is smart government. I saw a lot of that in Obama’s plan, and I see its fruit in the Katrina clean up, finally. However, it is a HUGE mess he is inheriting, and it will take a lot of time, effort and energy to bring about change. I am so thankful the wheel has been put in motion – look how engaged the country is in our own welfare? Sometimes that is the benefit of pain.

The Patriot Act (a misnomer if ever there was one) is akin to McCarthyism – and sadly, helps create this dichotomy between what citizens would perceive their freedoms and liberties to be – the myth, if you will – and the reality that this isn’t exactly a democratic process.

If it was, would these bailouts have really happened in which your kids and my kids and their kids and so on will pay the huge luxury tax for this generations’ economic mistakes? It’s just more of the same – pay it forward and shirk responsibility – let it be “their” problem.

The day the ideology shifts from anti-terrorism and fear-based protectionism to pro-peace, pro-ecumenism and pro-domestic nesting – and I think this regime is at least trying to painfully, slow avail to address the fear-mongerers in more positive ways – will mark the official dawn of a new millenium wherein the US is neither the bully, the bullied, nor the bystander, but rather the Brave one – the Peacemaker.

All this from the gal who remains mute during weekly pledge ceremonies. Although having said that, the New York minute I can begin to trust this is really one nation that understands the true nature of liberty and justice for all, and that the republic begins standing for peace & global good works (because therein lies the key to restoring America’s good name – putting your money where your mouth is), I would be the first to carry the flag. On my honour.

I’m in favor of big government–but a big government that is transparent, that serves the public, that respects privacy, that holds Due Process in proper regard. This isn’t a contradiction or a paradox–providing public education, paving roads or insuring healthcare doesn’t require wiretapping. And wiretapping, to the extent it might be necessary to protect the nation, can still be supervised by an independent judiciary and independent Congress should Congress choose to exercise proper oversight. An example of this sort of thing can be found with the Congress’ creation of the FISA courts way-back-when, and nobody has managed to offer any satisfactory evidence that the FISA courts are in any way broken or inadequate as a procedural balance between the Executive responsibility to protect the public and the public’s right to be secure from unwarranted searches and seizures.

It’s a damn mess. Candidate Obama suggested he’d be the rare, strong leader who would roll things back. So far, President Obama has not been that leader. I’m disappointed.

As to Cheney and others who claims all those rules ave saved lives but they won’t be specific because of “security”, they remind me of the old joke about the man walking around with an elephant gun. When asked why, he explained he used it to frighten away elephants. When told there were no elephants where he lived, his response was “See, it works!”