Such liars ... and I am afraid

See this video posted at Crooks and Liars, showing example after example of Bush and Cheney assuring everyone that wiretapping requires a court order. Now that they have been caught with their pants down, BushCo is using other justifications, centered essentially on lies that Congress OK'ed the warrantless eavesdropping and that the Constitution gives the Commander in Chief virtually unlimited powers during "times of war". An apparently Owellian war without end.

Through the years I have been personally concerned that the powers that be will come after their opponents and have collected information to that end. We are now, again, seeing concrete evidence that this is true. The Defense Department collects information on PETA, vegans, the Quakers, anti-war protesters, and on and on. Bush, due to abysmal poll numbers agrees to not press against anti-torture amendments ... but it is becoming clear that he will do whatever he wants, even if it against the law and the Constitution.

I have always admired my activist friends who are so much bolder than me in speaking out and acting out. In my small way, with contributions to groups, writing letters to legislators and newspapers, and now with this blog, I trust that I actually have the freedom to do so, without retribution. But there is much risk in doing so, as is evidenced by the breathtaking arrogance that the administration has exhibited since day one. Who knows what they do if and when their back is really against the wall?

This is a presidency that was put in power under dubious circumstances five years ago, with fewer popular votes than Al Gore and with the connivance of a Republican Supreme Court. It then took that lack of mandate and has governed as "dividers, not uniters". It has then used the circumstance of 9/11 to justify broad abuses of power and is trampling on the rights of the citizens of this country, alienating people around the world who should be our friends and wreaking death and destruction in Iraq.

I am afraid.