by James Glaser
December 17, 2002

Do you feel the hairs on the back of your neck start to stand on end? Does it feel like someone is watching you?

Georgetown University law professor Jonathan Turley pointed out in a LA Times November 17 article that "for more than 200 years, our liberties have been protected primarily by practical barriers rather than constitutional barriers to government abuse.

Our country and its population was just too big for government to watch everyone. Now with computers and the use of credit cards, our every transaction can be seen and recorded by "Big Brother" in Washington. Our every financial and medical move will be recorded. Even the library books we read will be known to those in Washington. Every recordable transaction will find its way into our file with the Total Information Awareness System.

This system of "watchers" will be handled by the department of defense. What person in America could have the integrity needed to run a department that has a real potential to abuse all of us?

Why of course George Bush and Donald Rumsfled would hire not only a convicted felon, but a real Terrorist by the name of John Poindexter.

Poindexter was the master mind behind the Iran-Contra affair. Poindexter was convicted in a court of law, he was later pardoned because Congress gave him immunity. In today's America Poindexter would be charged with Murder, because the weapons he sold to terrorists and the money he gave to other terrorists was used to kill innocent people in many countries. With that record President Bush has decided to reward this "pillar of society" with the one job in America that calls for the most integrity.

I know this is hard to believe, but so many things this President does are hard to believe. John Poindexter was convicted of lying to Congress and destroying documents. His sentence was reversed because he had been granted immunity for testifying in the case. But the evidence against him stands. So not only is this guy a felon, a terrorist, but also a Snitch. Integrity? None!

Has there been a national debate on this Total Information Awareness System? No! Have those Democrats that talk about freedom said anything? No! Has the "Free Press" of our nation brought this up in any meaningful way? No! Where are the Republicans in Congress that give lip service to the Constitution? They are nowhere to be seen on this one.