More alarums and clamours

If you still think we live in a democracy, and wish to preserve that illusion, you might try taking the advice of the American Library Association's Washington Office Newsline and raise a stink about the legislative committee which is reportedly working on resolving the differences between different versions of two bills passed by the House and Senate.

The Senate bill, the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 (S.2845) is reported to closely follow the actual recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, according to the ALA. The only provision that arouses their discontent is the creation of a de facto national ID card, which Senator McCain has surreptitiously sneaked into an amendment without public debate. (Where, one wonders, are the Republican Evangelicals who always froth at the mouth over such "marks of the Beast"?)

By contrast, according to ALAWON's current issue,

The House bill, H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act, goes far beyond the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission and includes a variety of anti-liberties and immigration provisions, including some parts of the PATRIOT II legislation. Among other things, the bill:

* Broadens intelligence surveillance inside the United States to non-citizens with no connection to a foreign entity;
* Permits the deportation of individuals to a foreign country without a functioning government, even if there is a risk of torture;
* Limits the ability of individuals to seek political asylum;
* Expands preventive detention;
* Creates a national I.D. system that goes beyond the Senate bill, requiring all motor vehicle databases to be linked together. It also ties driver's licenses to visa status.

On the other hand, if you'd rather not have your name on the Bush Administration's list of "disloyal" citizens to be put under surveillance and rounded up after the election, perhaps it would be best to keep a low profile.