I've been reading about the recent legislation regarding the Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA).

I remain constantly frustrated at the naïveté of those who support expanded powers for the federal government. Today, that is primarily the legislators from the Republican Party and their supporters. They want to expand the powers of the president and his government so that they can spy on people without warrants more easily, jail people without having to show cause or allow due process, and hide these activities from the public and the courts. I can only assume that they trust this president and want to give him the expanded tools they deem necessary to bring those who would attack us to justice.

This is fundamentally contrary to the founders of our nation's view of government and its powers. While the Republicans like to say that not supporting the president in securing our society is "Un-American", I feel that, on the contrary, this expansion of police powers at the expense of proper judicial oversight is profoundly in contrast to the principles on which this nation is founded. The reason the Constitution of the United States specifically outlaws searches (including wiretaps) without warrants and strictly limits the powers of arrest and prosecution is because they didn't trust those in power. Perhaps, as the Bill of Rights was written, they trusted George Washington, but they understood that the next guy might not be so trustworthy. The founders had also seen a government where such rights were not secure and knew what it was like to find soldiers searching their homes.

Americans have traditionally mistrusted government (as they should!). These Republicans seem to miss the import of that mistrust on two levels. First, they place far too great a trust in the current administration. This bunch doesn't seem overly competent, even if you trust them and their motives. How can you guarantee that the FBI and other police authorities aren't abusing their power when the administration is already responsible for oversight at places like the notorious Abu Ghraib prison? In fact, the FBI has already announced that they have violated their own rules in this matter. The government is too big to permit expanded surveillance powers to people who can't be effectively monitored: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" Even if you trust this current administration, you hand these powers to the next president, too. Do you trust him or her, too? Isn't that a little too much faith to put in these guys?

CDs listened to today:

• Alban Berg: Lulu Suite
• Olivier Messiaen: Eclairs sur l'Au Dela
• Sam Phillips: The Indescribable Wow
• My Morning Jacket: Z
• Einojuhani Rautavaara: Angel of Light
• Seal: (eponymous, 1994)
• Jesus Guridi: Sinfonia Pirenaica
• William Schuman: Symphony No. 7
• Teenage Fanclub: Thirteen
  
• stellastarr*: (eponymous)