Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

Just how far the US government has gone with its overt destruction of civil liberties is astounding. Not only has habeas corpus been thrown out the window, selectively, but communications are wiretapped illegally, people are rendered to other countries to be tortured (torture itself being something we "don't do," while splitting hairs over the definition), due process in general is pissed on, and all the while the government asserts it has the right to conduct its business - in our names - secretly.

In yet another example of the lunatic bullshit, any electronic device can now be seized at the border by the not-so-secret-yet-still-gestapo federal authorities. They can keep a device for any amount of time, and can seize it without any probable cause.
Travelers' Laptops May Be Detained At Border - no suspicion required under DHS policies.

Of course, the reason for this great power given to the authorities is to protect the people - from the ever present terrorist threat. Yet, when Chertoff testifies what does he proclaim to have found on confiscated laptops to justify the program . . . wait for it . . . child pornography. See how the bait and switch works once again, so long as you play the fear card anything goes. Chertoff also said they have discovered "violent jihadist materials," but, he is not allowed to tell you if that led to any substantive information about a real terrorist group or operation - the old if I tell you I have to kill you trick - "national security" prevents the disclosure. See how convenient and self-fulfilling that is.

Hope it's not the same "national security" set of reasons that put Colin Powell at the UN professing about all kinds of evidence for attacking Iraq - which became, exactly as predicted, a giant clusterfuck costing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and at the same time inflaming the *reasons* for the terrorism problem around the world. Thanks for "protecting" us citizens US goverment, you're doing a heck of a job.