Snoopy

First it was unauthorized wiretapping that was done, unilaterally, and without consulting anyone because it was a necessary and indispensable measure in the WAR ON TERROR.

Then it turned out the Bush administration, which is on a crusade to democratize the middle east, was sifting through everybody’s phone calls, unilaterally and without consulting anyone, because it was a necessary and indispensable measure in the WAR ON TERROR.

Now it turns out that unilaterally, and without consulting anybody at all, the administration has been sifting through everybody’s financial transactions, because doing so is a necessary and indispensable measure in the WAR ON TERROR.

Soon there will be a poll finding that Americans think that’s just fine because they spend their lives fretting they will be the targets of a terrorist plot.

Folks, the endless uncovering of “terrorist plots” notwithstanding, you have more chance of being killed in a hail storm.

Sure, there was 9/11, and that was terrible, a downer, but it’s time to start facing up to the fact Bush knew there were threats, but chose to clear brush in Crawford.

Translation: The buck stopped with him.

And it’s time to start owning up to the fact this decadent country of watchers and pleasure-seekers crapped its pants and handed over every right anybody ever died for to the government in exchange for protection.

Now you see what protection is. Government in your soup.

“Decadent country of watchers and pleasure seekers?” Whoa scribe, you’re getting downright personal.

Indeed. Rather than be sensitized to the horrors of violence in the wake of 9/11, the American people endorsed more violence and supported this band of thugs in their unprovoked invasion of Iraq, because there was a WAR ON TERROR.

The result has been the death of thousands upon thousands of innocent civilians that is unconscionable and which we are all guilty of permitting and condoning.

Vice Decadent, Prick Cheney, was of course, and once again, “vigorously defending” the administration’s wanton violation of Amendment IV, Bill ‘o Rights, which states, and the scribe quotes:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly the place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized.”

Boy, those Founding Fathers could write!

And the scribe isn’t sure how packing the Supreme Court with executive lackeys like Samuel Alito and John Roberts makes the part where it says, “and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,” somehow less clear or open to new interpretations.

the scribe abhors Dick Cheney because the scribe loves America, while Cheney loves corporate America.

And here are some other reasons outlined in a letter sent to the “L.A. Times” a few years ago, (January 28, 2002 to be exact), but which was not published because of how true it was.

“Thanks for your story on Vice President Dick Cheney’s Sunday television interview (“Cheney Defends Refusal to Detail Energy Meetings,” Jan. 28). It’s high time [a long time ago] for a debunking of the myth that Bush & Co. did nothing to help their most prodigious campaign backers.

The question is what the administration did for Enron before its collapse; not after it began and the company became so radioactive that no politician with a pair of half-functioning antennae would touch it.

Cheney said his looming battle with the General Accounting Office is really over, ‘the ability of the president and the vice president to solicit advice from anybody they want in confidence.’

Cheney and the administration are all about confidence. He condescends to television journalists by deflecting queries with assurance that he has been around longer and refers to the Federal Reserve Board chairman as “Alan;” a fellow he knows better than anybody. His boss seals the records of prior presidents (such as his father’s) from public purview with a quietly issued executive order.

Government to the Bush administration is a privileged little club of insiders that should operate in ‘confidence’ without having to deal with bothersome matters like Congress’ constitutionally granted power of oversight. The public, it would seem, possesses no right to know what was discussed with corrupt executives at a meeting convened by Cheney in his capacity as an elected official of the American people.

The United States, to this bunch, is an affair of the few – themselves – not to be hampered by the will, rights, or growing rancor of the many; not a vote-driven democracy at all, rather a little aristocracy of arrogant know-it-alls.”

The “Times” wouldn’t take the letter, but highwayscribery did. That’s why you gotta love blogging.

That’s why you gotta love the First Amendment, while we still have it, because here’s what Cheney had to say about the press uncovering his precious secret snooping program for all those who have a right to see and know:

“What I find most disturbing about these stories is the fact that some of the news media take it upon themselves to disclose vital national security programs, thereby making it more difficult for us to prevent future attacks against the American people.”

If you gave up the Fourth Amendment because of the WAR ON TERROR, why wouldn’t you give up the First Amendment for the WAR ON TERROR?

Here’s Cheney crying about the press doing its job again.

“That offends me.”

Here’s the highway scribe:

“Good.”