|
As far as the surveillance story goes, it calls to mind a story (I think by Dahlia Lithwick at Slate) shortly after 9/11 about how using law enforcement tools would be an issue when the goal is no longer arrest and conviction but prevention.
Because most of the evidentiary rules on warrants etc. simply prevent the information from being used to get a conviction. If the authorities aren't concerned about tainting eventual criminal/civil action then there is much that they could do that they otherwise wouldn't.
To a degree I feel for the government. We simultaneously want them to never allow anything bad to happen and to also leave us the **** alone.
The Patriot Act wasn't nearly as bad as its reputation on the left and not nearly so pure as its reputation on the right (yes, I actually read the damn thing), but there were major flaws with it and while ideally I'd prefer the bad be weeded out in favor of the good, if it has to be a whole package then better that it all go down.
|