Re: "you asked how do I know the government is not doing something else..."
Yes!
Exactly!
For example: If there was independent confirmation of this (perhaps review by another branch of government, Congress or Courts) we could have some confidence that *actual* practices were as they have been represented to be.
Without some sort of independent oversight or accessment, (an important principle for government that our Founders were well clued-in to) how is one to *know*. Take them AT THEIR WORD? (Oh, I'm *sure* that government would never dare to lie or misrepresent their actions any! LOL!)
One thing we do have confirmation for (because when the government prosecutes someone it's a public action) is that (according to CATO and others) the new powers granted to the Executive have FREQUENTLY been used in prosecutions, and for offenses, that have NO CONNECTION AT ALL to 'terrorism'. For example, they are widely being used now in tax cases, 'organized crime' cases, asset forfeture actions, so called 'property crimes', gambling, prostitution, drugs, etc., etc., etc... (basically in any matter that the government wishes to employ it's new powers).
This is --- sadly --- much to be expected, DESPITE what the government originally claimed that it would only use it's new powers for 'terrorism'. Once government has powers, it will use them. Always.
Re: "paranoia".
It fails to be 'paranoia' once it's QUANTIFIED. :-) |
