Monitor Thy Neighbor (Commentary by Congressman Ron Paul)

Ron Paul via MEW ^ | 07.23.02 | Ron Paul

[Registered]

Monitor Thy Neighbor

Publisher: Middle East News Press Release Network

By: Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX)

Posted: 2002-07-23

Opposition to the Patriot Act, legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President last year, is growing. Americans are beginning to understand that many precious liberties have been put in jeopardy by the government's rush to enact new laws in the wake of September 11th. Federal law enforcement agencies now have broad authority to conduct secret, warrantless searches of homes; monitor phone and internet activity; access financial records; and undertake large-scale tracking of American citizens through huge databases. We're told this is necessary to fight the unending war on terror, but in truth the federal government has been seeking these powers for years. September 11th simply provided an excuse to accelerate the process and convince all of us to relinquish more and more of our privacy to the federal government.

Now the Justice department wants to extend the new investigative powers to private citizens. It recently unveiled Operation TIPS – Terrorism Information and Prevention System – as part of President Bush's Citizen Corps initiative. The goal is to enlist thousands or even millions of Americans to act as spies for the government, reporting suspicious activity to officials using a handy toll-free hotline. The Justice department especially hopes to enlist mailmen, delivery drivers, plumbers, gas-meter readers, and the like, as they have access to private homes and businesses in their daily work. As usual, the war on terror is offered as justification for this proposal.

This almost might be funny if it were not real. Imagine the rampant abuses possible with a national spy program. Busybodies across the country will clamor to join the effort and act as self-appointed neighborhood vigilantes. Unscrupulous individuals of every stripe will abuse the program by snitching on ex-spouses, personal enemies, and racial groups they don't like. Bickering neighbors will enjoy calling in to report unkempt lawns and barking dogs as sure signs of nefarious activity. I certainly hope the Justice department employs some very patient people to field the flood of useless calls.

If a government-sponsored snitch program sounds pretty bad to you, you're not alone. Some commentators draw parallels between Operation TIPS and the citizen informants of the former East German Stasi secret police. Of course, suggesting the obvious – that citizen spy programs are incompatible with a free society – invites denunciations and sharp reminders that "we're at war." Remember, however, that wars have been used throughout modern history to justify rapid expansion of state power at the expense of personal liberty. We cannot remain free if we allow the endless, undeclared war on terror to serve as an excuse for giving up every last vestige of our privacy.

I applaud Congressman Dick Armey for adding a provision to the homeland security bill that would prohibit the Justice department from implementing the TIPS program. His opposition brings needed public attention to this terrible idea. But even if Congress supports him, there is no guarantee another informant proposal will not surface soon thereafter. Congressional oversight of administrative agencies (consider the Treasury department and its renegade IRS) is nonexistent. The Justice department almost certainly will seek another way to implement the program, with or without congressional approval.

Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves what kind of society we hope to leave our children and grandchildren. A civilized and free society would not be discussing, much less seriously debating, any proposal to enlist private citizens to act as federal neighborhood snitches.


Ron Paul, M.D., represents the 14th Congressional District of Texas in the United States House of Representatives.

[Viva Le Dissention]

Label me whatever you want--it doesn't bother me.

Note: more people voting for republican candidates than ever before does not disprove that more republicans are becoming disenchanted with a party that makes it its political goal to rob Peter to pay Paul. I'm not sure why you think it does.

As far as not losing any liberties, I'm not sure in what alternate reality you live. We have a law that passed Congress that effectively guts the 4th amendment, allowing government agencies to conduct secret searches.
Right now in North Carolina, US citizens are in prison. The government can imprison anyone, anytime, for life--without recourse. Another man was just imprisoned yesterday with no explanation from authorities, but he was sent to North Carolina. These men have not been charged, and the government clearly states it has no intention of charging these men. They have been denied counsel, any sort of trial--even a kangaroo court organized merely to convict--let alone a public, speedy trial by jury, they have been denied contact to counsel, and even habeas corpus, a right extending back to 1215.
In Michigan and New Jersey, the government has sought to deport countless people without a public trial or any other due process rights.
The President seeks to allow the "Ministry" of Homeland Security to become exempt from FOIA, making it basically unaccountable to the scrutiny of public eye.
The President supports regulations that require a federal issued ID that would be required for interstate travel--denying yet another constitutional right.
Federal agencies can now conduct perfectly legal "fishing expeditions" online and in places like libraries and churches, again thwarting the spirit, if not the letter, of the 4th amendment.
All this without mentionign TIPS.

Boy, it's a good thing we haven't lost any rights or liberties.

[Viva Le Dissention]

By the way, more than 300 Libertarians hold elective office, more than twice as many as all other third parties combined.
The Libertarian Party ran more than 1430 candidates in the 2000 elections, more than twice as many as all other third parties combined.
Ron Paul, the Libertarian candidate for President in 1988, is now a congressman from Texas, as you know.

What other 3rd party can boast such accomplishments? Oh yeah--not one.

[headsonpikes]

It's very difficult trying to conduct a conversation by shouting over the top of the Bell Curve to someone out past 2 SDs on the left-hand side.

Sad, really, to see how folks have been reduced to squealing rodents by modern socialism.

[Dakmar]

Now you'll have to explain the meaning of 'SD' to him.

[tpaine]

Yep, the Rmam's anti-libertarian, anti-freeper rhetoric is getting pretty shrill. -- He can see that his authoritarian socialist faction here is fading fast:

REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS NEWS

To: forest; Doug Fiedor

I'm very interested in the idea of the Republican Liberty Caucus. I sincerely believe that it is feasible to move the entire party to the right if enough Liberty-minded people would join the RLC and get active in their local committees. I've recently joined a fledgling local RLC Chapter myself.
I'd like to offer an RLC forum here on FR.

3 posted on 7/20/02 2:30 PM Pacific by Jim Robinson

[Reagan Man]

I'm glad you're satisfied with the Libertarian Party platform and its promotion of a political agenda highlighted by the twin evils of chaos and anarchy. Trying to hold an intelligent conversation with you fringe extremists is just about impossible.

Rant on, if you must.

[Reagan Man]

>>>Now you'll have to explain the meaning of 'SD' to him.

I can't help it, if I don't speak the language of fringe extremism, as you and your neanderthal buddies, headsonpikes and tpaine seem to. Living in the netherworld seems to have taken its toll on all of you and rightfully so.

[Reagan Man]

Now you're quoting Jim Robinson.

LMBO at you.

You're a shameless hypocrite.

[headsonpikes]

I'm getting a mental image of John Wilkes Booth dressed up in a Barbara Frietchie costume for Halloween.

[Dakmar]

"Extremism is the defense of liberty is no vice" - Barry Goldwater

Another extremist fringe lunatic to add to your files.

[Dakmar]

in the defense...

[Dakmar]

Now there's something I'm gonna carry with me for a long, long time.

[Reagan Man]

You've all convinced me. You guys are the disciples of a biological crossbreed, between Kaspar Hauser, George Orwell and Pee-Wee Herman.

Live with it!

[subterfuge]

You fouled up a perfectly good thread Reagan Man!

[ninenot]

...on the other hand, maybe your neighbor is REALLY disturbed about your accidentally driving on his lawn and calls to report that your activities are 'suspicious.' After all, sysadmins often work odd hours, talk to their computers, and ARE, after all, computer gurus. Sounds suspicious to me: AlQuaeda operatives come and go at strange hours and are quite computer-literate--perhaps they also talk to themselves.

Or maybe someone's ex-spouse is REALLY PO'd and makes the same call.

But we don't even have to go that far. At this time, the Feds have yet to DEFINE the term 'terrorism.' Hillary has already provided some help: she says that anyone who protests at abortion clinics are 'terrorists.' (You can look this up.)

So when GWB leaves office, as he eventually will, and HRC or one of her clones assumes the most powerful position on the globe, will you become a 'terrorist' because you are anti-abortion? or pro-gun-rights? or because your children do NOT go to the public school?

I admit that it's difficult--but to 'trust the Gummint' is NOT always the best way to proceed.

[Dakmar]

Whatever you say, Ms Reno.

[headsonpikes]

'Ms Reno'

That's Ms. Frietchie(winkwinknudgenudge) ;^)

[nanny]

My goodness. Why are you so rude? I don't mind debating, but let's leave out the namecalling, shall we? It is warranted and it isn't necessary.

I stand by my theory the founding fathers were anti-government. They, also, realized there would be a need for some government so severely restricted it.

The military is only a part of our national defense. They are great folks. When our borders are opened to anyone and everyone with a 'Ya'll come on in, ya' hear', we are not defending our nation. When visas are being sold to potential enemies, we are not defending our nation.

Just because we cannot go back to the smaller form of government this country had, doesn't preclude our getting rid of much of the bloat that strangles the citizens of this country.

It never makes sense to say, we can't change it all, so let's do nothing.

[tacticalogic]

Quite. I'd say it was one of his best performances in the last few weeks.

[dcwusmc]

Welcome to FreeRepublic. It's good to have you. Even if our resident statist thugs call you bad names, keep the faith. Eventually the Constitution will win out over the authoritarians...

I wish I knew what drugs they are all on... "haven't lost any liberties since 9/11" Indeed. I guess if the remainder of the Bill of Rights goes through a shredder tomorrow, we won't have "lost" anything...

Anyway, welcome aboard.