Our current informal tips program encourages all Americans to call or email their local FBI office if they notice anything suspicious -- it's absolutely right and necessary, and we should all be on the lookout. With TIPS, we may discourage the average citizen to be on the lookout, since some of them will believe that the TIPS folks have it under control (similar to the sheeple who are against privately owned guns because hey, they can always call the cops). So while either keeping the same or actually decreasing the number of people on the look-out, TIPS does set up a formal government infrastructure of citizen spies. And yes, the current plans *do* call for conscripting utility workers with access to private homes: "As part of the country's war against terrorism, the Bush administration by next month wants to recruit a million letter carriers, utility workers and others whose jobs allow them access to private homes into a contingent of organized government informants." That's in your home, without a search warrant, informing for the government.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20020716-75882632.htm
The former, which is what we have now, provides the security of a neighborhood watch without giving the government an official cadre of citizen spies it can comandeer. The second provides no additional security but VASTLY increases the potential for abuse. If future administrations wanted to say, crack down on "right wing militia" types, under the current system they would have to announce to the public at large to be on the watch -- and have the reasons to back it up. With TIPS, all they would need to do is send out a quiet communique to their TIPS corps -- and all of a sudden, people are getting reported for having a buzz cut and a Choose Life bumper sticker. Yes, people can do that now -- but the government has no way of DIRECTING them to do so, outside of a fully public announcement. That's what's scary.