Then you asked this "straw man" question: "Name one speck of freedom you have lost since 9/11?"
Your question clearly implies that you yourself think that not "one speck" of freedom has been lost since 9/11.
I cannot believe that someone on FreeRepublic would not be able to answer this question, so I've got to presume you are being rhetorical. And of course any answer would have nothing to do with whether it is proper for the President to institute an unconstitutional Federal program that is (a) most clearly not a power enumerated in the constitution, and (b) a violation of the unalienable rights possessed by we the people, and (c) specifically forbidden by the fourth amendment.
Just cause Teamsters and Democrats like the TIPS program does not mean that Freepers should not fight it.
9/11 may be a convenient excuse for politicians to promote unconstitutional government activities, but the slide away from the free republic intended by the founding fathers toward the unconstitutional MESS we are in now is the real issue, and that slide has been going on continually for YEARS, not just since 9/11. The slide was supposed to stop when we got a 'conservative' Republican president, but it has only slowed down a little bit, and that ought to make us all very worried.
The ENTIRE POINT of FreeRepublic itself is to preserve the American Freedom we have every right to possess. The distinctive feature of our Free Republic, these United States of America, is NOT voting--even communists do that--it is that we have FIRM LIMITATIONS ON THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT. The very people who are presently advocating that the federal government usurp powers to which it has no right are politicians who have sworn oaths of office to uphold the constitution. That's disgusting.
The quotations of Ben Franklin and Justice Louis Brandeis which appear in the excellent comments of spetznaz above, bear repeating:
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Ben Franklin
"The greatest danger to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." - Justice Louis Brandeis
The federal TIPS program ON ITS FACE is an illegal and fascist program, and that fact should be OBVIOUS to all the branches of government. It is a GROSS INSULT to us all that the idea has seen the light of day promoted by the very administration we hoped would stop this kind of thing. I object to the fact that I even have to deal with it. There are other fights to be fought, and this administration is continuing to make many non-conservative moves that are taking away from the other battles we need to be fighting.
Those of you defending the TIPS program really should re-think your position.
President Bush needs our prayers and God's help to act wisely and to recognize that which we must preserve and to have the courage and resolve not to give up essential liberty.