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Yeah, Gene Healy, we should all just mind our own business. If we see 4 young Middle Eastern males driving down Peachtree in Atlanta filming tall buildings, it is none of our business.

Um, no, that's not what he said at all. If I see something as suspicious as that, I will report it whether or not TIPS is in place. But when the government is actively recruiting people to spy on their fellow citizens, that is dangerously close to a police state. Arguably, that *is* a police state.

If they are taking flying lessons but not learning to land, it is none of our business.

And that *was* reported before 9/11, and it was ignored. The problem is not a lack of information; it is a failure to analyze the information we do have. TIPS is going to generate millions of very questionable data points ("I saw a Bible and an NRA poster in John Doe's house") and is more likely to divert resources from following real leads than to actually preventing future terrorist acts.

That's not even to mention all the "vendeta" reports that will come in. "My Ex-Husband has been involved with an Arab group..." or "My Boss fired me because I overheard a conversation he was having with some Arab guy".

I've heard it said here, Bush will lead some Conservatives singing and dancing where Clinton couldn't have dragged them kicking and screaming.

Actually, I am spying on non-citizens. No, I won't be 100%. Some who appear to be foreigners may actually be citizens. If they are, that's tough. I'm sorry for their inconvenience, but we are at war. Another major event, God forbid a nuclear one, will change things forever. We will no longer be arguing about spying on those who look like foreigners. We will be under martial law. Sorry, but I will continue to profile.