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Such falsehood is truly breathtaking. Take the New York Times’s charge that the government now has “broad new authority” to spy on “ordinary Americans.”

Heck, we here at FR were questioning that claim the day Safire's column came out. But what was amazing was how that lie spread like wildfire - to the Washington Times, Newsweek, Neal Boortz, the Cato Institute (who changed the lead-in for the story after I e-mailed them about the error) - even Bob Barr fell for it - and I would think that Barr would have checked the text of HR 5710 before commenting on a claim from the media. What the hell ever happened to fact checking? I think folks swallowed this story because it fit in with what they already believed about the Homeland Security Act - which, ironically, probably has provided for a net INCREASE in privacy, since it banned National ID Cards, banned TIPS and provided for a National Privacy Officer.

I see two main problems here. First, reporters and radio talk show hosts who make wild claims seldom mention the section number of the bill, making it very difficult to verify their claim. And second, I guess it doesn't help their ratings if they cover legislation such as the Homeland Security Act in a calm, sober, fact-finding manner. So a bill that should have been covered as "The Homeland Security Act - Brain Numbing Administrative Detail with a few problems and a few benefits" is better hyped as "The Homeland Security Act - the End of the Republic As We Know It" - when the truth is far different.

This exercise has been quite an eye-opener for me. I'm thinking of forming a group on FR which will review legislation so we here at FR are not at the mercy of these nitwits.

>>I'm thinking of forming a group on FR which will review legislation so we here at FR are not at the mercy of these nitwits.

There was someone posting a couple of days ago who was obviously reading through this entire bill. He said most of it was bureaucratic minutia, and also has some interesting comments on what the bill really said, as opposed to what is being reported in the media.

I don't remember his name, can anyone else help?

What the hell ever happened to fact checking?

The "facts" are buried in a two-inch-thick document written in a language resembling Old High Martian. Worse, it has become a matter of common knowledge that such obfuscation is a standard tactic used to enact outragously self-serving, abusive, or otherwise unacceptable agendas that would get the sponsoring politician tarred and feathered if advanced in the light of day.

Frankly, the feds have only themselves to blame if people assume the worst. They've come to this well too often, and now somebody's gone and peed in it.

I'm thinking of forming a group on FR which will review legislation so we here at FR are not at the mercy of these nitwits...

COUNT ME IN !!!.. I will contribute when possible.. I follow the Senate Pretty closely.. also ADD me to your ping list if you..

FReegards,

David