1 Boring Old Man

Report Rebuts Bush on Spying
Domestic Action’s Legality Challenged

Beyond the fact that Bush’s N.S.A. program violates the endlessly debated and very clear F.I.S.A. regulations, there lurks on the edges of our minds the thought that this surveillance does not have the lofty motives described in each of Mr. Bush’s defenses. Almost every article implies a suspicion that it was being used to spy on reporters or political opponents. Certainly, that’s why the law was enacted. The F.B.I. was listening in on Civil Rights Groups or other Liberal Organizations. There are plenty of us whose pictures, I’m sure, remain on file somewhere from a Civil Rights or Antiwar Rally 30 or 40 years ago [though I expect our wrinkles, bald heads, greyed hair, and extra bulk would make it hard to identify us].

So far, in the current version, no one has yet come forward to absolutely confirm that this program has been used in this abusive way, but if it has, it’s just a matter of time before we know it. I’ll be stunned if they’ve played it straight. There’s just too much circumstantial evidence to the contrary:

• They broke a law that was very clear when they didn’t have to.
• Early on, the F.I.S.A. judiciary turned them down when that court had a history of being quite permissive with previous Administrations.
• This Administration has no respect for the Constitution or any laws that restrict them.
• Outright lying or more indiect evasions of the truth are their usual methodology.
• They don’t trust us, at least those of us to the left of center.
• Dirty tricks have been in their front line since the beginning.

So beyond the legality of the N.S.A. domestic surveillance lies the big question, just like in the Plame investigation – is this a dirty trick too? If it is, can it be proved?

We’re over the hump with the corruption. Cunningham is a real big crook. Delay’s a crook. Ralph Reed’s a crook. Frist is getting there. Abramoff and Scanlan are going to flush out a few more real crooks.  But with the Administration, there’s more than petty crookedness involved. These are idealogues whose paranoid torch is held high. They genuinely feel that the ‘liberals’ are latter day communists dead set on destroying the country. The N.S.A. spying scandal is their Achilles heel, exposing the fact that our country is being run by a paranoid cabal. We need a loud whistle blower.

Are you out there? We’re leaving Monday morning, it turns out and will be back late Friday. Friday the 13th would be a fitting day for you to come in from the cold. But you don’t have to wait for me. I’ll catch up. Anytime this week would be just fine…