Saturday, April 25, 2009
The knock at the door
"I have to laugh at those Republicans who actually saw Obama's choice of Robert Gates as defense secretary as wise. Again, I actually predicted Obama would choose Gates as defense secretary long before he was elected. Gates is indeed a very bright man. He is also the architect of the 'civilian national security force' idea, which suggests to me he is also a very authoritarian man – one who sees few limits to the wonders government can accomplish.
"Authoritarian and totalitarian regimes of the past have created such 'civilian national security forces' to serve their interests – to squelch dissent, to spy on the people, to intimidate and to police.
"They have often been used to bolster party dictatorships and authoritarian cults of personality.
That's the threat that such legislation poses – if not immediately, at some time in the future. Once a bureaucracy like this is created, it can always be changed, amended, its powers expanded and its purpose perverted.
"It is extremely dangerous legislation in any form."
"Authoritarian and totalitarian regimes of the past have created such 'civilian national security forces' to serve their interests – to squelch dissent, to spy on the people, to intimidate and to police.
"They have often been used to bolster party dictatorships and authoritarian cults of personality.
That's the threat that such legislation poses – if not immediately, at some time in the future. Once a bureaucracy like this is created, it can always be changed, amended, its powers expanded and its purpose perverted.
"It is extremely dangerous legislation in any form."