Eyes in the Sky

In the latest attack on the privacy rights of inhabitants of or visitors to the Big Apple, New York City’s Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly, is proposing to deploy a number of ‘airborne platforms’ or blimp-like devices, over the skies of the city through which the police could monitor, record and retain information about what is transpiring on city streets and rooftops. While the Commissioner says the ‘stationary airborne platforms’ would aid in fighting crime and terrorism – of course – the negative privacy implications are obvious and profound; not that any such concerns would enter into the city’s decision.

Border Agents to Iraq?

At a time when the U. S. Customs and Border Protection Commission is scrambling to hire, train and retain sufficient numbers of border patrol agents to protect our own borders, especially our border with Mexico, the head of that federal agency is asking for agents to volunteer to serve in Iraq to help secure that country's borders! Doesn't that make you feel secure?

Texas Town Moves to Ban Property Owners from Renting to Illegal Aliens

The citizens of Farmers Branch, Texas, approved a measure this past Saturday that prohibits landlords from renting to illegal immigrants. The ordinance will require that persons wishing to lease an apartment in that Dallas suburb to prove they are a U.S. citizen. While seemingly a good idea to combat illegal immigrants from setting down roots in our communities, at least for a true conservative property-rights perspective, it is not a good idea at all. The prohibition on renting property sets a terrible precedent for government control over the right of property owners to rent to whoever they choose (so long, obviously, as they do not unconstitutionally discriminate). The Texas proposal runs roughshod over property rights, and forces property owners to do what government has proved incapable of or unwilling to do – stop illegal immigration.

"Insurrection Act" renamed and expanded

The "Insurrection Act," dating back to 1807, and providing very limited authority for a president to invoke the armed forces to put down a domestic "insurrection," last fall was greatly expanded and renamed to make it appear benign if not beneficial. The Bush Administration sought the changes ostensibly to better respond to natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, but the law provides vastly more power and leeway for the executive branch to order the armed forces and National Guard into domestic service in very vaguely defined circumstances, and regardless of whether a state governor agrees. The Congress ought quickly to repeal this dangerous and unnecessary power grab.

Gonzales Testimony

Political oddsmakers in Washington are uniformly predicting that Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez will be leaving his post in the near future. The prevailing view is that too much damage to his credibility and leadership ability has been done, and that regardless of what he says during his April 17th appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, his days at Justice are numbered. The real question floating around Washington, DC is who will the President nominate to succeed him, and that's proving a very difficult search for the Administration.

GOP Presidential Field

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, the latest entrant in the GOP presidential field, has proposed having a vote by the Iraqi people determine whether US troops will remain in Iraq. A more absurd proposal I've never heard. Putting US troops in foreign lands to fight based on whether the citizens of that foreign country - not the citizens of the US - want our troops there, is at least as troublesome as earlier proposals by some to place US troops under UN control.

Real ID Act

The Department of Homeland Security has issued proposed regulations to implement the Real ID Act, which will establish for the first time in our history a national identification card. Everyone who cares about privacy and government power should review and comment on these regulations. They can be found at The Homeland Security Department webpage