Monday, June 03, 2002

Amen, Brother Safire! . . .  The Lord Giveth and the Government Taketh Away "Thus we see the seizure of new powers of surveillance is a smokescreen to hide failure to use the old power." J. Edgar Mueller. The guidelines put in place to prevent the abuse of police power by the United States federal government are being gutted. By William Safire. [New York Times: Opinion] It is time that we remember that the government will take whatever we will let them especially in times of fear.  As Benjamin Franklin said: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." 7:34:33 PM    comment [] The Louisiana Hayride Arrives at the Fifth Circuit . . . And Lives Up to It's Billing I have just arrived home from a day which included two hours listening to the appellate arguments in United States v. Edwin W. Edwards, et al. Edwards, Louisiana's former Governor, was convicted in the Spring of 2002 of violating the RICO statute, as well as many other federal laws, along with four co-conspirators.  As I noted in my entry of May 28, 2002, the argument was anticipated to be a battle of legal titans.  Some well known, namely Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, and some not so well known, namley Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Higginson. The good news is that the argument lived up to its billing . . . it was engaging, enlightening and, at times, brilliant.  (More to come later). 7:22:02 PM    comment []

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