BSAM earlier today made the outstanding point that reporters are an essential component of a free and open democracy. I think that there should be a purely nonprofit, civilian run, volunteer-only (each active volunteer may contribute not more than $50/year, and contributions are limited to active volunteers) organization whose activites are purely transparent to the general public and government, and shall include the constant surveillance of all government officials. Each elected official wears a GPS. Each Federal Congressman, Senator, and other senior political figures would have their precise locations tracked in real time, and distributed freely. I can just see the headlines that might've been had this great nation been privy to the enormous power of bungrider's intellect: "What the hell was Cheney doing at the Pentagon AGAIN this week?" "What the hell was Bill Clinton doing with that intern last night in the Oval Office?" "Is that man with Barney Frank over 18?" "Boy, Kennedy and Miss Monroe sure do spend alot of time together!" "I thought Dick Cheney left Halliburton back in 8/00?" "Laura Bush DOES actually spend alot of time reading" "Is McCarthy a homosexual?" "Strom Thurman spends an average of 2 hours per day trying to pee, costing taxpayers an estimated $34,752.40 per year" "Does Dumya actually do yardwork at his ranch in Texas?" "Where Dumya actually was during his flight training period with the nat'l guard" "Why was Dick Cheney at a secure facility in North Dakota one hour before the towers were hit?" Catchy buylines aside, MY point is this: if this organization were completely transparent, it would provide an easily auditable trail to allow the taxpayers a record of what their politicians were doing, who voted for what or didn't even bother to show up, which corporations the politician may be in bed with, etc. Put it this way - the Patriot Act gave the government the right to use surveillance satellites and equipment to spy on the citizens and issue secret warrants, thereby completely annhilating the former separation line between the powers of the government and the privacy of the citizen. You can be watched in your shower by the government (if they can see in the window) and never have a judge involved. I think it's time society rethought this division and re-centered the line. Now you crazy neocons may start to whine, "but this gives the terorrists the ability to coordinate attacks on government figures" and to that I respond, "so what?" Let the bullets follow the shooters. I'm sure we can just up the security detail and it'll be totally fine. Why should innocent civilians pay for the revenge aimed at the policymakers? and think about the ramifications for trading...which politicians spend more time at what corporations... just my .02 please criticize.
Paul Begolla on cross fire went on record and placed George Bush on the golf course the very next day after 9-11. Thought it might turn up on one of these threads but it hasn't.