1984

Is the U.S. creeping toward the totalitarian nightmares envisioned by George Orwell in his novel 1984? This may seem like hyperbole, but the current administration and an all-too-willing Congress have used the excuse of the "terrorist threat" since the events of 9-11 to extend the government's powers to watch over out lives and actions. All for the alleged purpose of making us "safer".

A national ID card bill was introduced in Congress last year, but was easily defeated. Both the right and left sides of the political spectrum in the U.S. have generally regarded such a thing as virtually "unAmerican". Americans don't expect the government to keep tabs on them. This year, the national ID card was slipped into the appropriations bill for the continuing war in Iraq. It managed to make it through Congress pretty much unmentioned by the national media (see previous post "Manufacturing Consent"), and didn't even get much mention on the internet until passage was already virtually guaranteed.

I remember when the Republican's great hero of the late 20th century, Ronald Reagan campaigned and won the presidency, he said he wanted to "get the government out of people's lives". Like virtually all politicians, the Republicans are very good at talking out of both sides of their mouths. They want U.S. citizens to think they're helping to keep the government out of our lives, but they are steadily increasing its reach into our lives. The media helps keep the citizens distracted with bullshit like the Michael Jackson trial and other assorted "news" that has no effect on the average citizen's life while news that impacts everyone is ignored or downplayed.

Ars Technica has a good analysis of the "Real ID Act", and its implications to our country and our Constitution. Who needs a stinking system of checks and balances. They just get in the way of idealogues trying to implement their version of reality for the rest of us.
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