THE GREAT WHITE BEAR

More and more, George W. Bush reminds me of Richard Nixon. The sleazy supporting cast, the over estimation of a mandate. And, the paranoia. First, there was the monitoring of the internet activities of MOVEON.ORG members. Then the arrest of little old ladies at Bush rallies for wearing t-shirts that didn't mouth the Bush line. Now the Dept. of Homeland Security and the FBI are monitoring and infiltrating protest groups. Whether they be anti war groups, pro environment groups, even farmers organizations, if you protest, you're likely to be investigated. The DHS says it only monitors groups that may be prone to violence or have members who may be. Yeah, like those violence prone Quakers! Thats right, one of those "violence prone" groups being monitored is in fact, a branch of the Friends.

It is becoming increasingly clear that this administration has completely lost sight of the values it is supposedly fighting to protect in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have long since contended that by surrendering our civil rights, we are conceding the war to the terrorists. Bin Laden may never have to set off another bomb here. Bush and cronies are doing his work for him!