Alternate World

President Bill Clinton is defending his program designed to ensure domestic tranquility and safety in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks 5 years earlier in New York. Reaction to the program is quite agitated. Restructuring our security forces and instituting an electronic monitoring program that tracks all forms of communication in the US is seen by Clinton to be the best way to keep America safe. Dismissing their critics who say they do not have the authority to conduct this program, Vice President Al Gore stated in a recent interview - "We believe, that we have all the legal authority we need." Asked if any suggestions from Congress would be entertained to help improve our capabilities while ensuring American freedoms, he replied - "We'd have to make a decision as an administration whether or not we think it would help and would enhance our capabilities." Opponents of the administration see this response as confirmation that Clinton will do exactly as he wants, regardless of the uproar, without any consultation with Congress.

Republicans, neo-cons, religious conservatives, and others are displaying a lot of anger, believing the president has assumed dictatorial powers. The common refrain is that "our government is one of checks and balances" and we cannot survive as a free nation if the executive assumes total control, disregarding Congress and the judiciary. Many Republicans see the spying program as a threat to American freedoms and liberties.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter has decided that enough is enough has embarked upon an investigation into potential illegal acts by Clinton's bypassing of the FISA law. "The president should have all the tools he needs to fight terrorism," Specter said, "but we also want to maintain our civil liberties."

Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.), demanded the briefings also. "The checks and balances in our system of government are very important," she said, noting that our "constitutional structure has kept us safe and free and the strongest country in the world for a very long time."

Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), said that "this country would be stronger and the president would be stronger" if Clinton accepted the idea that Congress might actually have a lawmaking role regarding the surveillance issue.

And Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the administration was making a "very dangerous" argument by claiming that it got the authority to wiretap without supervision when Congress passed its use-of-force resolution against terrorism. Graham said he never envisioned that he was giving Clinton -- or "any other president" -- "carte blanche" on surveillance.

Real world is here.
Posted on The Human Stain