You've Gov Mail!

W pushes envelope on U.S. spying

I'm torn about this one. I didn't mind the phone tapping when the story came out because I always figured they'd be able to listen whether or not you liked it or if it was illegal. They've been doing that for decades. And yes, I did take the "If you're not doing anything illegal, then don't worry about it" stance.

And now this.

This is the U.S. Mail - the best mail system in the world and a huge part of our country's beginning. It helped bring us all together. Who didn't love hearing the mail slot bang when you were a kid and run to the door to see if you got any? Waiting for the Sears catalogue to see the new toys! Letters on your birthday that you knew held cash? That's a good memory.

Now, if you read the article you'll see that the law actually reinforces protections of first-class mail from searches without a court's approval.

That's a good thing.

But it's the declaring the right to open people's mail under emergency circumstances that troubles me.

If there was another anthrax scare - I don't think people would mind if there were precautions taken to open their mail if there is reason to suspect anthrax. If there are mail bombs going off - same thing. I don't think you need to declare that in an emergency situation you're going to do that. I'd like to think common sense would have you do that anyway.

So now I just don't trust this. I do think Bush is abusing power.

And he's not smart enough to abuse power correctly.

But whoever is pulling the strings certainly has their reasons. I was willing to budge on the phones, as I think sacrifice is needed to be protected, but now the slide down the slippery slope as started. And you know what that means.

Men marrying cows!!