We are less free and less safe

* judy miller:

"Judith Miller, a former New York Times investigative reporter who went to jail to protect a confidential source, said the balance between national security and civil liberties has been tipped, allowing the Bush administration to become secretive about its decisions, intrusive into public lives and reluctant to share information the public has a right to know.

Miller said many Americans don't understand how their access to information and the freedom of the press have been affected in the past few years.

"We are less free and less safe," she said, explaining that there is a "growing secrecy in the name of national security.""

*meanwhile, brad:

"It seems that two San Francisco Chronicle reporters may now be facing 18 months of jail time each for having reported on leaked grand jury information from the recent steroids investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) whose banned products were apparently used by a number of big leaguers including Bary Bonds and Jason Giambi."

jeebus - even the freak Mark Corallo things something is seriously wrong.

* amy:

"House Passes the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act
The House has passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act despite opposition from dozens of organizations including the National Lawyers Guild, Humane Society and Natural Resources Defense Council. The bill makes it a felony for animal rights activists to engage in non-violent protests that result in businesses losing money. Legal experts say a protester could be charged with terrorism if they engaged in a sit-in that caused a business to lose profits. Congressman Dennis Kucinich said the law would have a chilling effect on non-violent protest. Kucinich said the country has to be very careful of painting everyone with a broad brush of terrorism."

* xymphora:

"The Zionists still control Bush/Cheney, all the American media, and the entire Congress. They can thus continue to throw roadblocks in the way of any sane paleocon plan. It is still too early to say the neocon nightmare is over.

Old pals from twenty years ago Rummy and Saddam both had a bad week; old enemies from twenty years ago Gates and Daniel Ortega both had a good week. The world is full of surprises"

* Ron:

"For some reason, the only Democrat who has a clue about what to do in Iraq, John Kerry, is the subject of widespread ridicule and venom by online progressives, but a dude (murtha) who seriously thinks that troops protecting oil in the Middle East can be redeployed to a nation over five thousand miles away - that doesn't even want us there anymore - is some sort of viable exit strategy.

Do the "powers that be" want Murtha for his Iraq policies? Or do they prefer Dems with less liberal leanings? Got me."

* Feingold:

"In January, we will be looking at a new Congress, and with Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, we will be looking at a new national policy agenda. I know that I am looking forward to moving the progressive agenda forward in the next Congress. But Democrats can't just kick back and take it easy for the next few weeks.

It would be a huge mistake to overlook the potential for damage in the lame duck session. A lame duck session doesn't sound like anything to worry about, but this lame duck may be a lot more dangerous than people think. We can expect Republicans to try to jam through as much of their agenda as they can while they have the chance.
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There are a lot of bad bills that the Republicans may try to ram through, but here's the worst of the worst - a bill to legalize the President's warrantless wiretapping program. The White House is desperate to enact this bill, which allows the government to spy on American citizens, on American soil, without a warrant.

Other measures on the White House wish list that are likely to surface during the lame duck session include a number of unfunded tax cuts and questionable trade measures. Democrats have nothing to gain by allowing these measures to pass in the next few weeks, and everything to lose. Everything should wait until the new Congress, when Democrats will have a lot more say about how bills are put together and what gets passed.
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After the gains we made on November 7, it would be easy to just relax and bask in the victory - but it would also be a big mistake. The lame duck is the Republicans' last chance to pass bills on the White House's wish list, and we shouldn't let them get away with it. It is the Democrats' turn to lead Congress, and we can start strong by rejecting the Republicans' last ditch efforts in the lame duck session.