[SoDak]

But that's precisely one of the worries I have. I do not doubt the sincerity, integrity, and utmost patriotism in Ashcroft. I worry about a RAT down the road as a future AG. On the surface, I don't think there's anything much wrong with the whole TIPS thing, it seems no more dangerous than a neighborhood watch. I worry about it being a stepping stone to further powers.

[Yardstick]

Yes, I agree with your point. And this is where it gets weird again: if these guys are really so good, why do they consistently put new powers in place that will inevitably be abused down the road? It's a dissonance that's hard to ignore. Maybe this sort of dissonance is just part and parcel of politics and government -- compromise and all that. I don't know. But it appears to me that the country is drifting and the good guys keep messin' up.