Someone I know sent me this link to a newsweek article about a provision that has recently been slipped into a bill before the senate. This provision would greatly loosen current restrictions on Pentagon based domestic intelligence gathering. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5197014/site/newsweek/ This is particulary alarming and shocking to me since it is a long held tradition that our military does not operate domestically in matters of law enforcement and espionage. I believe that there is even an antebellum law that prohibited the military from engaging in those activites because of abuses in the post civil war south. (Can someone help me out with this since I can seem to remember the name of the law) Our military should be as apolitical as possible and its involvement in the day to day lives of ordniary americans should be minimal to non-existent. I was taught this during a "History of the Army" class at West Point and it has stuck with me over the years. It is this attitude which has allowed our country to divorce itself from the problems created when a military is too involved in domestic activities. (See Military Juntas and Bannana Republics) A military empowered to act within the confines of our country and thrust into the day to day lives of our citizens may one day find itself far less apolitical than it should. Thus the potential for abuse becomes exponentially higher. Each new abuse will lead to another until the unshakable foundations of our republic are left weak and vulnerable. These types of actions are the byproducts of legislation such as the Patriot Act and are indicative of why any erosion of civil liberties is a dangerous step towards a very slippery slope. This is our constitution, a treasured posession of every American be they conservative or liberal. The politicial leaders of our country are running scared; and in trying to protect us are laying the foundation for the degredation of our country. This must stop before we reach a point of no return. What do all of you think?