Getting Into Your Genes

Whether or not Patriot Act II -- that's the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 for you sticklers -- will look anything like the draft currently circulating after it's actually introduced, the present version offers an illuminating glimpse into the federal police bureaucracy's wish list. Julia Scheeres has an interesting article in Wired News today about one measure buried in the bill, which "would empower the attorney general to collect DNA samples for the purpose of 'detecting, investigating, prosecuting, preventing or responding to terrorist activities.'"

Comments

[Jon H]

"federal police bureaucracy's wish list."

I think you mean "GOP administration's wish list".

Those are political appointees at the top, and Ashcroft serves at the pleasure of the President. Patriot II
is a Republican creation.

[Gary Gunnels]

I believe what bothers me the most about the Patriot Act is the name itself. Its so bloody Orwellian.

[Jon H]

It's not Orwellian, it's Politically Correct.

[Jim N]

Jon H, I don't know about this bill, but the USA PATRIOT Act was actually full of items that the Reno DoJ had been asking for for a long time. Originally, the GOP said no.

[geophile]

What is Orwellianism, if not extreme PC?