If you understand our legal system then you are aware that everything is precedent for the next thing. Read a few briefs by solicitors general of purportedly liberal and conservative administrations. The Justice Department takes note, keeps track, and
Uses every little incident to argue for more authority, and generally speaking the courts go along.
If that’s how you feel then you have to be in a constant state of anxiety – “Oh no, what might they do NEXT?” I prefer to be in a constant state of peace – “They didn’t do what I feared this time.”
Well the whole mission of the ACLU is to establish precedents that they believe will produce outcomes they agree with in the future. It seems a little weird to criticize them for trying to anticipate the possible consequences of current policies.
I guess. I mean, I have nothing against the ACLU – they’re a great organization. It’s just that if you’re always worried about what the government MIGHT do – well there’s an infinite number of things they might do. So just to keep your sanity you have to narrow it down in some way. So you may as well narrow it down to those things that at least they’ve said they’re thinking about doing, or that they actually are doing.
But at this point I’ve probably strayed way out of the GQ area.
Well don’t go to work for the ACLU if it would interfere with your peace of mind to that extent. Our constitutional system depends on suspicion, mistrust, and contention. Give that up and we’ve given up liberal democracy.
I admit I’m a very trusting person. I wouldn’t be a very good investigator – either on the government’s side or the anti-government’s side.