It registers little concern about the costs to real people of breaching their privacy. The Fourth Circuit has legal jurisdiction over five Southern and border states, which have large black populations. Yet the chief judge of that notoriously conservative court, J. Harvie Wilkinson, has had the chutzpah to argue that it's more efficient to administer 10 judges than 11. Before leaving, Clinton and Democratic leaders in Congress are taking steps to ensure that his temporary appointment of Roger Gregory is made permanent by the Senate before incoming Vice President Dick Cheney can break a tie and reverse it. There's talk that his new administration will try to roll back Clinton's final works - the protection of forests, of air, of medical privacy, of organic food, of minority rights.
Beneficent government is the only equalizer the people have.
Jerry M. Landay, a former White House correspondent for ABC News, writes on national issues. With A Friend Common Dreams NewsCenter is a non-profit news service providing breaking news and views for the Progressive Community. This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.