Another freedom snuffed out by Bush

For as long as any of can remember an American could leave the US for someplace like Mexico or Canada without state permission. No passport required. You only needed some form of identification to return home but not a passport. That freedom is about to be snuffed out by that great (sarcasm drips here profusely) advocate of limited government: George Bush, king of the world. The Duluth News Tribune reports: "Starting Dec. 31, a passport will be required for travel by sea or air to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Central and South America. By Dec. 31, 2007, a passport will be needed for all international travel, including land crossings such as the Tijuana, Mexico, border."

Thousands of people travel daily between the US and Canada and between Mexico and the US. Now with passport requirements the horrific lines will only grow worse. More and more people can expect intemperate, authoritarian border brown shirts to order them about. Of course this is to protect America against foreign terrorists --- who already need passports to enter the US. The only people effected by new law will be Americans not foreign terrorists. Ever since 9/11 every time Bush says he is doing something to stop terrorists he strips Americans of rights. Bin Laden is still free but if you are a law abiding American you will not longer be allowed to leave the country without government papers giving you permission to do so.

Here is what is so rich about this restriction. It is part of something called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Now this is not a "travel initiative" at all. It is exactly the opposite --- a measure that restricts travel. But this is typical of the Orwellian double speak of the Bush regime. A measure which guts the Bill of Rights is called the Patriot Act and a measure that restricts free travel by Americans is called a "travel initiative". But then putting theocratic Islamists into power in Iraq is called "liberating" the country.

By the way this is also a money making scheme for the regime. It costs about $100 to get a passport and if you need it soon it will cost another $60 on top of that.

What is fascinating is that so many conservatives and Objectivists don't seem to comprehend that every move Bush makes strips Americans of more freedoms. Americans are becoming the most regulated people on the planet with hardly a peep out of them. This measure takes away the right to leave America without a document giving you permission to leave. And even public buses, and of course flights, now require you to present some form of government documentation proving who you are before you are allowed to travel. You can't drive without a state permit and if a police officer demands ID from you when you are walking if you don't produce it, or have it, you can be arrested.

It seems to me that this is just another warning shot letting people know that perhaps the time to get out of the US is now. Hopefully I'm wrong. I pray I'm wrong. I fear I'm right.