29th August 2009, 10:07 AM
Fitt, I hate to say this but don't be naive. The founding fathers made a point, repeatedly, of noting that no government that gives itself a power goes very long before using it. The question isn't whether or not we can trust them to use this power "wisely" like it's frickin' Batman or something, it is whether they should have it at all. Sacrificing a bit of freedom for a bit of safety nets neither.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)