about "The Facility" by Simon Lelic

Check in with libertarian journalist Tom Clarke as he investigates the disappearance of several people supposedly arrested under new antiterror legislation in England. The disappeared are rumored to be stashed at a government facility. Turns out they are suspected of carrying a rapidly spreading virulent Aids-like disease that the reactionary government wants to contain (understandably). In this short novel, author Simon Lelic loosely explores the plight of the press and the questionably condemned in a democratic system under duress. Draconian antiterror legislation is the villain. Everything else is imperfect but forgivable when posed against the background of a scared, expedience-minded government susceptible to ethical denial.

Spy vs Spy

Rand Paul's objecting to the unchecked extension of the Patriot Act requires little reporting. This Wall Street Journal blog post about it should interest readers only because of the way the author describes the debated provisions:

The provisions at issue enable law enforcement officials to conduct surveillance on terrorist suspects, including those who switch communication devices such as using disposable cellular phones and those who are so-called lone wolves—individuals who aren’t linked to known terrorist organizations abroad. A third provision enables law enforcement officials access to suspects’ business transactions, including car rentals, hotel bills and other credit card transactions.

By labeling surveilled people suspects--terrorist suspects, in particular--the writer intends for the reader to support passage and object to Paul's "tactic" of "insisting" on full debate. The reader concludes, "Well, this doesn't affect me!"

This woefully poor summary of the provisions is admirable.