Today the NYT off-leads and the WP and LAT go inside with the defeat of some Senate Republicans in their efforts eliminate the 2005 sunset clause on sweeping new law-enforcement powers included 2001's Patriot Act. It was a brief victory for civil libertarians, however, as the Senate then went on to approve another expansion of federal surveillance powers--which the NYT calls the "lone-wolf" measure and the WP labels the "Moussaoui fix"--that would allow secret surveillance of suspects who are not thought to be members of terrorist organizations. Under the current law, the Feds must establish some link to a foreign terror group to request a secret warrant.

Big Brother's baby steps keep trundling.


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