There is little debate about how the Bush Administration’s “war on global terror” has curtailed freedom in the world’s sole military superpower. Bush largely rolled over a supine Congress with warrantless wiretraps, extraordinary renditions and mistreatment of prisoners. Those activities have corroded the image of the U.S. as the world’s standard-bearer for liberty and justice. Restoration of that reputation is a priority of the next Administration of either McCain, Obama or Clinton.Freedom House will release its study on May 5. “Today’s American: How Free?” will examine “whether America is sacrificing its essential values in the war against terror and scrutinize the state of freedom and justice in post 9/11 America,” according to the group’s promotional material.
The study will probe how current Government curbs on freedom compare to other crises and conflicts in America’s history. It promises to look at challenges that pre-date 9/11 such as racial inequality, lack of political competition and handling of immigration.
This blogger can’t wait for Freedom House’s report. He prays Freedom House's report gets an extensive and fair hearing in the press. The fear is that a large section of the media, the chunk that has given the Bush White House a free ride in its assault on liberties, will dismiss the report as a political hatchet job.
The only question this blogger has for Freedom House: “What took you so long?"