the dissident frogman · time to take sides

Emergences at the BBC:

Phone calls database considered.

Ministers are to consider plans for a database of electronic information holding details of every phone call and e-mail sent in the UK, it has emerged.

That will quickly make one big fat database, nearly impossible to manage but that fine example of government setting audacious efficiency goals is beyond the point.

Worry ye not though, for "civil liberty groups and some political figures" are on the ball...

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne called the proposals "an Orwellian step too far".

He said ministers had "taken leave of their senses if they think that this proposal is compatible with a free country and a free people".

Good, essential points made and taken. Too bad you didn't stop your clapper right there Mr Huhne. Because this...

"Given the appalling track record of data loss, this state is simply not to be trusted with such private information," said Mr Huhne.

... Is frankly a stupid thing to say. Even if this state was it shouldn't be, and that's the whole point Mr Huhne. I would actually argue that this is the only positive aspect of this sad story: the fact that real life Big Brothers are usually not very good at Big Brothering. Hell hath no fury like an efficient functionnaire.

The loony Left¹ in the USA blows a lot of hot air over so-called "illegal" wiretapping, but they couldn't recognize a police state if it bit them in the bottom. Let's have a quick comparative study:

In the USA, they might eavesdrop on Ahmed when he happens to call Ali in Abroadistan, and Ali happens to be quite famous among the Intelligence community for his skills at planning mass murder in the name of Allah.

In Europe², Britain in this case, they plan to record Rupert's call to Mommy in Somewhereshire on Mother's Day and Linda's email to Rupert's younger brother John that reads: "I think he suspects something. Do come in tomorrow, he's going to visit Mother. XOXO Linda". Plus just about everybody else's including, thanks to sheer luck and probability curves, a few potential mass murder plotters if they happen to be stupid enough to use their real names and plot through their own fixed phones³.

For all its ills, at least the Bush Administration goes after the enemies of the People. For every State monkey in Europe however, the enemy is the People.