So why don't I feel safer?

In the category of "things I really wish hadn't happened in the same week" fall these two stories.

First, the House passed (424 to 4) a bill (HR 1817) that appropriates more than 34 billion dollars for the Department of Homeland Security (because who needs Social Security when you have Homeland Security, right?). If anyone has the stomach to read the 105-page monstrosity and explain to me more specifically which of my freedoms are now even further limited, feel free. Despite my policy wonk tendencies, I just can't bring myself to do it right now.

The second thing that happened this week is that the FBI explained to the Senate that the single biggest domestic terrorist threat comes from animal liberation and environmental activists:

"There is nothing else going on in this country over the last several years that is racking up the high number of violent crimes and terrorist actions," Lewis said.

. . .

Lewis said the FBI concluded that after analyzing all types of cases and comparing the groups with "right-wing extremists, KKK, anti-abortion groups and the like." . . .

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., the panel's chairman, said he hoped to examine more closely how the groups might be getting assistance in fundraising and communications from tax-exempt organizations' "mainstream activists" not directly blamed for the violence.

"Just like al-Qaida or any other terrorist organization, ELF and ALF cannot accomplish their goals without money, membership and the media," Inhofe said.

The FBI said 35 of its offices have 150 open investigations, with activists claiming credit for 1,200 crimes between 1990 and mid-2004.

Truly, I wish I were making this up--it's like a parody of right wing extremism--but sadly, I am not. Though I was thinking about it--this parodic nature of current events, and I thought about the history here--the Salem witch hunts . . . HUAC . . . and now "terrorism." Marx was right, the third time is farce.