Thought Experiment

I realize I'm asking you to stretch your imagination fantastically, but try: Let's assume, just for a minute, that behind The Decider! Administration's deliberate erosion of civil liberties, deliberate abandonment of American law, and deliberate disregard for the US Constitution is an honestly motivated and deeply held belief that only by doing so can America be protected from terrorists attacks on American soil.

Because this is the choice they are giving you: What is more important to you? Your personal liberties or your death and/or the death of your fellow citizens.

It's a false syllogism of course:

A. Our job is to protect America
B. Any and all methods to protect America are justified
C. If you object to those methods you want to die

but that's the best case rationale this administration can muster for their misdeeds if you are working on the assumption that their motives are good, their ends laudable, their methods reasonable, their execution competent. Even if you can imagine that this administration was honest (I know, it's hard, but try), theirs is the illogic of cowards.

If this administration's motives and actions are honorable, then eighteen terrorists flying four airplanes have successfully compelled the government of the United States, out of well-intentioned fear, to abandon those very freedoms and civil liberties the terrorists supposedly abhor. If all the actions of The Decider! Administration are motivated by nothing greater, nothing less, than a heartfelt desire to protect the American people and the American way of life, the terrorists have won.

If you give this administration the benefit of the doubt, which would be foolish, not to mention trollish, they are decent, honorable, bedwetting cowards who in their cowardice have undermined everyone's civil liberties and over 230 years of law. That's the best case scenario for defenders of the actions of The Decider! Administration