Reply #4: The Distinction A Clark Supporter Makes On This Issue

[LoneStarLiberal]

This is why I do not support Clark, because how can he rail against the Patriot Act, when he's supported measures such as CAPPS II that benefits the Patriot Act? How can one really excuse compiling lists to spy on American citizens and to classify them as terrorists if something doesn't check out, say, you buy two bags of fertilizers with a couple of household products. That could be construed as explosives in the computer system. One should be careful of supporting a man like Wesley Clark.

I'd agree with your statement of being careful of supporting anyone, anywhere, anytime in a political arena.

As a Clark supporter I am not at all happy with Clark's role of lobbying for Acxiom given Acxiom's particular role in in the CAPPS program. I don't like CAPPS but I can understand the utility of a program like CAPPS given the security situation we find ourselves in thanks to us all being safer under President Bush.

The distinction that I make in the matter is between CAPPS I, CAPPS II, and the USA PATRIOT Act. I do not see them as all being the same thing. The CAPPS programs and the PATRIOT Act are different beasts in my view. CAPPS has a very specific task: The screening of airline passengers. The PATRIOT Act has a very broad and vague task: Defending our national security by a myriad of unclear encroachments, questionable collections, and broadening of Federal powers while constraining your rights, both legal and consitutional.

In the end, this is not a distinction that everyone will make. Some people have a very broad and very distinct view of programs and legistlation that encroach on personal interests. Some people have a very broad but not so distinct view of programs and legislation that encroach on personal interests. Some people have very indistinct and flexible views on both.

Ceteris paribus, the people in the first group will most likely not support Clark because of his lobbying for a company involved in supplying data for the CAPPS program. The people in the second group will most likely support him though with reservations. I place myself in this second group. I see nothing at all wrong with lobbying for a company that supplies data for CAPPS and maintaining a very aggressive stance on acting to overturn the PATRIOT Act. In fact, it seems natural to me. People in the last group are most likely Republican and we don't have to worry about them here.

I know that this is a big issue for people who are lobbying hard for other candidates when it comes to Clark. I have issues of my own with regard to other candidates that I feel very strongly about and therefore feel very uncertain of those candidates. I hope this counterpoint might give at least one person's view who is supporting Clark and is still concerned about this issue.