Village Voice columnist Nat Hentoff' has a new column out today-- Ashcroft Out of Control --on the Patriot Act II. If you've been wondering what Ashcroft's proposal provides in plain English, go read.

Like Hentoff, we too are curious as to why this hasn't gotten more attention in the mainstream media. We think the reason that the draft of the proposed bill was sent to House Speaker Dennis Hastert instead of being introduced in Congress, is that Ashcroft and Bush were planning on waiting until we were officially at war with Iraq, when there would be less oppostion, and then they were going to try to get it past Congress without hearings and opportunity for review--the way they did Patriot Act I. By sending it to Hastert, they could claim (unjustifiably) that this wasn't a stealth move since they had put Hastert on notice.

War or no war, the Patriot Act sequel is an unnecessary piece of legislation that will strip Americans (and non-citizens) of their rights without any guarantees it will make us safer. Be prepared to jump on the phone to your Congresspersons the second it is introduced, if not before.

For more, visit EPIC and the ACLU and the Center for Public Integrity.