The news since September 11 has been decidedly grim for the hopes of humanity. The good guy versus bad guy routine scripted by the Bush administration would be laughable if were not so sinister. It is a cover for an escalation of terror. It is a lie designed to fend off the Barbarians at the gates of the Empire. It is a step away from a Republic, which, for all of its flaws, adheres to minimal standards that limit government powers and afford a morsel of accountability.

The grab for power is overwhelming. Bush has asked for a blank check to fight a series of secret wars that, according to members of his administration, will not end in our lifetime. In the name of safety and security, they seek to suspend fundamental rights so that