Freedom to snoop

Freedom and liberty! Oh how George Bush trumpeted these rights 42 times in his inauguration speech of Jan 20.

A few days before the inauguration, I received the 2005 update of costs and coverage from my health insurance, Group Health Cooperative. On page three of the brochure is the following statement: "OPM will use and give out your personal medical information...to law enforcement officials when investigating and/or prosecuting alleged civil or criminal actions."

I looked at Medicare 2005 and on page 67:"Medicare must give out your personal medical information...where required by law." This is freedom and liberty? Oh, I have questions.

OPM oversees federal employees, both retired and active, so are my senators and congressmen subject to the same intrusion? Is this provision written private insurance? Why does the government snoop into my medical records, but not into my purchase of an assault rifle: How does this prying into my private life make us/me safer?

If I ask quesitons, will my asking become an "alleged" action? Will I be labeled an enemy combatant? Will I disappear? How did George Orwell know what George Bush would do to our democracy?

Janet Callen

Coeur d'Alene, ID

The Spokesman Review