Anti-Terrorism Legislation Jude Wanniski August 2, 1996

Memo To: Malcolm Wallop
From: Jude Wanniski
Re: Anti-terrorism legislation

I caught you earlier today on NET's "Mitchell's in the Morning" show and reminded myself why I had recommended to Ross Perot in 1992 that he make you his running mate. You were terrific, Malcolm. The case you made against the Orwellian anti-terrorism legislation that is now before this Republican Congress was the most articulate I've seen yet. It's natural for President Clinton to want to protect all of us from acts of terrorism by wiretapping all our phones and rooting through our pockets and purses. His natural inclination is to trade individual freedoms for collective security — which in the extreme gives us 1984. What is so dismaying, as you point out, is to see so many Republicans jump to the conclusion that the public really does want to go that route. The numbers you presented on the extent to which the FBI is seeking an extension of wiretap authority — from 19 out of every 1000 phone calls to one of 10 — scares the bejeesus out of me. Have you raised hell with any of your old GOP colleagues in the Senate? Have you gotten hold of Newt? Let me know if there's anything I can do to help blow up (pardon the expression) this fiendish legislation. (Hey, I'm going to shoot this memo to Perot, who, by the way, may soon be looking for a running mate again.)

[Former Sen. Malcolm Wallop, a Wyoming Republican, now runs the Frontiers of Freedom Foundation in Arlington, Va. He was national chairman of the Forbes for President Campaign this year.]