Over in that bastion of Freedom, (the formerly Great) Britain, so-called "environmental volunteers" are to spy upon their neighbors. Councils are recruiting residents to report anyone who drops litter, fails to recycle their rubbish properly, or who allows their dog to foul the streets.
Having banned gun possession and apparently having put down that whole rise in knife crime thing, Councils now feel free to attack "environmental crime" by enlisting the assistance of rats. Matthew Elliott, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Snooping on your neighbours to report recycling infringements sounds like something straight out of the East German Stasi's copybook.
Actually, it sounds more like something straight out of Orwell's prescient "1984".
Fortunately, routine intimidation of the populace can never happen here in America. In theory, at least. Democrats support the idea, however seemingly indirectly, as they insist that a secret ballot really has no place in our society - not when it comes to your workplace.
The letter Barack Obama wrote to Beef Northwest regarding the company's employees joining United Farm Workers union has attracted the attention of the John McCain for President Committee.
Union officials contend a majority of workers have already indicated they want to join the union, by filling out union cards.
And the ranchers who belong to Country Natural Beef, whose cattle are finished at Beef Northwest's Hermiston feedlot, recommend a secret ballot election.
Democrats simply love the union card-check idea. You've no need for a secret ballot; the nice union thugs'll take care of you. Especially if you don't go along with their card-check idea.