While the first anniversary of September 11th was heart wrenching, the second is expected to be different. Advertisers have shunned stories on terrorism and sales of books on 9/11 have been disappointing. This year networks are planning to analyze the war on terrorism rather than focus on national mourning.

Attorney General John Ashcroft is touring the country promoting sharper security “tools” to be included in the Patriot Act II. But, wars and diplomatic standoffs aside, questions are surfacing about what is staving off terrorist attacks on our own soil. Better intelligence? New laws that increase police powers? Deportation of illegal immigrants? Economic sanctions on businesses suspected of supporting terrorist regimes?

• There’s a 337% increase in Joint Terrorism Task Force staffing to enable us to “better connect the dots”
  
  
• Mr. Ashcroft’s “tools” may include the “magic lantern,” which records every computer keystroke and could be secretly installed and retrieved – one of many “sneak-and-peek” tactics denounced by Congress
  
  
• 13,000 of 83,000 Middle Eastern and Muslim men visiting the U.S. who voluntarily registered as requested will likely be deported this year, while tracking systems netted only 11 with terrorist links
  
  
• U.S. businesses caught in the sanction snare are losing untold sums from imported cargo seized by customs

The administration says that its methods are essential in keeping us safe – but is the White House view of a “Safer America” attainable? Are these methods constitutional?

Can civil liberties lost in the name of national security be reclaimed? Does the marginal success rate of finding terrorists amongst illegal immigrants mean the program should be discontinued? Does a weak economy coupled with a widely deployed military place us in danger of another attack?