Traveler checkpoints loom in Texas

This is a story that ought to roust you clean out of your seat.

In recent years, authorities have employed various excuses to stop travelers from moving about freely on America's roads. Whether it was the failed War on Drugs or some other spurious pretext, many innocents found themselves being treated like criminals with no cause whatsoever.

Now the situation is edging ever worse.

State police in Texas want the authority to set up checkpoints all over the state to inspect motorists for things like auto insurance.

They plan to do this with no probable cause whatsoever - and certainly with no warrants. There's also no imminent danger from the travelers to justify these inspections - nor is there any exceptional security situation in that region. Furthermore, the public should have no lowered expectation of privacy when using personal cars.

The proposed policy runs roughshod over the freedom to travel within the country's borders - which is one of the most basic liberties. If there isn't a lawsuit over this, I'll just bip. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that such traffic stops to check for driver's licenses are unconstitutional.

I'm told that a few other American locales are already doing what Texas wants to do, thanks to intense lobbying by the insurance industry. Not only is the notion of public roads being gutted, but it's happening with the blessing of Corporate America. Who says America hasn't become a corporate command state?

Your papers, please?

(Source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6107900.html)