Eric Kleefield looks at the results of a new Marist poll showing a narrow majority of New Yorkers like the idea of trying the alleged 9/11 plotters in the city:
"Do you think it is a good idea or a bad idea to have this trial located in New York City?" the poll asked. The answer is 45% good idea, 41% bad idea, with a ±4% margin of error.
Also, New Yorkers don't seem to be quite as frightened as the GOP about potential security problems:
One question does receive wider agreement, though: Whether New York City will be able to handle the potential security risks. Here 67% say they are confident, to 22% who are not confident.
Last night, Rep. John Shadegg asked Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who supports trying the 9/11 suspects in New York, "How are you going to feel when it's your daughter that's kidnapped at school by a terrorist?" You might have thought that Republicans asking the old Mike Dukakis question had gone out of style, but it clearly hasn't.
It's not like that can't be flipped around though. I wonder how opponents of trying terrorists in civilian court would react to being asked how they'd feel if their children were imprisoned without trial for years and tortured on suspicion of being a bad guy. Of course, some people are fine with unconstitutional government behavior as long as they're not on the receiving end. True tyranny is raising the top marginal tax rate to 39.2 percent.
-- A. Serwer
