This is really appalling, but it's basically a refinement of a policy that began under Clinton and Blair, and is used all over the world, in democratic and even some authoritarian countries (when they're not just shooting dissenters): preemptive arrests, convincing well-meaning but not terribly well-informed cops that "anarchist terrorists" are out to get them, shoving dissent into free speech pens. It's heartening that the Obama campaign had the good sense to send out a couple of low-level staffers to talk to Iraq Vets Against the War instead of letting the Denver police beat them up, but to be fair, this isn't entirely a Bush tactic - though I still think he's a rich scumbag idiot who finds democracy contemptible. Not to mention my high gas prices!!
