From USA Today comes the disturbing story of two Homeland Security Department contracts — since dropped — that show just how far government is willing to stray from the fundamentals of freedom by saying they’re trying to protect us from terrorists. This should alarm anyone who believes in privacy.

The Homeland Security Department paid contractors millions of dollars to develop and study surveillance systems that could covertly track pedestrians and check under people’s clothing with airport-style body scanners as they enter train stations, bus depots or major events, newly released documents show.

So what’s next?