The courts and Congress likely will decide whether President Bush has the authority to approve eavesdropping on U.S. citizens without a warrant. But it’s still puzzling why Bush didn’t just get court permission and avoid this constitutional showdown. As former Secretary of State Colin Powell noted this past weekend, it likely wouldn’t have been difficult to obtain such warrants. And, Powell said, “even in the case of an emergency, you can do it. The law provides for that.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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19 Comments
Why didn’t Bush get warrants to eavesdrop on Americans? You have to ask?
Well, the Bush administration might appear a little foolish asking a judge for 300 millions warrants including the names of those to be eavesdropped on plus the reasons for doing so, as stated in that G-d piece of paper, he likes to call the constitution.Not to mention that the Judge might get a little tried of signing his name 300 million times.
Wouldn’t it be easier and less expensive to just tell Israel that they can’t make anymore terrorists?
And also stop making terrorists ourselves by following their instructions?
Isn’t this getting to be too expensive as well as tiresome?
Under FISA the name of the person being wiretapped isnt’ necessary. Only the reason for the wire tap is necessary.What that means is the president didn’t want anyone to know the “reason” why.
An interesting fact I didnt’ mention. Before 9/11 the FISA court averaged 596 per year. The requests shot up to a 1400 per year average.
With the number of warrant taps almost tripling per year, what made the illegal wire taps so special that they couldnt’ include them with the number they asked for each year?
I’d love to see the figures on how many were obtained illegally vs legally.
To even suggest that president who is in charge of fighting a WAR has less power than a judge is ridiculous. When we are fighting the terrorists and half the Democratic Party it is essential to keep the number of people who know our secrets to a minimum. AND someone still leaked. Near as I can tell there were very few Democrats in the loop. It should be easy to find the traitor.
Yeah, Yeah. I know.Go F— yourself codie.
Codie,
It has nothing to do with a president versus a judge. It has everything to do with, 1) the president versus the Constitution, and 2) even without the Constitution , anyone versus your inalienable rights. Judges “adjudicate”..they determine via majority vote, at this time and in this climate, what constitutes a violation of the Constitution or of your God given inalienable rights..not just the 10 in the Bill of Rightds, but also those “penumbra” rights either implied by the basic 10, or clearly those granted by Providence to every individual.
How about the NSA’s secret surveillance on the UN diplomats in the run-up to the Iraqi invasion in order to pressure them to vote for war in the Security Council? That’s a slap in the face to the countries involved.
“Terrorist” is just a name Bushco dangles in front of you to frighten you into giving-up your rights, take your money and give it to Israel to make more “terrorists,” and let them show us how to make more “terrorists” on our own.
Hasn’t everybody figured that out yet?
It’s really quite simple when you think about it, but you have to be able to think in order to be able to think about it. Evidently, it must be a “catch 22″ situation because you all still blabbing about “terrorists.”
There is no such thing.
Bush switches from calling them “insurgents” to “terrorists” when he’s getting his ass whipped, so as not to look so bad and get you all to wringing your hands. Have you a least noticed that?
A “terrorist” is what you have left after you murder an Arab’s wife and kids. Now do you “get it?”
By calling the Arab resistance “terrorists” that maintains the “Victim Status” of the Israelis. It’s a “snow-job.”
The Israelis mooch a lot of money from us by selling us on the idea that they are the “Victims.”
{ While they busy themselves brutalizing the Palestinians and have us brutalizing the Iraqis, making more, you got it, “terrorists.” }
The Israelis can’t afford to end this “war on terrorism” as it would cost them too much money.
Any lights coming on?
Hello, anybody home?
The president has an obligation to spy on the enemy in time of war. If any of you has evidence that he was spying on anybody else then say so.No evidence? Then all your fancy words are just so much gas.
Roo. Any evidence of NSA’s secret surveillance? NYT does not count.
We’re not at war, we’re on an insane murdering rampage.
And yes, there is a difference.
Think 9/11 Ed. Or at least THINK!
Besides ….. the KING does not need a constitution!
We can have 15 terrorists from saudia Arabia attack our country and I can attack my daddy’s enemy in Iraq?
The king can do as he wishes!
Any questions?
Dubya
codie-I’ll bet you can tell us the last time Bush had a colonoscopy.
codie,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1156388,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1143572,00.html
Sure, it’s the Brits. But, can anyone not see the US fingerprints all over the case?
Per request, no NYT is quoted.
Anyone remember Total Information Awareness? The administration’s plan to spy on the entire American people? To their credit, conservatives like Dick Armey torpedoed the idea. And then there was the TIPS program, where mail carriers and utility workers would be recruited to spy on the populace. That failed, too.
Now we have the NYT and the Washington Post reporting that Bush has been coercing internet and telecommunications providers to provide carte blanche to massive amounts of private communications. That’s sounds a lot like Total Information Awareness to me.
Time and again, this administration’s motto has been “If Congress won’t let you do it. . .do it anyway!” Why would this be any different?
Remember, Without “terrorism” not of this spying could not be jusified, they need the “terrorism thing.”
Remember, Without “terrorism” none of this spying could be jusified, they need the “terrorism thing.”
Ed,In response to an alledged terrorist attack, Napoleon was granted “special powers,” which he parlayed into becoming Emperor. Our current crop of conservatives are pretty hot on Napoleonic history. Makes you wonder what they’re up to!Is there an island in the Aleutian chain that would suffice as an American Elba?
Nah, make them clean up oil spills along the Alaskan oilpipes or the beaches.