President Bush is overreaching his powers... excessively...

1. An executive order cannot limit a President. There is no constitutional requirement for a President to issue a new executive order whenever he wishes to depart from the terms of a previous executive order. Rather than violate an executive order, the President has instead modified or waived it.

2. The President, exercising his constitutional authority under Article II, can determine whether an action is a lawful exercise of the President’s authority under Article II.

3. The Department of Justice is bound by the President’s legal determinations.


Let’s start with number one. Bear in mind that the so-called Protect America Act that was stampeded through this great body in August provides no—zero—statutory protections for Americans traveling abroad from government wiretapping. None if you’re a businesswoman traveling on business overseas, none if you’re a father taking the kids to the Caribbean, none if you’re visiting uncles or aunts in Italy or Ireland, none even if you’re a soldier in the uniform of the United States posted overseas. The Bush Administration provided in that hastily-passed law no statutory restrictions on their ability to wiretap you at will, to tap your cell phone, your e-mail, whatever

i.e.

1. “I don’t have to follow my own rules, and I don’t have to tell you when I’m breaking them.”

2. “I get to determine what my own powers are.”

3. “The Department of Justice doesn’t tell me what the law is, I tell the Department of Justice what the law is.”

no matter what party you are for, this is an important topic that deserves attention.

"The word of the president is the law. The president defines the law. The president stands above the law and cannot be made accountable under it."

that is some scary shit.

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."

- James Madison

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

I'm suffering from outrage fatigue after 7 years of seeing this stuff. But this is pretty outrageous.

Impeach these asshats NOW.

Worst administration EVER.

Oh and mightn't this qualify for a *wtf?

Down with the OLC!

Wow. Just... wow.

Nice speech. I thought it was a well structured argument, I wonder how its all going to play out.

Where's Lee Harvey Oswald when you need him?

amen.

3. The Department of Justice is bound by the President’s legal determinations.

*wtf!!!

Adding video to channels (Wtf) - requested by bamdrew.

Why didn't he make this speech before the legislation was passed? I suppose that's why it was rushed through, so no one would have the time to find these disturbing concentrations of power. At least someone is trying to make things right. This is sickening. It's sickening that anyone approves of the way George Bush has led this country over the past ,almost, seven years.

The thing that upsets me most is that the majority of the congress is complicit in allowing this to pass. We have to expect this sort of thing from Bush, but why are the Democrats helping him? The law "being rushed through" isn't an excuse for it so easily passing in a democratic congress. I see it as a failure by those who voted for it and didn't understand it, and a betrayal by those those who voted for knowing it's contents.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=main&bill=s110-1927

The only problem with this is Congress will go on allowing it and the people will go on not caring. Look around, with all this evidence of something rotten in the state of Denmark, has it changed anything? Hell no. America, we deserve what we get because we just dont give a shit whats going on. Please someone prove me wrong, I implore you do it. Elections? Lol democratic distractions since there is already evidence that you cant trust the voting process anymore. Reminds me of the line from "Gladiator" about the death of the republic "He will bring them death, and they will love him for it". Indeed

*dead

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