The ACLU issues a report saying that all those mean, horrible, unconstitutional things George Bush did in the name of protecting us, Barak Obama is still doing them. But, near as I can see, only the ACLU has said anything about it.
Based on this report on NPR, Democrats think everything is fine because the Obama administration has "changed course." Allegedly there is now congressional involvement in the executive's perfidy.
But in the name of wasting my (and your) time, let's re-hash some old, boring stuff.
The constitution defines and limits the government. All of the government. All of the time. There is no "escape clause" for when communists or terrorists are running about. The government cannot, for example, conduct any unreasonable search or seizure without a warrant. Neither the Bush or Obama administrations claimed that the unwarranted wiretaps were reasonable. They claim authority under Article II of the constitution--where it is mentioned that the president is to be the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and so long as congress kind of nods in his direction can do whatever the hell he wants. Except the founders forgot to add that last bit. Being in charge of the army doesn't mean you get to do whatever you want. Despite your intentions.
I never thought Bush was acting in bad faith, and I don't think Obama is now. But good intentions don't give license to take away the birthright of the sovereign, the natural liberty that we are born with. And congress saying "we're now OK with it" doesn't cut the mustard. The Bill of Rights, or any constitutional provision, doesn't go out the window if 2 out of 3 branches want it to. They can't go out the window if 3 out of 3 think so. There is a defined way of amending the constitution. If you policy isn't popular enough or important enough to make it through that way, then guess what Charlie? It doesn't get done.
Would we be less safe? Perhaps. But we'd be free, and that is what our country was founded on and I hope still stands for.
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