I see London, I see France...I'm also wiretapping your phone

One other piece of political news has really caught fire as of late. The New York Times finally printed an article detailing the fact that the president has, for the last 4 years, been authorizing a secret program that allows the NSA to wiretap domestic phonecalls without being subject to judicial or legislative review. Before I tear the administration a new one for their latest violation of due process AND the Constitution, I'd like to say something about the NYT; DO YOUR FREAKIN JOBS! You had this information in your posession for A WHOLE YEAR and didn't print it? I realize the president told you that it would jeopordize national security. But ya know what? That isn't your concern, it is his. YOUR JOB is to inform the masses on the actions of the government. The president has not shown a strong ability to make good decisions about anything, yet you held this story for a whole year based on his opinion? Absolutely absurd. As if it were'nt obvious that he has a conflict of interest in having you hold this story, I'm sure a reasonable person could realize that this nation cannot be safe if its people are not free from oppression from their own government, which is exactly what allowing the executive branch to breach the Bill of Rights is creating. And your silent acceptance is just further evidence that our system of government MUST be held in check, because the leaders of this nation already have too much power in their hands. The people of the United States have to hold their leaders accountable for their actions, and we can only do that if we have all the information. NYT withholding this information borders on reckless endangerment of the Constitution.

The other thing I wanted to say was congradulations to Congress. After what seems like forever, you have finally located your balls and re-attatched them. Although there are still some puppets of teh executive branch hiding in your hallowed halls, it seems that the House and the Senate are finally going to hold the president accountable for his actions. Only a day after this scandal broke, both parties have called for investigations into the illegal wiretaps. Here's a few quotes from a Yahoo.com article that demonstrate some reactions to this information:
"The president has, I think, made up a law that we never passed," said Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis.
"They talk about constitutional authority," Arlen Specter, R-Penn said. "There are limits as to what the president can do."
"The president can't pass the buck on this one. This is his program," Harry Reid, D-Nevada said on "Fox News Sunday." "He's commander in chief. But commander in chief does not trump the Bill of Rights."
"If Bush is allowed to decide unilaterally who the potential terrorists are, he in essense becomes the court, "Graham said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

In case it isnt clear, president bush has been secretly authorizing wiretaps on domestic communications. Normally, the NSA is only allowed to place wiretaps on international phonecalls, to prevent terrorists from communicating within our borders. However, using wiretaps on domestic calls is a very tricky process, since clear evidence has to be given pertaining to a threat to our security as a nation to allow the NSA to bypass the Constitution, which is does by monitoring domestic calls with no actual evidence of wrongdoing. As CNN says;

While the NSA is barred from domestic spying, it can get warrants issued with the permission of a special judicial body called the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Court. Bush's action eliminated the need to get a warrant from the court.

Asked why the president authorized skipping the FISA court, Rice said the war on terrorism was a "different type of war" that gives the commander in chief "additional authorities."

OMG, that part is so infuriatingly stupid, where do I begin? How about here; assuming you accept the premise that we are at war, which I don't, who's idea was it that the president gets additional powers? Who decides what that additional authority is? Apparently, the current administration has decided that they get to just make new law whenever it suits them in the name of an ideological war. Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice's statement is absolutely stupid; Please, Condy, show us the clause in the Constitution that says, "During UNDECLARED wars against a faceless enemy, the president may bypass federal law and the Bill of Rights without being subject to any of the checks and balances previously outlined. Oh, and he can also threaten and intimidate the press into not publishing stories of said new powers, because that would jeopordize the new dictatorship that will inevitably form from his new collection of powers." Can't find it? Wierd. Probably because no such clause exists. The current administration is just making all this up as they go, breaking the law and violating our rights, and then attempting to justify it when they get busted. It is proposterous to believe that the president can just bypass our current legal system and 250 years of judicial and legislative president because he started a war he can't finish. Call me a "Defeatist", I don't care; attacking those who question your judgement and authority only serves to belittle you in the eyes of those you were elected to serve.
Two more points I'd like to make. The first is the president's justification for ignoring the process already in place that would allow the NSA to tap domestic phone lines; he is apparently under the impression that there WAS no such process, since he believes going behind the back of Congress was the only way to accomplish this goal. "He said the authorizations have made it 'more likely that killers like these 9/11 hijackers will be identified and located in time, and the activities conducted under this authorization have helped detect and prevent possible terrorist attacks in the United States and abroad.'" We already has this abilitym it was just the incompetence of those in office at the time that prevented us from intercepting those communications, not the process itself. The checks and balances are there to protect the freedoms of the American people, and regardless of how careful the president claims he has been in authorizing these illegal wiretaps, he has sacraficed OUR RIGHTS every time he signs one. And in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "Those who would trade freedom for security deserve NEITHER freedom nor security."
Thing is, regardless of whether he claims the Attorney General assured him it was legal and consitutional to do so, he realized that what he did was wrong; otherwise, he would have acknowledged his activities when he was first asked about them, not sent his stupid mouthpiece out to neither confirm nor deny it. If he knew he was within his rights as the president to do so, he would have proudly said so from the start. Instead, he and his lackies dodged the question untill they came up with a good rationalization for violating our rights...again*cough*Patriot Act*cough*.
Speaking fo the Patriot Act, I may die of shock if it gets renewed in light of these new events. Obviously the president has no qualms about abusing powers he has, and making up new ones as he goes. The Senators have now seen this and, regardless of political affiliation, will not allow him the opportunity to do so again by giving him such broad-ranging authority that the Patriot Act granted before. It is a great day for the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the citizens of the United States; In times when our system of democracy works, and the branches of government work indipendent of each other and maintain a balance of power, representation and protection of the American people is attainable, and the american dream can truly be realized.

Oh, and Here's a Thought... About 2-3 weeks ago, I detailed how nominating Harriet Miers was just a brilliant ploy to get a radical conservative judge onto the Supreme Court. Then a few days ago, The Colbert Report on Comedy Central basically rips off my analysis word-for-word. And you know what?
I'm glad. At least someone is talking about it, and realizing that the entire nomination was just a stunt. Just glad to do my part, and I hope I continue to be helpful and informative for all the people in this country that want to make it a better place for them and their families.