It’s Time to Speak of Serious Matters
The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has issued their report, looking into the legality of the domestic spying program initiated 4 years ago by the President, in the wake of 9/11. Unsurprisingly, their conclusion is that it violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and they, quietly but thoroughly, demolishes the Administration’s argument that the Sept. 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force authorized the Administration to circumvent FISA1 at their pleasure.
Anyone with even a vestigial interest in the Rule-of-Law in this country ought to read it. It’s heavily laden with footnotes, but if you skip those, not too difficult to make your way through.
Administration loyalists have, predictably, decried the New York Times for compromising National Security with this revelation2. As Glen Greenwalt convincingly demonstrates, they don’t know what they’re talking about. (He’s been doing some excellent blogging on the NSA spying scandal.)
There’s no getting around the fact that the Adminstration has flagrantly, unrepentantly violated the Law of the land, and vows to continue to do so. They’ve had 4 years to propose changes to FISA (beyond those of the USA Patriot Act), if they felt there was an argument (which would pass Constitutional muster) for doing so. Instead, they decided to simply ignore FISA. Evidently, the Rule-of-Law is not on their radar screen. Everyone wants the President to have the tools necessary to fight the War on Terror. No one but a partisan hack would conclude that shredding the Constitution is the way to provide those tools.
So, where does that leave us? The current Majority in the Senate is, alas, of the opinion that Impeachment is a partisan club, to be wielded against one’s political opponents, rather than a solemn tool to ensure that the Executive adheres to the Rule-of-Law. Without tremendous public pressure, we’re unlikely to see substantive hearings, let alone Articles of Impeachment.
Perhaps a bumper sticker campaign is in order
WHO DO YOU HAVE TO BLOW TO GET A PRESIDENT IMPEACHED AROUND HERE?!
KING GEORGE? DIDN’T WE FIGHT A REVOLUTION ABOUT THAT?
1 And engage in torture and arbitrary detention without trial and …. But let’s not stray from the current subject.
2 Arguably, by sitting on the story for over a year, the New York Times compromised our National Security by ensuring the reelection of George W. Bush. But that’s probably not what Hindraker had in mind.
It’s time to get a bumper sticker
I decided I like the first one well enough to order a bumper sticker with that slogan from bumperactive. Don’t be too surprised if you see it driving around town.