They Hate Us For Our Freedoms

Another day, another story on how the Bush administration utilizes the tactics of fascism to 'protect' us. Fear, paranoia, the government spying on its own citizens... so nice we haven't let the terrorists take away our freedoms. This isn't a tin foil hat fantasy anymore, people, this is reality today in the United States of America.

I know this violation of the law wasn't blowjob perjury, but can we begin impeachment proceedings soon, please?

This spy program was personally authorized by the President himself.

From the AP: Bush Approved Eavesdropping, Official Says

President Bush has personally authorized a secretive eavesdropping program in the United States more than three dozen times since October 2001, a senior intelligence official said Friday night...

...The official said that since October 2001, the program has been renewed more than three dozen times. Each time, the White House counsel and the attorney general certified the lawfulness of the program, the official said. Bush then signed the authorization.

The President does acknowledge, and tries to defend, this:
Bush Acknowledges Approving Eavesdropping

The President insists that this program is "consistent with U.S. law and the Constitution". I sincerely doubt that this is the case, but I am sure the President is hard at work today battling terrorism having his lawyers find every loophole possible to help him in that argument. Note to George: Don't use the 'executive privilege' argument, that didn't work out so well for Tricky Dick.

Angry officials in Washington plan to investigate this program early next year:
Shocked Lawmakers Demand Spy Program Probe

Let's hope this isn't another lip-service investigation. This week's victory against the Patriot Act gives me hope, of course.

Sen. Feingold, as always, says it best: "If that's true, he doesn't need the Patriot Act because he can just make it up as he goes along. I tell you, he's President George Bush, not King George Bush. This is not the system of government we have and that we fought for."


A lot of blogs are covering this... I like what AmericaBlog said best-
If Bush thought eavesdropping laws were too onerous post 9/11, he was required to ask Congress to CHANGE THE LAW, not just violate it for 3 years

...We now know that for the past 3 years the Bush administration broke American law in order to spy on American citizens. Why? Bush says it's because the current law was so onerous that our spy agencies couldn't find the terrorists in a moment's notice....

...In America, when the president has a problem with the law he goes to Congress and presents his case, and asks our elected officials to weigh the merits of the case and then vote on changing the law. Only dictators say to hell with Congress, to hell with our laws, to hell with our democratic process .... We need an immediate independent investigation, and if this story is confirmed, Bush should resign or be removed from office.

Amen to that.

We all want the government to protect us (yes, even liberals!!) and we are all grateful that great efforts have been undertaken to accomplish this goal successfully. But there is a right and a wrong way to do so. The President chose the wrong way. One might argue that, given the terrorist threat, we should give the White House the benefit of the doubt. NO. This administration has proven over and over it cannot be trusted. The President once jokingly remarked things would be easier for him if he were a dictator, now it turns out the joke may be on us.

Only those Americans who've surrended to the Bush culture of fear could not be concerned about the implications of this story. The President of the United States has put himself above the law, above the Congress, because he feels his duties as leader put him beyond such Constitutional limitations. That is not a democracy. We cannot surrender our democracy because of fears of enemies, no matter how serious (and I am not underestimating the genuine threat we face). The bottom line is this- The President cannot simply disobey laws (continually, for over three years) that he finds bothersome. He swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution and our laws, not subvert them whenever feels necessary.

The President must be impeached for these actions.

Please Congress, don't let this one get away. The American people demand accountability.

Other blog looks at this scandal:
-So When You Hear the Words “the American People,” Just Lie Back on the Cushion, Because You’re About to Get Screwed
-An Incredible Day in America
-If The President Does It It's Not Illegal