Two Men and One Issue

Paul Craig Roberts states in his article A Criminal Administration that the Bush administration is caught red-handed in blatant illegality and responds by trying to arrest the patriot who exposed the administration’s illegal behavior.

Bush has actually declared it treasonous to reveal his illegal behavior! His propagandists, who masquerade as news organizations, have taken up the line: To reveal wrong-doing by the Bush administration is to give aid and comfort to the enemy.

Geoffery R. Stone states in his article Bush's Spy Program and The Fourth Amendment that the defenders of the program have attacked its critics as “hysterical” and “irresponsible,” and have offered a mélange of arguments for the program's legality, or at least its possible legality.

It is settled law that the Executive may not engage in wiretapping or other forms of electronic surveillance of the contents of private communications without probable cause and a warrant. This is the unambiguous and long-standing understanding of the Fourth Amendment.

Roberts poses the question: Why would President Bush ignore the law and the FISA court? And gives the answer:

The Bush administration could not go to the FISA secret court for warrants because it was not spying for legitimate reasons and, therefore, had to keep the court in the dark about its activities.

And interestingly enough Stone states:

These possible reasons for bypassing the law and the court need to be fully investigated and debated. No administration in my lifetime has given so many strong reasons to oppose and condemn it as has the Bush administration. Nixon was driven from office because of a minor burglary of no consequence in itself. Clinton was impeached because he did not want the embarrassment of publicly acknowledging that he engaged in adulterous sex acts in the Oval Office. In contrast, Bush has deceived the public and Congress in order to invade Iraq, illegally detained Americans, illegally tortured detainees, and illegally spied on Americans. Bush has upheld neither the Constitution nor the law of the land.

A majority of Americans disapprove of what Bush has done; yet, the Democratic Party remains a muted spectator. Why??

The Bush spy program – a secret program – should be held to violate the Fourth Amendment.