bush defends domestic spying

De facto President George W. "I Spy" Bush today defended his authorization of illegal domestic eavesdropping by the National Security Agency. Bush said

"This authorization is a vital tool in our war against the terrorists. It is critical to saving American lives. The American people expect me to do everything in my power, under our laws and Constitution, to protect them and their civil liberties and that is exactly what I will continue to do as long as I am president of the United States."

Bush has it partly right. We do expect him or any other president to do what they can to protect us and our civil liberties. But it must be done "under our laws and Constitution" -- and it is precisely the cavalier willingness of this Administration to break laws, with this domestic eavesdropping against the intent of Congress as expressed in law and even without judicial warrants as just one more example, is so troubling.

Bush says this has helped prevent terrorist attacks. Well, he presented no proof. If he and the rest of the junta, I mean Administration, hadn't lied so often about so many other alleged terror plots, hadn't raised the terror level at so many politically convenient times, hadn't used the war on terror as a political bludgeon in 2002 and 2004, hadn't condoned torture while denying it, hadn't blundered into war in Iraq either thru deceit or stupidity (your pick, I lean to both), hadn't operated secret prisons and secret kidnapping operations, maybe we'd be more inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. But I don't believe him because I think if they HAD thwarted attacks they would have shouted it from the roof of the White House.