Posted by zeugma on February 10, 2006, at 19:52:19
In reply to George W Bush, posted by wildcard11 on February 10, 2006, at 8:32:32
all this board is going to get from me is dull civilities, because it is so important to be civil here. But after much diligent searching, your civility-minded but naturally splenetic friend finally located ONE article that spares me the labor of making endless deletions (those deletions are themselves a mockery of civility, yet so necessary for the mental health of all concerned- it positively DESTROYS my mental health because I do not like being patronized or having reality edited for me, even by a caring tender-hearted individual, yet I like this board because I can't resist the challenge of producing civil output given the current state of U.S. politics- fool that I am) well, anyway I am not one to write my own material, only to civilize the vast output of political diatribes for your pleasure.
Here is a perfectly civil article that urges George W. to obey the law. our president does need a reminder to obey the law. It is most considerate of the ABA (American Bar Association) to remind him. It brings up the interesting question of why anyone would vote for a candidate who needs reminders to obey the law. I have been wracking my brain for some time on this issue; but, as promised, I am dull, and here follows civil reminders for George W. to obey the law.
ABA President Urges Bush to Obey Spy Laws By ANNA JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer
44 minutes ago
CHICAGO - The president of the nation's largest lawyers group said Friday that President Bush should comply with federal law when conducting electronic surveillance of Americans and refrain from scaring people into giving up their civil liberties in the fight against terrorism.
"Times of conflict have often put stress on America's liberties. It's a time when we get frightened and are tempted to take shortcuts with the Constitution," American Bar Association President Michael Greco said. "But I personally reject the false choice that is being offered Americans that they must give up their liberties to have security."Greco, who spoke at the ABA's midyear meeting in Chicago, also released a proposal recommending that the association oppose further electronic surveillance in the U.S. for foreign intelligence purposes that does not comply with the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. If the ABA's policy-making body approves it in a vote set for Monday, the proposal will become official policy of the 400,000-member group.
The proposal was recommended by an ABA task force that examined whether Bush was authorized to give the National Security Agency the power to eavesdrop on the international communications of Americans with suspected ties to terrorists without first obtaining warrants from a secretive court set up under FISA.
"We're calling on the president ... to explain to Congress what this program is about so Congress can exercise its constitutional duty of checking to make sure that the president's powers are being executed within the framework of the Constitution," Greco said.
The warrantless eavesdropping program has prompted a heated debate about presidential powers in the war on terror since it was first disclosed in December.
Bush on Friday continued his defense of the program, saying he concluded that it was needed to fill a gap in U.S security and that lawyers in the White House and at the Justice Department signed off on its legality.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales insisted earlier this week during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that Bush was fully empowered to eavesdrop on Americans without warrants as part of the country's war on terror. He cautioned Congress not to end or alter the program.
But committee chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., suggested the program's legality be reviewed by a special federal court set up under FISA. Committee Democrats also have generally contended that Bush acted illegally in permitting the domestic surveillance.
-z, in as civil, bland, and listless mood as that last paragraph :-(
poster:zeugma
thread:608261
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20060204/msgs/608476.html