Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Spies and Lies: The Case for Impeaching Bush

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Editorials & Other Articles Donate to DU
 
IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Mar-04-06 03:16 PM
Original message
Spies and Lies: The Case for Impeaching Bush
Spies and Lies: The Case for Impeaching Bush

By Lawrence Albright

The Bush Administration Goes to War on the Constitution


While it may be fashionable to trace the Bush administration’s animosity to constitutional constraints on its power to the tragic events on September 11, 2001 there were harbingers of things to come even before that infamous date.

The 2000 elections, which saw Bush’s highly questionable victory over then Vice President Al Gore, revealed the utter contempt of the Republican Party machinery toward the Constitution. In Florida, the term “pregnant chad” entered the language as part and parcel of a disenfranchisement of voters throughout the state who, according to demographics, were solidly inclined to vote for Gore. This process was aided and abetted by Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, now serving in the House of Representatives for Florida’s 13th district. Similar issues occurred elsewhere (and in Ohio during the 2004 election).

In one of those ironies that would be amusing if it weren’t so frightening, the Supreme Court effectively decided Bush’s 2000 victory, a first in the history of the Supreme Court and the nation. In view of the Bush administration and the ultra-right’s hostility toward the judiciary, one is tempted to wonder how they reconcile their philosophical and political positions with the gift they were given by the court five years ago.

To use one of Bush’s favorite expressions, make no mistake, September 11, 2001 merely provided the ultra-right with the pretext they needed to pursue their ultimate agenda: the consolidation of an unprecedented degree of power along with efforts to marginalize their opposition by portraying them as either unpatriotic or fools.

Toward this end, the Bush administration and its allies steamrollered Congress into the passage of the USA Patriot Act. In addition to its other provisions, the USA Patriot Act also amended the FISA. It increased the number of judges serving on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) and allowed roving or multi-point surveillance under FISA. Access to business records was substantially amended along with the following very significant change in the statute: Where prior to the passage of the USA Patriot Act, an agent seeking an order from the FISC would have to certify that obtaining foreign intelligence information was the sole purpose of the surveillance, under the current, amended, rules the agent has to certify only that foreign intelligence is a “significant purpose” of the surveillance.

http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/2874/1/154/
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top

Home » Discuss » Editorials & Other Articles Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC