[Grut]

I dunno. The impression I get is that the administration's saying that in wartime, the President's Section 2 powers trump any laws. I don't think we want to go there.

[NormsRevenge]

Don't tell Abe and FDR that. ;-)

[MNJohnnie]

. The impression I get is that the administration's saying that in wartime, the President's Section 2 powers trump any laws.

Well your impressions are wrong. I suggest you put your knee jerk anti Goverment Paranoia on hold and actually read the the FISA statues

[The Cuban]

And we don't need to as the Supreme Court has rejected this very argument time and time again. I can not support Bush (or Clintoon, or Carter) on this one.

[sgtyork]

That's the impression that the press would like you to have. This is about foreign intelligence. The law that allows the president to electronically eavesdrop via the Department of Defense (NSA) is the Foreign Intelligence Security Act. The law in question has been tested in court and the President's powers in this area affirmed.

We have been monitoring foreign electonic communications since before World War II. Ever heard of Enigma, Ultra? What has changed is the type of war. Rather than intercontinental missiles, we have sleeper cells.

If we discover electronic communication coming from an Al-queda leader to someone in the US, do you want us to ignore that? Spend 72 hours getting a warrant rather than perhaps learn what their imminent plans are?