DeWine:We Don't Need Debate on Whether NSA Program is Constitutional

[kpete]

DeWine: “We Don’t Want To Have Any Kind of Debate About Whether NSA Program Is Constitutional”

The White House stated today that it is backing a legislative proposal by Ohio Sen. Mike DeWine to exclude Bush’s NSA wiretapping program from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. ThinkProgress has previously reported why the proposal is a bad idea. Tonight, on Fox News, DeWine himself explained his motivations behind the proposal:

You know, there’s been some controversy about whether or not this program is legal or is not legal. I think we need to get beyond that. And the vast majority of American people believe these calls need to be listened to. But we don’t want to have any kind of debate about whether it’s constitutional or not constitutional. So I think we need to put that beyond us.

..................

President Bush said today, “I mean, a lot of lawyers looked at this, and they said, you bet, Mr. President, it’s legal.” If he’s so confident about that, why is he so afraid to have a debate?

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/02/17/dewine-on-nsa/

[rodeodance]

1. This is exactly what the WH wants--NO debate!-and looks like they will

succeed-esp with this deal that Roberts just made with the WH (and committee went along with-at least enough members for it to pass).

[punpirate]

2. As predicted...

... this Congress is now trying to legislatively make the illegal legal. Rather than provide the kind of oversight required to prevent abuses by the Executive, they'd rather shoot holes in the Constitution.

Well, I guess that's normal these days... to shoot holes in things.

[acmejack]

3. The day the music stopped.

[Solly Mack]

4. Burning the flag?Bad! Wiping your ass with the Constitution? Patriotic!

America is a nation of ("cumbersome& burdensome"*Gonzales) laws. So, the new America will now make the illegal legal instead of prosecuting criminals. This, however, only applies to the few - the chosen. "The people" must continue to obey the law as we, the chosen, apply it to them.

[jsamuel]

5. they want no debate on the issue that Article II gives the President the

power to ignore laws of Congress. If there is a debate, Bush must be impeached, even by Republicans. They know if there is a debate, Bush's presidency is over.