"Regarding your Dec. 23 editorial, "A question of power," we all agree: The president, as commander-in-chief, should in a time of war have all the tools needed to "win."

I agree with this statement that the President should have all of the tools necessary to win the war against terrorism, although the author after making that statement, proceeds to qualify and dilute it. If spying or wiretapping individuals who are communicating with terrorists that would do us harm is one of those tools, then I believe that the President has an obligation to use it and any other tool available. Presidents in time of war have used every avialable tool in the defense of our country, and rightfully so. We are in a war with an enemy that doesn't play by any established rules, and we need to be prepared to meet and defeat that enemy, by any means necessary. I don't want a "politically correct" president. I want one that will do what he swore to do, "protect and defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic". A politically correct president will get us dead.

Jim Wheeler has nailed it and OK Runner has added the finishing touches. Now we will hear the DNC talking points from JDR, Brian Harper, Carol Dunn, Darryl and the rest of the clown brigade.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

As I read it, Worm, the LTE says this:

It's not spying that has everyone upset, it's an arrogance that says no need to fill-out the required paperwork.

What he didn't say was that Nixon was spying to get an edge at the ballot box - and that's why the law was originally passed, and that's the check and balance that's missing in the present situation.

BTW - did you read the rolling stone article link I left a while ago? One thing the White house has (that no one else does) is instant access to the news - the news before it is news - and that really helped Rove do his spin in the last election. Frankly, it is scary - very 1984'ish.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5035961

Sorry - here's the actual link:

http://www.npr.org/documents/2005/dec/bamford.pdf

First, for the record wormer, I am not a Democrat. While my views may be construed as those of the Democrat party, they are MINE and MINE alone. If the happen to be similar to a political party, so be it. However, one should be careful in how others are supposedly linked to something.

Now, the actual oath taken by the President is thus, "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States." This is taken from Article II, Section I of thte US Constitution.

In my reading and understanding of the Constitution, the President has overstepped his legal boundaries without getting approval for the noted "spying."

I believe the LTE writer, Mr. Wheeler, is fairly accurate in the summation. The "checks and balances" are not working/in effect. Without a "checks and balances" system working properly something terrible is going to happen. For instance, look at ENRON, Krispy Kreme. These company's did not operate their finances corectly and look at where they have found themselves.

Shalom

To Darryl and others:

We are all entitled to our opinions and to express them! However, very few of us are educated or elevated to a positon sufficient enough to interpert and/or rule on the law!

For those of you who think you know the law, it would be helpful to your personal creditability that you present you qualifications and legal experience to offer definitive decisions that anyone had broken the law! That includes opinions regarding the President of the United States.

Best I can determine listening to various legal scholars presented on the various news networks; the legality of the current issue is up for debate! If you guys are qualified, perhaps you can obtain membership on the impending congressional panel who will conduct hearings on the subject!

I will be waiting to read you qualifications! Otherwise, please restrict your positions as personal opinions or hopes or wishes! I think our laws allow the President to be considered within his legal rights until Congress says otherwise!

Excelent point Shippy. Here is an interesting article on the power of a president in wartime:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/3546859.html

Shippy: I know enough about the law to know OJ was guilty ane that one needs a search warrent. I know enough about this issue to know search warrents are easy to get and that someone connected with 1600 PA Ave. decided it would not be needed - assuming it could be kept secret - which is sht same assumption G. Gordan "HeadShot" Libby made in 1972. Do you know how he got that nickname, btw?

Neo: Nice link - written by Mr. Torture - although it does not address the topic at hand and misses the point.

No one (at least not me, and clearly not the letter writer) is complaining about "warrantless interception of international phone calls" - is what's causing heartburn. It is the President’s statement that he can survail anyone he wants to without any interference. That is over the top, my friend.

You may not now have anything to hide (I'll bet you do - we all do) - but that precedence is very dangerous.

How can you so foolishly endose EVERYTHING the Bushits do and assume that ANY questioning is treasonous?

JD:

No! OJ was judged not guilty! Though you and I might think a great miscarriage of justice occurred, and probably did, OJ was still judged not guilty! That is the law! Of course, in my opinion, the judge over that trial was not competent to conduct the trial and therefore there were many trial and procedural mistakes, however, that is now history! I never learned what happened to him after the trial! I hope he is experiencing a miserable life! He certainly is infamous!

Obviously, the President does think he has legal authority! I think he did not go for the warrants, not due to arrogrance, but to maintain secrecy from those who would harm us, not to ursurp and legal issues!

Washington leaks like a sieve! There are many false servants of the public! I have no doubt that had he gone for the warrants, the enemy would have known the contents of the warrant before the ink was dry on the warrant! We are constantly bombarded by persons in high position leaking information to the news media on condition of anonymity. Personal ego's, sabotage and I guess many other issues motivate them. Many times this appears to defeat our security!

Of course, like most citizens, I am for obeying the law! Therefore, I hope the President does have the presidential authority he and his legal staff says he has! I would vote for him to have this authority! I also hope that, both the leaker and the news media can be prosecuted for treason, not because I want the President to have unlimited power but because I want the President and our associated instuments of national security to have a chance without needling, nosy, intrusive media personnel aiding and abetting the enemy! I hope that some news media person is indicted and some news organization is put out of business!

Almost, more so than making sure the president does not have unlimited power, I wish to limit the arrogrance of the news media! I guess their current arrogrance is that they are protecting the public! I do not feel that way! In many ways, I think the news media is slowly, methodically destroying america!

OK! Shippy! We'll have to Agree to Dis-Agree!

(!! SORRY !!! COULD !! NOT !! HELP !! MYSELF !! )

.....ah, Mr. Rocketfeller, your Freudian slips are quite revealing.....

....first of all, I believe you are referring to G. Gordon LIDDY in your earlier response, not Libby ....I know that you had a disappointing Fitzmas, with the Libby indictment being the sole crumb from the failed "Get Rove and Cheney" deal that arose out of the manufactured Plame "Scandal", so the error was understandable.....

Secondly, your little "How can you so foolishly endose EVERYTHING the Bushits do and assume that ANY questioning is treasonous?" remark reveals that your Bush Derangement Syndrome is well-developed, perhaps beyond help.....

I am glad that I am perceived as a lawyer!

I guess I am in the same situation as JDR. Then again, that is probably not a bad place.

One the wealth of power consumes ANYONE, that one is destined to fall. There are far too many examples to even list one here, most who post have at least that much knowledge (I would hope from what I see posted).

I still stand with the perspective noted by the Counterpoint writer.

Shalom

Whatever, abbub. Read into things what you will.
Obviously I am both ignorant and deranged.

Go Mr. Wheeler! Arrogance is what will bring down this administration. Let's just hope they don't carry the whole country down with them.

Wormer has yet to add anything of value to this blog. The anger and the lack of coherent thought is more revealing of someone needing "LOVE". JDR, you can rest assured YOU are not ignorant or deranged--just read Wormer's posts.