Posted on 01/17/2006 6:48:41 AM PST by conservativecorner
Has President Bush exceeded his constitutional authority or acted illegally in authorizing wiretaps without a warrant on calls between American citizens in the United States and people abroad who are, or are suspected of having ties to, terrorists?
Benjamin Franklin (whose 300th birthday is today) would not have thought so. In 1776 he and his four colleagues on the Continental Congress's foreign affairs committee (called the Committee of Secret Correspondence) unanimously agreed that they could not tell the Congress about the covert assistance France was giving the American Revolution, because it would be harmful to America if the information leaked, and "we find by fatal experience that Congress consists of too many members to keep secrets."
While the Constitution was being ratified in 1787 John Jay (later the first chief justice) in Federalist No. 64 praised the Constitution for giving the president power "to manage the business of intelligence in such manner as prudence may suggest." And of course Article II of the ratified Constitution gave the president the nation's "Executive power" and states that "the President shall be the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States."
When in the early 1800s President Jefferson hired foreign mercenaries to invade Tripoli and free American hostages, he did not inform Congress in advance. In 1818, when a controversy arose over a diplomatic mission abroad, House Speaker Henry Clay told his colleagues that since the president had paid for the mission with his contingent fund it would not be "a proper subject for inquiry."
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
"Benjamin Franklin (whose 300th birthday is today) would not have thought so. In 1776 he and his four colleagues on the Continental Congress's foreign affairs committee (called the Committee of Secret Correspondence) unanimously agreed that they could not tell the Congress about the covert assistance France was giving the American Revolution."
Of course, these four and their cohorts in France were all Freemasons, which is the reason they could both insist on such aid as a matter of fraternal right AND keep it secret.
No, this is not tin-foil hat stuff. It is well documented, and, in fact, this America-France link was part of the source for the anti-masonic movement in America.
ping
To have men of this caliber today leading our country.
Look up how the Founders dealt with those Americans who remained loyal to the King. They were no great proponents of civil rights for the opposition in time of war.
And also attributed to Franklin: (There is debate as to whether it was actually Richard Jackson, in a book published by Franklin)
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety"
Pity for the Chicken Little Hysteric is they base their argument on a completely fraudulent assumption. We have not given up any "Essential Liberty" as they claim. Sorry you do NOT have right to commit treason. Once you choose to conspire with terrorists you are no longer a member of, but an enemy of US Civil Society. You do NOT get to hide behind your Constitutional Protections in order to plot mass murder of your fellow citizens. WE have the right, via our agency the Govt, to protect ourselves from those who would side with our enemies. So, you assumptions are prove wrong.
Also quote from Franklin: "Well Gentleman, you have a Republic, if you can keep it". It seems certain hysterics would have us throw away the Republic because their paranoid fear of Government BY THE PEOPLE defending us/
It is one of the truly amazing thing about reading anything by Franklin is how, over the course of almost 300 years, his wisdom has aged not at all. It is still as sharp and timely today as it was when he wrote it.
Amen to that
"To have men of this caliber today leading our country. "
And as a postmaster ol' Ben spied for his country by reading the mail!
Just thought I would take the opportunity to acknowledge Ben Franklin's birthday, a great thinker and American, we sure could use more. He sure deserves a National Birthday.
Ditto on your thoughts!
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