"regulations for the armed forces does not apply to the NSA, because the NSA is a civilian rather than a military agency."
The NSA is not a 'civilian' agency controlled by Congress, but was established by executive order of President Truman.
"The National Security Agency was created in November 1952 and has provided timely information to U.S. decision makers and military leaders for more than 50 years. However, even before President Truman signed the memorandum establishing the Agency"
And then the Court of Review did one more thing, something that has repercussions in today’s surveillance controversy. Not only could the FISA Court not tell the president how do to his work, the Court of Review said, but the president also had the “inherent authority” under the Constitution to conduct needed surveillance without obtaining any warrant — from the FISA Court or anyone else. Referring to an earlier case, known as Truong, which dealt with surveillance before FISA was passed, the Court of Review wrote: “The Truong court, as did all the other courts to have decided the issue, held that the President did have inherent authority to conduct warrantless searches to obtain foreign intelligence information. . . . We take for granted that the President does have that authority and, assuming that is so, FISA could not encroach on the President’s constitutional power.”
All the pontificating about it is way off the mark.
The power to pardon is probably the most dangerous of all powers that the President holds.
For example, if we ever elect a President who opposes capital punishment, they could immediately pardon every prisoner on death row. Or if he thought blacks were discriminated against, he could pardon all black men in prison for drug and other "victimless" offenses.
There is nothing the courts can do to stop him, nothing the congress can do. Nobody can control the president.
The ONLY check we have against a president pardoning criminals is the check of the PEOPLE in voting for a person of character who won't do this.
Which is the SAME check we have for MANY of the things that the democrats now claim are "unchecked power". If we trust the President to pardon criminals, it seems rational to trust the President to appoint a few judges, or even to authorize wiretaps which might pick up domestic conversations.
If the President doesn't use the power wisely, we can vote him out. If he REALLY seems to be causing damage, we can write congress, and they can impeach him. Those are the checks against unbridled presidential use of power.
What are the "Inherent" Powers of the President?
It means if anything happens to 'W' that Jenna and Barbara become president right?
Under the Articles of Confederation the congress could run the war, that power was taken from them in the constitution.
It can be an interesting question at what point exactly the congressional and presidential powers divide. Just claiming the power to make "rules and regulations" as an expressed grant to congress of the power to conduct warfare is not historical or helpful.
Indecisive (IMHO) but helpful essay: Toward a Discretionary Post-9/11 Public Policy that Remains Constitutional: Lessons from the Civil War
His powers include, but are not limited to, laser vision, extra-human strength, the ability to change form at will, and other secret powers known only to him and his staff.
That claim is probably correct.....
No reason to read on, even the author believe the C-in-C has the authority to PROTECT & DEFEND the United States of America.
The utter obsurdity of the NOTION that the President has the authority to use any and all means to defend the United States of America against our enemies, which INCLUDES using NUCLEAR WEAPONS to KILL the ENEMY, but does NOT have the authority to listen to the enemy's phone calls, leaves ONE speechless!!
He can declare Alley Cat Day in Washington, DC
Inherent Powers of the President?: he can fly, see thru walls, predict the future, time travel.