Bush defends surveillance program

CAMP DAVID, Md. - President Bush on Friday criticized a federal court ruling that said his warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional, declaring that opponents "do not understand the nature of the world in which we live."

"I strongly disagree with that decision, strongly disagree," Bush said, striking his finger on a podium to underscore his point. "That's why I instructed the Justice Department to appeal immediately, and I believe our appeals will be upheld."

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit on Thursday was the first to find the National Security Agency surveillance program unconstitutional. The program involves monitoring international phone calls and e-mails to and from the United States involving people with suspected ties to terrorists.

"If al-Qaida is calling in to the United States, we want to know why they're calling," Bush said.

Critics say the surveillance program skirts the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which requires court warrants for domestic eavesdropping. The administration has argued that obtaining warrants from a secret court set up under FISA is a time-consuming process unsuited for the government's fast-moving war on terror.

The judge said the government, in defending the program, appeared to be saying the president had the "inherent power" to violate laws of Congress.

"It was never the intent of the framers to give the president such unfettered control," Taylor wrote in a 43-page opinion. "... There are no hereditary Kings in America and no powers not created by the Constitution. So all 'inherent powers' must derive from that Constitution."

On other issues, Bush said it would take the world time to view the war between Israel and Hezbollah as a loss for the Islamic militant group.

"The first reaction, of course, of Hezbollah and its supporters is, declare victory," Bush said. "I guess I would have done the same thing if I were them, but sometimes it takes people a while to come to the sober realization of what forces create stability and which don't. Hezbollah is a force of instability."

Bush also expressed some disappointment with France's contribution to an expanded peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

France had been expected to make a significant new contribution that would form the backbone of the expanded force. But French President Jacques Chirac disappointed the United Nations and other countries by announcing France would contribute just 200 combat engineers to its current 200-member contingent in Lebanon.

"France has said they will send some troops," the president said. "We hope they'll send more."

Members of Bush's economic team stood alongside the president as he spoke under bright sunshine at the Camp David helipad. Among attendees were Vice President Dick Cheney, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, National Economic Council Director Allan Hubbard and White House budget chief Rob Portman.

The meeting came at a time when only 37 percent of Americans support Bush's handling of the economy, according to AP-Ipsos polling in early August. It's also just weeks before congressional midterm elections that will determine whether Republicans continue to control the House and the Senate.

Bush declared the economy solid and strong because of tax cuts his administration pushed through Congress. He rattled off a series of economic indicators, including the nation's 4.8 percent jobless rate in July and 4 percent annual economic growth rate through the first half of the year.

But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi took issue with Bush's upbeat comments on the economy, saying, "President Bush may think the economy is moving forward, but many hard working Americans are stuck living paycheck to paycheck.

"Under President Bush and the Republican Congress, the economic situation for too many Americans is going in the wrong direction," said the California Democrat. Since Bush took office, she said, "real median family income has dropped by $1,700 while families are paying $3,200 more in household costs."

Bush did not mention that the July unemployment rate had inched up from 4.6 percent in June, reflecting a slowdown in job creation that reflects weaker economic growth. And while the gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 5.6 percent in the first quarter, it slowed to just 2.5 percent in the April-June quarter.

On Friday, a University of Michigan survey showed consumer confidence fell sharply in early August to the lowest level in 10 months as Americans were rattled by new terrorism concerns and gasoline prices above $3 per gallon.

Bush did not mention the jump in gasoline prices, although he did discuss the need to invest in new energy technologies.

Paulson, speaking to reporters later, said the team spent much time talking about long-term challenges such as changing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in view of the pending retirement of 78 million baby boomers.

"We think it is quite possible to come up with a fix that is quite doable," Paulson said of reforming the government programs. "The question is whether we can get the support of Congress to get something done."

Well.........let's be 'rational' here, OK?

Your first attack on the President was made in complete ignorance of the entire context of the comments he made.

Then you related your disdain for all Muslims, for women, and a few more groups thrown in.

You exhibited a cult-like phobia about President Bush's being a 'globalist' when the facts don't back it up at all.

Then you blamed him (yes you did), for your personal employment woes, and when I called you on it, you zigzagged on that, but kept whining like a teenage girl about how everything wrong with America was President Bush's fault. ALL of it.

Now you're saying that women can't debate, and I'm sitting here laughing at what a bizarre boy you are.

Good day, gin. Find a good counselor.

>Mexicans aren't our problem. It's the Islamists. Don't get suckered in on the old switcheroo by the opposition.<

I don't know who is getting "suckered in", but more than Mexicans are coming across our borders. I don't believe I restricted my objection to just Mexicans, or that I even mentioned Mexicans. Red Chinese, and anyone belonging to terrorists groups from enemy countries are also coming in with the Mexicans. They are also crossing our Northern borders. Being next door to a corrupt country which is happily exporting their criminal class is a blessing? Interesting.

You exhibited a cult-like phobia about President Bush's being a 'globalist' when the facts don't back it up at all.

The facts do back this up. We have a Nation that includes borders. There are laws that govern immigration, which W has public ally circumvented. There is a "treaty" in the works that will eventually dissolve the Mexican and Canadian borders. This was worked out at the Bush ranch in Texas. A longer range portion of a published plan is to consolidate the entire Western hemisphere under one currency, much like done with the Euro. Eventually the EU will be consolidated into a single government, and so will the WU. This is a globalist plan.

As for blaming Bush for the outsourcing situation that is destroying the lives of techies in our Nation. OK, I won't dance around the issue any longer. He is guilty as charged. I watched a speech he gave where he said this was great for America. This is a globalist economic concept. Hey, it is great for American companies to pay third-world rates for technical "labor", but it is not so great for people who went to engineering schools, then continued that education at their own expense for over thirty years. Bush is not by any means the sole source of this trend; however, he is partly to blame, for he fosters policy that encourages this. Here he turns his back on Americans, and helps Indians take our employment.

You seem to be under the impression that I am a Bush basher. That just isn't the case. Most of what he does seems to be smack-dead on the right thing. As an American, I have the Constitutional right to speak out about what I perceive as wrong. This is one of the ways that corrections are applied. I do see faults with this Administration, and with other facets of the government as well. That just doesn't mean I think the whole thing is nasty and dysfunctional. Shame on you for fostering the impression that Bush can do no wrong and that I am heinous for finding occasional fault. Bush is neither God nor monarch.

Throughout this discourse I have merely stated my opinion and sometimes divulged how my opinion was developed. I have not attacked you personally. Maybe you find my opinion repulsive, but I don't see how that warrants an such bitter attacks upon my person. How is that you still attack me so for disagreeing with you? That is shameful behavior. I don't recall that being part of the Christian dogma you implied you follow. You tell me to "go get help". That makes me inclined to tell you to "go start your rabies shots".

You angered me with your attacks and "period" demands of what correct opinion is required of me. That anger produced the statement about female debate. I suggest you refine your barbaric methods of discourse.

"Barbaric?" Holy cow! You have the victim thing down pat, don't you?

I didn't know I was dealing with such a delicate fellow. Next time I'll be nice, and I won't disagree with you at all, so your feelings don't get a boo-boo.

Until then, since I'm a woman, it doesn't matter what I say anyway, now does it?

Be happy, Gin. We're privileged as Americans to have a second great President leading us in our lifetimes.

If you want to feel sorry for yourself, and blame the President for not being able to solve decades old problems by waving a magic wand, don't let me stop you.

In the meantime, I'll find someone else to practice my barbarism on, and leave you to find some Bactine and a Band-aid for the deep wounds I've left on you. :)

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