Obama Quietly Continues to Defend Bush's Terror Policies

McClathcy Newspapers ^ | January 22, 2010 | Marisa Taylor

[lbryce]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/82879.html Although the FBI has acknowledged it improperly obtained thousands of Americans' phone records for years, the Obama administration continues to assert that the bureau can obtain them without any formal legal process or court oversight.

The FBI revealed this stance in a newly released report, troubling critics who'd hoped the bureau had been chastened enough by its own abuses to drop such a position.

In further support of the legal authority, however, the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel backed the FBI in a written opinion issued this month.

The opinion by the OLC — the section that wrote the memos that justified enhanced interrogation techniques during the last administration — appears to be yet another sign that the Obama administration can be just as assertive as Bush's in claiming sweeping and controversial anti-terrorism powers.

The Justice Department's watchdog, the inspector general, said the OLC opinion has "significant policy implications that need to be considered by the FBI, the Department, and the Congress."

"The FBI says that this kind of activity is in the past," said Michael German, a former FBI agent who's now the American Civil Liberties Union's policy counsel. "But if they're saying that they have a continuing legal authority that means it's not in the past."

[lbryce]

While I am pleased that the President has not deviated from the course set by his predecessor I read this with an overwhelming sense of bitterness, resentment, even anger that it validates President Bush in a most emphatic manner for doing what was in the best interest of the United Stated of America.

President Bush was mercilessly pummeled, demonized by the miscreant left-wing, pusillanimous, weak-kneed world leaders, all too happy to join in that BushisHitler refrain.

I am most grateful that the world is coming around to seeing President Bush as the heroic leader he is, that history will judge him one day as one of our greatest leaders.

[world weary]

Once a government has a power, they will never give it up.

[Condor51]

Although the FBI has acknowledged it improperly obtained thousands of Americans' phone records for years, the Obama administration continues to assert that the bureau can obtain them without any formal legal process or court oversight.

Well sure. It's okay now because the FBI is only tapping phones of conservatives.
Ooops, I mean;

Right Wing Extremists, Gun Nuts, Anti Abortion proponents, the Religious Right, Homophobes, Anti Communists, those dam Constitution Loving Radicals and anyone suspected of watching Fox News.

Oh, and anyone who ever gave Eric Holder a Wedgie, Noogie or Wet-willy.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Do we really believe Obama fully supports, and is carrying out, Bush’s terror policies?