"Given the security environment our country is in right now, that is somewhat naive. By the time they'd effectively change the law, we might not have a country to worry about. Additionally, precedent has been set time and time again for the President to assume extraordinary powers during times of war."
What you say is true...but who ultimately does the country belong to? We were at war when the last abuses were done. The public knew this and still wanted the power of domestic spying without warrants taken away from the government and they got laws enacted to that effect.
If the President faces a new situation and decides to assume extraordinary power i can understand that. But this is case where the law was changed while we were finishing one hot war and still in a cold war specifically to prevent the President from doing this.