Uh, my opinion on presidential power changed a few months later - at 9:03 AM EDT on Septebmer 11th, when the second tower was hit and it became clear we had been attacked by terrorists and were at war.
And what also subsequently became clear that Bush's predecessor never treated al Qaeda as a military problem but as a law enforcement problem. So with that viewpoint, he would be quite comfortable choosing to operate within the constraints of FISA.
And we also have seen just how ineffective the law-enforcement approach ended up being. Whereas Bush's military approach has chased al Qaeda to the corners of the globe. But they are still capable of calling from those remote regions to potential terror cells in this country. And they continually adapt their techniques to avoid survelliance, such as using prepaid cell phones.
Do you think it would be a wise use of antiterrorism resources to fill out FISA warrant applications for an endless stream of prepaid cell phones? Or should we sic the NSA survelliance apparatatus to run down plots discussed on those phones?
But the Constitution did not change.
Do you think it would be a wise use of antiterrorism resources to fill out FISA warrant applications for an endless stream of prepaid cell phones? Or should we sic the NSA survelliance apparatatus to run down plots discussed on those phones?
The CIA's been tracking cell phones with no problem. Bush just got lazy and decided the Fourth Amendment didn't apply to him, and Republicans would rather wipe their rear with the Constitution than bruise another Republican's ego by reminding him this is a nation of laws.