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Gonzales Defends Warrantless Surveillance ... Again

By TChris, Section Legislation
Posted on Sat Nov 18, 2006 at 05:06:22 PM EST
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Expecting the executive branch to obey the law and respect civil rights is "shortsighted," according to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. "Overreaching" is a good description of the president's asserted power to wiretap the conversations of American citizens on American soil without a warrant, but Gonzales accused a court of "overrreaching" when it declared the administration's warrantless surveillance program unconstitutional.

Gonzales and Cheney's attacks on the court order came as the administration was urging the lame-duck Congress to approve legislation authorizing the warrantless surveillance. The bill's chances are in doubt, however, because of Democratic opposition in the Senate, where 60 votes are required to end debate and vote.

Gonzales wouldn't "speculate" about the administration's response if Congress doesn't give the president the power he craves. Of course he wouldn't. He knows that the administration will continue the surveillance program with or without congressional approval -- and will probably ignore "overreaching" court decisions that attempt to stifle the president's lust for power.

Gonzales is divorced from reality. During the same speech:

Gonzales dismissed as "myth" the charge that civil liberties were being sacrificed in the fight against terrorism. He defended the Patriot Act and the handling of detainees at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Good riddance to Rumsfeld. Now it's time for Gonzales to go.

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    Gonzales Defends Warrantless Surveillance ... Again | 11 comments (11 topical)

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    Marvin K mooney would you please go now!? (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by smiley on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 02:55:50 AM EST
    Now it's time for Gonzales to go.

    And where, pray tell, is he going?  I think there's a court in Germany that would be graced by his presence... before they sentence him to life in prison for his war crimes.

    I guess being patriotic (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Che's Lounge on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 08:50:15 AM EST
    means:
    1. It's OK for the police to search your home when you are not there.
    2. It's OK for police to "check your papers" anytime without cause.
    3. It's OK for the police to hold any citizen without charge for as long as it takes to develop a "case" against them.
    4. It's OK for the intel agencies to kidnap foreign citizens in their own country and hold them without charges.
    5. It's OK for untrained police to taser you multiple times for not obeying an order to perform an act the the taser has rendered you incapable of performing.
    6. It's OK for the police to listen to your phone calls and read your emails without telling you or getting legal authorization.
    7. It's OK to torture people.

    All because the neocons have stirred up mass hysteria over a ragtag bunch of fanatics who resent the idea of our corporations exploiting their nations to provide us with a neverending supply of tupperware. In doing so, the neocons have validated these ragtag fanatics, and in doing so have provided more support to terrorism than anyone else on the planet.  

    That was the plan all along. And who benefits?

    Cui bono? Stockholders. (4.50 / 2) (#4)
    by scribe on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 09:25:18 AM EST
    And other members of The Ownership Society.

    In other words, not you.

    Parent

    But he is only following orders. (4.50 / 2) (#2)
    by notjonathon on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 03:14:45 AM EST
    We all know that the only way to preserve liberty is to destroy liberty. After all, only people who oppose our righteousness will be subject to secret surveillance, secret arrest, secret interrogation and a lifetime of secret incarceration. You have nothing to worry about. Unless you insist on aiding and abetting our enemies by demanding these scum be given the same rights we used to accord Americans before they started hating America.

    Alberto Gonzales is a new conservative (4.00 / 1) (#5)
    by ecthompson on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 12:51:35 PM EST
    It should not be news to anyone who reads this blog.  But it needs to be reiterated.  Neoconservatives cannot change their mind based on facts or logic.  They believe what they believe.  Therefore, it is not surprising that Alberto Gonzales defends the indefensible.

    I am hoping that the new Congress shows the skill, the intelligence and the will to expose the Bush administration for the anti-Americans that they are.  The domestic surveillance program, the prisoner detainee program and the patriot act will all be rewritten in compliance with our laws and our values.

    Where's the Outrage?

    a serious question (none / 0) (#6)
    by smiley on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 02:17:11 PM EST
    instead of detaining people forever, wouldn't it be much cheaper to just kill them outright?  

    I know that this administration naturally takes on every project it attempts in as half-assed a way as possible, but this seems like a no-brainer to me.  If you're going to run a perpetual police state, why bother detaining people at all?  A bullet to the head is much cheaper than a show trial, plus then you don't have to listen to all these ACLU sissies whining about appeals and due process.  And if you kill some innocents, well, God will sort it out.  After all, it's in the name of freedom so it must be ok.  

    As an economically responsible American, I demand summary execution for anyone The Leader sees as an enemy.

    A serious answer? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Edger on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 02:24:35 PM EST
    Too many orgasms. The fundies wouldn't stand for it.

    Parent
    In pursuit of despotism bush has... (none / 0) (#8)
    by Bill Arnett on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 02:36:13 PM EST
    ...ordered not only the extra-judicial killing of people, but glorifies his decision to kill by displaying bullet-ridden bodies on TV for all the little kiddies to see.

    Don't it make you proud?

    Parent

    i'm beginning to think.............. (none / 0) (#9)
    by cpinva on Sun Nov 19, 2006 at 10:36:46 PM EST
    that impeachment might not be such a bad idea, for the new congress to consider. i just have to believe that taking an eraser to the constitution is a more serious offense than lying about a BJ in the oval office, with a willing adult, not employed by you.

    please tell me this is so!

    holy cow, batman! (none / 0) (#10)
    by cpinva on Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 10:33:17 AM EST
    i just read the entire article. i must say, the arrogance displayed, by messrs. cheney and gonzales, is awe inspiring in its scope. the assertion, by mr. gonzales, that the president has nearly unlimited powers, as both the CoC and CEO is breathtaking.

    what exactly did they teach him, about the constitution, separation of powers and three equal branches of government, at the air force academy? or law school, for that matter.

    that mr. cheney would make similar comments neither surprises or worries me: it's so much easier to say things like that, when you've a mind uncluttered by facts.

    the first order of business, for the new congress, is to rein in the reign of "king george I" of the United States.

    You think that's arrogance? (none / 0) (#11)
    by Edger on Mon Nov 20, 2006 at 10:42:51 AM EST
    Did you see Patriot Daily's diary here?

    Gonzales Defends Warrantless Surveillance ... Again | 11 comments (11 topical)

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