January 18, 2007

The "Logic" of Team Bush on the Role of the Judiciary in Security Affairs

I know this presidential administration loves to give power to those who aren't fit for their jobs, but ... this is ridiculous, public and just plain weird. How do you reconcile this:

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says federal judges are unqualified to make rulings affecting national security policy, ramping up his criticism of how they handle terrorism cases.

With this:

The Bush administration has agreed to let a secret but independent panel of federal judges oversee the government's controversial domestic spying program, the Justice Department said Wednesday. In a letter to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court will have final say in approving wiretaps placed on people with suspected terror links.

Gonzalez apparently did these things on the same day. Has he finally given up all pretense of there being any substance or principled belief behind his actions?

Posted by armand at January 18, 2007 10:05 AM | TrackBack | Posted to Law and the Courts | Politics


Comments

But it gets worse. Abu Gonzales today stated:

"the Constitution doesn't say that every individual in the United States or every citizen has or is assured the right of habeas corpus. It doesn't say that. It simply says that the right of habeas corpus shall not be suspended."

So, I guess that applies to life, liberty, gun ownership, free speech, etc, etc, too?

And they said Clinton was a parser? Jeez.

Posted by: JPW at January 18, 2007 05:19 PM | PERMALINK

Christ, I missed that one. I haven't read the coverage of what Gonzalez said to the Senate today, but I imagine it didn't go well.

The good news: only two more years!

Posted by: baltar at January 18, 2007 05:56 PM | PERMALINK

The bad news: the Dems have their own shit in the works. Doesn't anyone remember that Constitution thingie anymore?

Posted by: jacflash at January 18, 2007 06:46 PM | PERMALINK

I'm trying to be even-handed here: whenever some whack-job Republican proposed some idiotic legislation, my response has been: "Wait until this actual comes to the floor for a vote; Congresspersons can propose anything they want."

Thus, my response to this whack-job Democratic legislation is to see if it goes anywhere. I suspect that it won't.

Posted by: baltar at January 18, 2007 08:57 PM | PERMALINK
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