theweaselking | (no subject)

Discussing Meet The Press:

The real story is that Pat Roberts, the arrogant Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told show host Tim Russert that he believes the President of the United States is above the law and can do whatever he damn well pleases.

Roberts, a staunch defender of Bush's right to spy on who he wants, whenever he wants and however he wants, told Russert that Bush can, and should, ignore the law when he feels it is in the best interest of national security.

That prompted Russert to ask:

"Senator Roberts, let me ask you a very serious question. Do you believe that the Constitution gives the President of the United States the authority to do anything he believes is necessary to protect the country?"

To which Roberts replied: "Yes."

Roberts later said he believed the President's authority was "above laws passed by Congress." In other words, George W. Bush is a dictator with absolute authority and no one, not the law and certainly not Congress, has the power to question or override that authority.

Stop for a second and think about this. The Senate Intelligence Committee, and its counterpart in the House, are the only Congressional bodies that are told -- and in most cases only in part -- what the White House is up to when it comes to spying on Americans, ripping the Constitution to shreds or trampling on the rights of this nation's citizens. And the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee believes the President has absolute power to do whatever he pleases with no Congressional oversight.