QotD: Limits to Presidential power

The Bush administration now claims that it can arrest, detain, and imprison U.S. citizens indefinitely (which means forever) without ever charging them or bringing them to trial. It claims it collect data on U.S. citizens, listen in on their phone conversations, monitor what books they read and what websites they visit, and track their credit card transactions — all without a warrant. It claims it can fine or imprison libraries, ISP, phone company, and credit card company employees who complain or reveal that the information was handed over. And it now claims it can arrest and imprison journalists who dare to tell the public that any of this is happening.

Last February, one Justice Department official even argued that the president has the power to order the assasinaton of terror suspects living in the U.S. — even U.S. citizens. No trial, no arrest, no public hearing.

Given all of this, it's difficult to come up with a series of questions aimed at pinning down Bush supporters on the limits of executive power because, quite frankly, there don't seem to be any limits left.

Radley Balko, "What's Left?", TheAgitator.com, 2006-05-25