flagrantly violationg the law

While I frequently don’t agree with either the goals of the Bush Administration, I just assumed they bought into the whole concept of the rule of law.  Now it appears that the President (or more likely his advisors) flagrantly disregarded the law, signing executive orders to spy on Americans on the flimsiest of pretenses.

I don’t have any doubt that the White House knew it was ordering illegal wiretaps.  Wiretaps are carefully governed for very good reasons because of their potential for silent abuse.  American surviellance history is clear on why.   I’m disappointed to think that the White House has no appreciation for that history.  I suspect they just thought they wouldn’t actually have to be accountable for it.  And given the Syriana world we live in, I think that’s probably right.

The Bush presidency is making me even more jaded than I was about government, and I thought I was pretty cynical to begin with.

Link: CNN.com – Bush says he signed NSA wiretap order – Dec 17, 2005.