Here are some questions and answers designed to help you understand the workings of the new and streamlined Cheney/Bush Imperial presidency .
This would seem humorous if it were not so dam close to the truth .
Allen L Roland
A Brief Primer... Designed to Help You Understand the Workings of Our New, Streamlined American System of Government
(Thanks to Crooks and Liars Update, Jan 3, 2006 by Jon Carroll )
Perhaps you have been unable to follow the intricacies of the logic used by John Yoo, the UC Berkeley law professor who has emerged as the president's foremost legal apologist for all the stuff he has to apologize for. I have therefore prepared a brief, informal summary of the relevant arguments.
Why does the president have the power to unilaterally authorize wiretaps of American citizens?
Because he is the president.
Does the president always have that power?
No. Only when he is fighting the war on terror does he have that power.
When will the war on terror be over?
The fight against terror is eternal. Terror is not a nation; it is a tactic. As long as the president is fighting a tactic, he can use any means he deems appropriate.
Why does the president have that power?
It's in the Constitution.
Where in the Constitution?
It can be inferred from the Constitution. When the president is protecting America, he may by definition make any inference from the Constitution that he chooses. He is keeping America safe.
Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on Conscious talk radio www.conscioustalk.net