"Last month, President George W. Bush acknowledged that after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks he approved a warrant-less domestic wiretapping program. A new FOX News poll finds that a majority of Americans believe the president should have the power to authorize such a program.

By 58 percent to 36 percent, Americans think the president should have the power to authorize the National Security Agency (NSA) to monitor electronic communications of suspected terrorists without getting warrants, even if one end of the communication is in the United States. Furthermore, six in 10 say they are personally okay with the NSA monitoring their international telephone calls.

These results are parallel to those on related questions about the Patriot Act, which after receiving a short-term extension in December is now set to expire in early February. Overall, a 53 percent majority of Americans think the Patriot Act is a "good thing" for the country while less than a third (30 percent) think it’s a "bad thing."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,181462,00.html

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"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

This is the first time that a president has admitted the commission of an impeachable act. FISA requires court orders. They are even obtainable retroactively. Bush the Lame thinks that a Presidential Finding has the power to nullify the law. Even Sam Alito stated clearly that this is not the case. Arlen Spector (R-PA) is planning hearings on the issue.
Yup. And a majority of Americans think that humans and dinosaurs lived on the planet at the same time.
Such is the sad legacy of an uneducated public. If the American population were sampled in 1800 the outcome regarding an imperial presidency would have been very different.
One of the great reasons for a Constitution is to protect civil liberties from the volatile mob. Call me a conservative, I guess.

Thank God the founders created a constitutional republic instead of a pure democracy. The rights undereducated Americans are willing to surrender because of governmental propaganda is amazing.

Of course, since most people don't call internationally (at least not often) and since Americans have a "the government can do whatever it likes so long as it doesn't affect me" attitude, the results of the poll are less than surprising.

Republicans want to greatly enlarge federal government power and violate the Constitution; Democrats want to enlarge the federal government even more than Republicans and want to pretend the constutition says what they wish it said (even thought it doesn't); and, the Libertarians want a social darwinistic society where people are allowed to snort cocaine off a sheep's back while sodomizing it in front of a church.

Is it just me, or do reasonable people need a new option?

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller

The founders created and retained the very constutitonal protections now under assault during this country's MOST DANGEROUS PERIOD. Of course, the Founders also, in the Treaty of Tripoli admitted that this is NOT a "Christian nation" and the undereducated, Nascar automatons aren't aware of that either.

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"George W. Bush surrounds himself with smart people the way a hole surrounds itself with a donut." —Dennis Miller

Republicans want to greatly enlarge federal government power and violate the Constitution; Democrats want to enlarge the federal government even more than Republicans and want to pretend the constutition says what they wish it said (even thought it doesn't); and, the Libertarians want a social darwinistic society where people are allowed to snort cocaine off a sheep's back while sodomizing it in front of a church.

This is perhaps the most insightful post I believe I have ever read coming from pj, even though I find a measure of fault with his take on Republicans. Nevertheless, it is a very insightful post.

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"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
Winston Churchill

And the majority in the old south supported slavery.

The faux news poll does not change the law or the constitution.

And scary, as well.

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Where are we going? And why am I in this handbasket?

And the majority in the old south supported slavery.

Not quite.

"Large slaveholders were extremely rare. In 1860 only 11,000 Southerners (three-quarters of one percent of the white population) owned more than 50 slaves; a mere 2358 owned as many as 100 slaves. However, although large slaveholders were few in number, they owned most of the South’s slaves. Over half of all slaves lived on plantations with 20 or more slaves and a quarter lived on plantations with more than 50 slaves."

What the South supported was the ideal that States were sovereign, not the Federal government. And the South was correct.

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"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
Winston Churchill

From the article:
"Despite majorities supporting the Patriot Act and domestic surveillance programs, many are concerned about the rights of Americans being damaged. The poll finds that almost six in 10 say they are "very" (29 percent) or "somewhat" (30 percent) concerned that government efforts to track terrorists are harming the civil liberties of American citizens."

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"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted." - Hassan-i-Saba

...and what we don't know.

What we do know is; The data mining of international calls has provided intelligence that has been extremely helpful to fighting terrorism.

What we do know is; There is not yet a lawful determination as to whether there was anything illegal done.

What we don't know is; The outcome of the surveillance being harmful to Americans is speculative supposition at best.

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Cheney is the second executive officer to shoot someone in the face and chest. Clinton was the first.