The Bush friendly mainstream media is once again trying to distract Americans from news that is less than favorable towards the White House. While this administration continues to engage in criminal activity by ordering illegal wiretaps on Americans, the media tries to frame the issue as a debate on national security vs. civil liberties.
That really pisses me off! For one thing, balancing civil liberties against the need for national security is a false choice. The government's duty is to provide security without breaking the law, thereby protecting everyone's constitutional rights at the same time.
The president claims he is only wiretapping terrorists. But how do we know he's telling the truth? Did he tell the truth about why we went to war in Iraq? Why should anyone believe anything the White House says? By bypassing the FISA court, we have no way of knowing whether they were just wiretapping terrorists or if they were also spying on environmentalists, peace groups, animal rights activists or political enemies.
Conclusion (and poll!) below...
The fact of the matter is the president needs to be held accountable for breaking a law designed to protect the rights of all Americans. A president who fails to defend and uphold the Constitution is in violation of his oath of office. Weighing national security against civil liberties is not a legitimate debate. It's merely a distraction.
Are you as pissed as I am?