WASHINGTON - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales insisted Monday that President Bush was “acting with authority” both under the Constitution and federal law in eavesdropping on Americans without warrants as part of the war on terror.

But his strong defense of Bush’s program was challenged by Republican Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who told Gonzales that even the Supreme Court had ruled that “the president does not have a blank check.”

Specter suggested that the program’s legality be reviewed by a special federal court.

“There are a lot of people who think you’re wrong. What do you have to lose if you’re right?” Specter asked Gonzales.

Gonzales initially sidestepped the question, but then said he would have no objection to such a review. He said the administration was continually looking into ways to improve the program and protect individual rights.

A damn good question. If, as Gonzales and Bush suggest, the domestic spying program is as constitutionally sound and the authority is clearly given, let a court review it. Specter did a great job of backing Gonzales into a corner, and now the question is out there. If you’re right, what do you have to lose?

I’m not a big fan of Specter. For the most part, he’s one of a few RINO’s (Republican In Name Only) in Congress whose vote to move an agenda forward can rarely be relied upon, but I guess in some cases, that’s exactly what we need. I’ve yet to see a logically well-reasoned response to claims that this adventure in domestic surveillance is legal at all. Most defenses of it fall into the, “It just is, trust is” category. I for one am not willing to sacrifice my privacy on the “word” of someone in Washington. If you are, more power to you.

I dare anyone who believes in this program to stand up and let it be examined, thoroughly. Let a court see the results obtained. Let them see the monitoring that took place. Let someone explain why seeking a court order was not feasible. Let’s at least have all our cards before we start deciding whether or not we’re going to call, raise, or fold. This is one game of poker where we can’t bet on the flop if we never see our own cards.

Source: Yahoo News

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