Who's Listening Now

The Obama Administration announced yesterday that it intends to extend the Bush (mis)Administration's position on warrantless wiretaps. Further, the protections extend not just to the telecoms that sold out the people, but now to the government. In essence, the Obama Administration is claiming that the government cannot be held accountable for wantonly breaking the law and snooping on citizens. In fact, Obama seems to be claiming some sort of "sovereign immunity" concerning this issue.

The right wing of this country may have let Bush and his flunkies have a free pass when it came to destroying the nation. However, I, and I am sure many others on the left, do not intend to allow Obama to trample over the Constitution in any way. Sovereign immunity is what kings used to protect themselves. The U.S. was founded to get away from such hubris. The days of kings and queens (Elizabeth II notwithstanding) are over.

Obama must immediately reverse this position. The citizens of a free country that claims to adhere to the rule of law cannot let this stand. We did not spend eight years suffering under a fool only to have the same draconian positions shoved down our throats.

As a Constitutional law professor, Obama cannot possibly see that these actions are within line with the Constitution. What can possibly be behind this action?


For a more complete legal exposition of this issue, please check Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley's website.