why his administration received a failing grade on the 9/11 Commissions evaluation of their (lack of) implementation of their recommendations.

Why does the President need congress to approve the PATRIOT Act? He can just do it by executive order! Congress is quaint, and an outdated institution. Those who cling to old ideas like "checks and balances" or "separation of powers" are displaying a pre-9/11 mindset! They obviously want nothing more than to give aid and comfort to the terrorists! Dubya doesn't "ask permission," He decrees! He didn't need the GOP controlled congress to approve when He wanted to spy on American citizens- He just did it, like a True American Macho Man should. He routinely distorts and spins the crumbs of information He deigns to toss at capitol hill, on everything from the budget estimates to the march to war- because those bean counters just don't Need to Know. He unilaterally redefined torture to conform to His particular interpretation of Christian Values and Compassionate Conservatism. Congress balks at appointing His hand-picked judges or U.N. ambassadors? Bah- let them eat Recess Appointments! Yes, George knows best what must be done to make us safe and He's going to do it- regardless of whether His actions conform to "law" or "justice." We must trust in His wisdom; for any action He takes is by definition legal and for our own good. If we question His divinely inspired Authority, well, the terrorists have already won. Do you dare disagree? You don't want to be a Detainee, do you, citizen?

Those pansy-ass "senators" and other so-called "elected" officials better just watch out- they just might wake up and find that the legislative and judicial branches have been disbanded by Executive Order! It'd serve 'em right for trying to appease America's enemies and making baby Jesus cry.

All Hail to Our Glorious Leader! May the Evangelical Christian God continue to Bless His Holy Reign!

is permanent, so it is still in effect. The articles that were to sunset unless renewed by Congress are the only matters still under discussion, and the proposed three-month review period is for those alone, not for the whole act, so what is Frist's big problem? Bush is grossly misleading when he keeps referring to the Patriot Act, as if the whole thing has been abandoned. Some of the articles under discussion deserve review, even more so now that we see how brazenly our president ignores or misconstrues existing law. I hope the Senate gets an opportunity to revise and dump, as necessary. I just wish they could dump the president, too.

This article by Doug Thompson at Capitol Hill Blue says it all:

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7779.shtml

Key Excerpt:

GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”

So much for taking that pesky oath of office...

It seems to me that the presidential powers "inherent" in the resolution to fight the war on terror make the Patriot Act unnecessary. Obviously, the Attorney General believes that the President can do anything he wants in the name of saving the country and protecting citizens without regard to the laws of the country or our Constitution. Hail, Hail to King George of Texas!!

What more can be said than the greatest Patriot of them all, Benjamin Franklin:

"Those that choose security over liberty deserve neither."

We seem to have an entire generation of angry white men who have no sense of democracy or liberty. What will it take before those that still support this renegade administration come to their senses? Will it take a personal felonious act of unspeakable dimensions?

No, the answer may be blowing in the wind ... it is surely not in the traditional press nor in musicians of today. That is where the protests originated a generation ago. But that is why Salon.com is so important. And why Jon Stewart is so immensely popular.

This is an impeachable offense ... amongst a dozen others.

Why aren't supporters of freedom, liberty and our nations laws now SCREAMING for impeachment of this clown Bush?

He broke the LAW...period. He has every interpretation that he can muster form the best legal counsel the tax payer can buy and they have spun this off the planet!!

Get these fools, and clearly LIARS outta here - all of them but especially bubbaW!

Let's go folks...time to make this right.

I am glad that at least some senators are up in arms about the Patriot Act after the revelation that Bush played fast and loose with our Constitution.

That is not enough, however. The Bush administration is clearly out of control and needs to be reined in.

There were no good reasons for Bush to allow spying without a warrant. The law allows spying on communications as long as a warrant is obtained within 72 hours of the spying. This gives the government a lot of latitude.

Even if Bush thought that the law was too restrictive, he could have asked Congress to amend it or repel it. He did not. He could have asked the courts to have the law amended or repelled. He did not.

Bush committed a criminal act by decreeing that illegal spying was allowed. He also disregarded the Constitution by not consulting the legislative and the judiciary branches of power. Yet, he swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States.

Bush is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanor. He should be impeached.

Bush's behavior is now akin to the behavior of a despot. This country is fast falling into a tyranny.

What can we do to stop this?

I no longer believe that elections will do the trick. It has now become obvious that the elections in 2000 and 2004 were rigged. By the time 1998 comes around, Bush and his cohorts may have figured out how to get rid of the second term limit, and he will be up for -- rigged -- reelection.

The U.S. is now becoming a totalitarian regime. Help!