I'm with you on this one, especially since the primary justification for Bush's impeachment in my mind (which never happened) was spying on Americans without a court order (initially eroded by Clinton in his war on drugs) which violates the 4th Amendment. (I could list a few other violations of his position in power such as signing the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform bill, how soldiers behave in Iraqi residences is outside of the 3rd Amendment, and more and more and more; but I could also list a number of federal programs advanced by Democrats over the years that had no constitutional basis)

Granted there is historical precendence for presidents acting outside of their authority (Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Harry Truman, Woodrow Wilson, ...), but in this day and age we expect better and we expect the checks and balances to work. I guess we just expect to have learned from our mistakes. In the fight for freedom we cannot abuse those very freedoms we are fighting to maintain.



>It's good to see you laugh.
>
>Just so you don't think I am totally brainwashed about Obama, I am not too happy about a couple of things he has done lately. I don't like the flip flop to support inoculating the telecoms on privacy, and I don't like him pandering to the religious right. I guess it's in a politician's DNA to try to attract voting blocs but you can't lose your principles in the process. Otherwise you're just another politician. Obama's appeal to me from the start has been that he isn't just another politician. I hope he realizes soon that he risks losing the passion of those he has inspired.
>
>>LOL, :)
>>
>>>OK. It all came from one ABC reporter.
>>>
>>>>Please, once the abc reporter drew attention to it, it was on every single news and radio show ad nauseum...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I just read in the paper that 25% of those surveyed do not believe Obama is patriotic. Do you believe they all reached that conclusion independently without anyone saying anything? Or one ABC news reporter said it?
>>>>>
>>>>>>So the ABC news reporter was a closet Republican attacking Obama's patriotism? Wasn't that who pointed it out and started all the huff and got viewers sending emails?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I agree with you on this, however, I have never heard or read anyone question anyone's patriotism because they disagree with government actions or decisions. I've only heard/read those who claim that they were being accused of being unpatriotic. Such as "I'm tired of my patriotism being questioned," but I've never read or heard the actual attack on patriotism...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I have a few years on you, so maybe you don't remember. But in the 60's, one of the very common reactions to the anti-war protesters was "America. Love it or leave it." The implication was that if you didn't like the way things were, you didn't love America and you could just leave.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>For that matter, I've heard plenty of that from the right over the last 8 years, along with suggestions that if you don't fly a flag or have a flag sticker on your car or in general, show your patriotism on your person, car, home, etc., you're unpatriotic. Somehow, many people associate symbols rather than actions with loving America.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Seems an awful lot like political maneuvering to me - complaining of non-existent attacks before the attacks even occur...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Was there a general attack (not just reports of attacks in the media that don't give sources that show that it comes from a consolidated front) that I missed?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>You don't think the whole flap over the flag lapel pin was meant to make people think Obama wasn't a patriot? Ditto the nonsense over whether he put his hand over his heart for the Pledge of Allegiance.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Tamar