[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Message from Senator Barack Obama

[Karen Medina]

Thanks for sharing Obama with us Mort.

A couple of questions:
1) How would "crafting an effective surveillance program" prevent the 
administration from repeating the overstepping of their bounds under the 
'improved' program?
2) Is there really a doubt that they knew they were doing something illegal?
3) Even if they did not know, ignorance of the law (or will-full 
misinterpretation of the law) is no excuse.

-karen medina

Morton K. Brussel wrote:
> FYI.
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
>> *From: *senator_obama at obama.senate.gov 
>> <mailto:senator_obama at obama.senate.gov>
>> *Date: *March 31, 2006 5:54:43 PM CST
>> *To: *mkb3 at mac.com <mailto:mkb3 at mac.com>
>> *Subject: **Message from Senator Barack Obama*
>>
>> Dear Morton:
>>
>> Thank you for writing about Senator Russ Feingold's proposal to 
>> censure President Bush. I understand your strong feelings on this 
>> issue. While I share your frustration and anger, I do not think 
>> censure is justified at this time.
>>
>> I agree with Senator Feingold that the Administration's attitude 
>> toward congressional oversight and the FISA law has been cavalier and 
>> arrogant. We are a nation of laws, and those laws should be applied to 
>> all of us, from humblest citizen to the president of the United 
>> States. No president should be allowed to knowingly and willing flout 
>> our laws, and I believe the President exceeded his authority with his 
>> domestic wiretapping program. The justifications offered – that the 
>> president possesses inherent presidential authority under Article II, 
>> or was granted that authority in the 2001 Authorization to Use 
>> Military Force -- seem to contradict prior precedent and our 
>> constitutional design.
>>
>> But my and Senator Feingold’s view is not unanimous. Some 
>> constitutional scholars and lower court opinions support the 
>> president’s argument that he has inherent authority to go outside the 
>> bounds of the law in monitoring the activities of suspected 
>> terrorists. The question is whether the president understood the law 
>> and knowingly flaunted it, or whether he and his aides, in good faith, 
>> interpreted their authority more broadly than I and others believe the 
>> law allows. Ultimately, this debate must be resolved by the courts.
>>
>> Also, a censure resolution does nothing to deal with the underlying 
>> problem of unchecked executive power. It would not force the president 
>> to modify his domestic surveillance program or force the Senate 
>> Intelligence Committee to do its job. In order to do that, Congress 
>> must reassert its constitutional role in overseeing the domestic 
>> surveillance program. And it should bring the warrantless wiretapping 
>> program back under the authority of the court established by the 
>> Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Therefore, my focus is 
>> on crafting an effective surveillance program that both combats 
>> terrorism and contains meaningful judicial review of wiretapping, 
>> which is the most effective way to restore balance between the battle 
>> against terrorism and the rule of law.
>>
>> Again, thank you for writing. I will closely follow the hearing on 
>> Senator Feingold’s bill taking place in the Judiciary Committee this 
>> week to see if any further information surfaces that might impact my 
>> decision.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Barack Obama
>> United States Senator
>>
>>
>> P.S. Our system does not allow direct response to this email. However, 
>> if you would like to contact me again, please use the form on the 
>> website: http://obama.senate.gov/contact/
>>
>> Stay up to date with Barack's work in the Senate and on issues of 
>> importance to Illinois. Subscribe to the weekly podcast here: 
>> http://obama.senate.gov/podcast/
>>
> 
> 
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