Conservative congressman Bob Barr says Bush broke the law

[Sauron]

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIP...itroom.03.html

BOB BARR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: What's wrong with it is several-fold. One, it's bad policy for our government to be spying on American citizens through the National Security Agency. Secondly, it's bad to be spying on Americans without court oversight. And thirdly, it's bad to be spying on Americans apparently in violation of federal laws against doing it without court order.

...

BARR: Well, the fact of the matter is that the Constitution is the Constitution, and I took an oath to abide by it. My good friend, my former colleague, Dana Rohrabacher, did and the president did. And I don't really care very much whether or not it can be justified based on some hypothetical. The fact of the matter is that, if you have any government official who deliberately orders that federal law be violated despite the best of motives, that certainly ought to be of concern to us.

---

BARR: Well, the fact of the matter is that the Constitution is the Constitution, and I took an oath to abide by it. My good friend, my former colleague, Dana Rohrabacher, did and the president did. And I don't really care very much whether or not it can be justified based on some hypothetical. The fact of the matter is that, if you have any government official who deliberately orders that federal law be violated despite the best of motives, that certainly ought to be of concern to us.

[alphamale]

No, he said "if", reading-challenged dimwit.

[Sauron]

Originally Posted by alphamale

No, he said "if", reading-challenged dimwit.

Uh, no he didn't.

BARR: Here again, this is absolutely a bizarre conversation where you have a member of Congress saying that it's okay for the president of the United States to ignore U.S. law, to ignore the Constitution, simply because we are in an undeclared war.

The fact of the matter is the law prohibits -- specifically prohibits -- what apparently was done in this case, and for a member of Congress to say, oh, that doesn't matter, I'm proud that the president violated the law is absolutely astounding, Wolf.

That's what you get for not reading the link, dimwit.

[Plant Woman]

This is not new news, Bush has been breaking laws, both nationally and internationally. I think there are some conservatives finally waking up to this fact and jumping ship, and speaking up.

[Ari]

I was watching Con Rice on Meet the Press. I normally don't watch political shows but does she always give so many non-answers?

Meet press: 'Con Rice, do you think the President broke the law'
Rice: 'No, he is given rights based on FISA and he is within his constitutional rights. We need to do this to prevent other terrorist attacks like 9/11'

Meet press: 'What section of the constitution gives him these rights?'
Rice: 'The president is within his constitutional rights. The president gets terrorist reports everyday and 9/11 was bad.'

Obviously not direct quotes but I felt like I was watching a Radio contest where you win tickets to the next backstreet boys concert if he can include "Terrorists" "9/11" and "Constitutional rights" into every answer no matter what.

If you squint you can make out Bush hiding behind her with his hand in her back.

[D. Scarlatti]

Good for Bob Barr. That is precisely the reaction one should expect from a real conservative.

[alphamale]

Originally Posted by Debbie T

This is not new news, Bush has been breaking laws, both nationally and internationally. I think there are some conservatives finally waking up to this fact and jumping ship, and speaking up.

Dream on, dumb cunt.

[alphamale]

Uh, no he didn't.

Do you read what you post? No.

"The fact of the matter is that, if you have any government official who deliberately orders that federal law be violated despite the best of motives, that certainly ought to be of concern to us."

[alphamale]

Originally Posted by D. Scarlatti

Good for Bob Barr. That is precisely the reaction one should expect from a real conservative.

No, Barr is assuming that the actions are not legitimately within the role of the president.

[D. Scarlatti]

What do you mean, "No"? That's exactly why Barr gets the accolade. The burden is on the administration to demonstrate that its actions were within the purview of its executive power.

God you're dumb.

[Adam]

So, can we all agree that the thread should be caled "Conservative congressman Bob Barr says Bush apparently broke the law" and get back to our usual hugs and kisses?

[Sauron]

Originally Posted by alphamale

Do you read what you post? No.

"The fact of the matter is that, if you have any government official who deliberately orders that federal law be violated despite the best of motives, that certainly ought to be of concern to us."

Oh, please. What a transparent liar you can be.

Barr is talking in general terms - setting out the conditions that apply for any govt official. It's like me saying "if any president ever orders an invasion on bad or intentionally doctored intelligence, he should be impeached" -- that doesn't mean I have any doubts that Dubya did precisely that in Iraq. Of course Dubya did that, and I firmly believe it. Using the word "if" in my sentence above does not indicate that I have doubt; it's just the ordinary way of framing a principle in the general case.

Bob Barr then cleared it up for alphatroll by clearly saying the following:

The fact of the matter is the law prohibits -- specifically prohibits -- what apparently was done in this case, and for a member of Congress to say, oh, that doesn't matter, I'm proud that the president violated the law is absolutely astounding, Wolf.

Thus all ambiguity is removed -- even the phony ambiguity that alphatroll wanted to inject for no reason.

[alphamale]

Originally Posted by D. Scarlatti

What do you mean, "No"? That's exactly why Barr gets the accolade. The burden is on the administration to demonstrate that its actions were within the purview of its executive power.

God you're dumb.

No - if someone is alleging a crime, it's up to them to prove it. Jesus you're stupid.

[beyelzu]

Originally Posted by D. Scarlatti

Good for Bob Barr. That is precisely the reaction one should expect from a real conservative.

you left out the best quote

Here again, this is absolutely a bizarre conversation where you have a member of Congress saying that it's okay for the president of the United States to ignore U.S. law, to ignore the Constitution, simply because we are in an undeclared war.

The fact of the matter is the law prohibits -- specifically prohibits -- what apparently was done in this case, and for a member of Congress to say, oh, that doesn't matter, I'm proud that the president violated the law is absolutely astounding, Wolf.

and you are right barr evidentally is a real conservative.

[D. Scarlatti]

Originally Posted by alphamale

No - if someone is alleging a crime, it's up to them to prove it.

This is constitutional law, not criminal law, brainiac. Completely different system of burdens of proof. Depending on the nature of the allegation, a government action may be considered by the courts to be presumptively unconstitutional going forward, in which case the burden is on the government to demonstrate otherwise.

Jesus I'm stupid.

You'll find no adversary, nor case or controversy, on that account. However, in the public embarrassment department, I submit that you continue to suffer multiple injuries-in-fact.

[alphamale]

and you are right barr evidentally is a real conservative.

Liberal definition of "real conservative": someone who talks like a real liberal.

[Jesus Christ]

Definition of Illiterate:

Alphamale.

[John Carter]

Originally Posted by alphamale

Liberal definition of "real conservative": someone who talks like a real liberal.

Yawn. During his tenure in Congress, Bob Barr was one of Clinton's most vocal critics.