Over the President’s warrant-less wiretapping program

So why does it matter? The current administration has been testing the constitutional limits of its powers like almost no other and has been doing so, up until now, with very little oversight. There are a few problems though. First there is now oversight thanks to the 2006 mid-term elections, second if in many of the instances being investigated right now the administration is triumphant, they will be handing over a great deal of power to the next administration.

I personally spoke with many Republicans over the last few years who said they didn’t care about these issues because they supported President Bush and wanted him to exert as much power as possible. I would always ask them how they would feel if Hillary Clinton were president and exerted the same. I got a bevy of answers.

It is something that could happen or it could be Barack Obama or John Edwards as well. Which means that if Congress stays Democratic they too will face the question. Will their legal opposition to these presidential powers remain if its a member of their party in the White House? Will Republicans who just a few years ago had no problem with this presidential authority suddenly change their minds if a Democrat is in office?

One has to wonder.