Surprise at Bush Electronic Surveillance?

Can anyone be truly surprised that the Bush administration has engaged in electronic surveillance without court order since September 11, 2001?  Time and time again, this administration has shown little more than disdain for the rule of law and, at every juncture, has vigorously opposed any judicial review.  Domestic law such as the U.S. Constitution, the administration says, does not bind the treatment of U.S. citizens like Padilla and Hamdi and there should be no judicial review of their indefinite detention and denial of fundamental rights.  The Geneva Convention, the administration says, does not protect “terrorists.”  We can, the administration says, engage in torture without violating the law.    We can, the administration says, round up and arrest Arab and Muslims with impunity.  I could go on.  But the President’s admission should not be surprising to any of us.  Richard Nixon seemed to be more wedded to the rule of law than anyone in the current administration.

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