Suck It Up!

Steve Benen on GW Bush and Fisa today.

This is actually quite helpful. First, Bush avoids the question, which makes sense given that he can’t answer it. Second, he goes on to repeat bogus talking points, such as his baseless insistence that the illegal surveillance “was legal,” effectively because he says so.

But I’m especially interested in the “suck it up” angle. Bush didn’t want to “put it that way,” but in effect, that’s what he believes, and he conceded as much this morning.

Consider the implications here. The Bush administration, with no legal authority, asked the telecoms to open up their data streams to the NSA. Intentionally or not, law-abiding Americans’ communications were subjected to illegal surveillance, in a scheme that preceded 9/11, and went on for years afterwards.

According to Bush, what are Americans entitled to in response? Absolutely nothing

.
The fourth amendment to the Constitution.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

And republicans are upset that they are not getting more donations from the telecoms.