Bar Association to criticize President

I've just finished six hours of shovelling snow -- snow blower finked on me. At any rate, I see that Georgia1o at DailyKos has come across a poll commissioned by the American Bar Association that finds that 77 percent of Americans believe the Prez cannot suspend constitutional freedoms whenever he wants to.

CHICAGO, Feb.10, 2006 – According to a poll commissioned by the American Bar Association and released today, 52 percent of respondents said that in the fight against terrorism, the President of the United States alone cannot suspend constitutional freedoms, with an additional 25 percent saying he must obtain authorization by a court of law or Congress. Thus 77 percent of Americans express deep reservations about the president’s secret surveillance program.

The telephone poll conducted by Harris Interactive® over the past weekend found that only 18 percent of respondents believe the president can suspend constitutional freedoms "anytime the President thinks it is necessary to protect the country."

She also points out that the Bar Association is planning to vote tomorrow on a policy statement that criticizes the President's domestic spying program. It's main points are:

Call on the President to abide by our constitutional system of checks and balances and respect the roles of Congress and the judiciary in protecting national security consistent with the Constitution.

Oppose any further electronic surveillance in U.S. for foreign intelligence purposes that does not comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and urge the President, if he believes FISA is inadequate, to seek amendment or new legislation.

Urge Congress to affirm that the Authorization for Use of Military Force adopted by Congress in September 2001 did not provide an exception to FISA, saying such an exception must be explicit.

Urge Congress to conduct a comprehensive, thorough investigation of the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program.

Urge Congress to assure proceedings of that investigation are open to public.

Urge Congress to review and make recommendations regarding intelligence oversight process.

My guess is this will have a significant impact on the overall debate. Let's hope so.