"Bush and his director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell, are telling the American people that an unaccountable executive branch is necessary for their protection. Without the Protect America Act, Bush and McConnell claim, the executive branch will not be able to spy on terrorists, and we will all be blown up. Terrorists can only be stopped, Bush says, if Bush has the right to spy on everyone without any oversight by courts."

I simply don't understand why they are able to get away with this.

What's that expression "When they came for ...

Freedom is indivisible. Democracy is transient. Why else all the bull about democracy in the US and abroad while slowly the real freedoms are dripped away.

When they leave office they will need legislation to hide the secrets behind. Twenty years down the track, when these secrets can come out, most of the players will be unavailable to answer questions.