Bush Rolls Back Watergate Era Spying Safeguards

Photo from source, Raw Story

I have a question. Why is a The Decider--who only has 10 months left in office--still trying to make the office of President into that of a King? I understand why he did it over the last seven years. He obviously saw History of the World, Part I, and knows it's good to be the king. But now? What good does it do him if Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton have dictatorial powers?

And I have another question. Why do Republicans in Congress; indeed right wingers on radio, FOX "News," and their audience members, defend absolutely every overreach of power Bush pulls? Conservatives used to at least claim to be for rule of law, strict Constitutional allegiance, the right to privacy, fiscal responsibility, checks and balances, all that good stars and stripes stuff. What the hell do they stand for now?

[Excerpt]

Bush dials back Watergate-era reforms on spying safeguards

Executive order weakens intelligence oversight board

A little-noticed executive order President Bush signed last month dials back checks on the Intelligence Community that have been in place since revelations that spy agencies abused their power in the 1960s and 70s. [snip]

Almost 32 years to the day after President Ford created an independent Intelligence Oversight Board made up of private citizens with top-level clearances to ferret out illegal spying activities, President Bush issued an executive order that stripped the board of much of its authority. . .

Read more at: Raw Story (and a hat-tip to Stupid Monkey Planet)