If you’re sick of Orrin, try looking at Pete Ashdown, who is running against him this year.  Pete is the founder of Utah’s first ISP, and has a wiki on his campaign website where anyone can add in their ideas about policy and strategy.  Visit http://www.peteashdown.org for more information.

The President claims violating FISA was necessary for national defense and that he is thus justified for acting unilaterally.

George Washington, in his Farewell Address (1796) disagrees:

It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another.

The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position.

The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositaries, and constituting each the guardian of the public weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern; some of them in our country and under our own eyes. To preserve them must be as necessary as to institute them.

If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed. The precedent must always greatly overbalance in permanent evil any partial or transient benefit, which the use can at any time yield.

Orrin Hatch, what a loser! just goes to show you that Orrin Hatch has no class. I can’t understand how someone like Hatch still backs that other loser in the White House.

Hatch, “Quit trying to score political points” Well, senator no-nothing if backing Feingold’s censure scored “political points” don’t you think any and all Demos would be backing Feingold? Hell, 5 of them didn’t even show up for the hearing.  Apparently, it’s political SUICIDE to back Feingold.  Senator No-thing, time to ride off into your Utah sunset.