How DARE You Think You Have Power!

According to the Washington Post, President Bush has at last discovered his veto pen, and is threatening to veto any spending bill that, in the words of the administration, "interfere with the protection of Americans from terrorism by diverting resources from the war."
Now, I am pretty sure that the Constitution gives the Congress the right to decide how money should be spent and provides for checks on presidential power, wartime or not. The Administration's position is that the President has the right to do whatever is needed to for 'the protection of Americans' in the War on Terror. This would include, I assume, rendition, forms of torture, the holding of 'ghost' detainees, and permanent confinement without trial or hearing, as well as no outside oversight of military prisons such as Abu Ghraib or Guatanamo. From the article:

"If legislation is presented that would restrict the president's authority to protect Americans effectively from terrorist attack and bring terrorists to justice," the bill could be vetoed, the statement said.

This, of course, is all along the lines of 'Fighting them in Iraq so that we don't fight them here,' which has worked so well. We know from experience that torturing prisoners gives accurate and helpful information. And hey, if you limit the ability of the President to do what he wants, then you are endangering America, you damn commie, Muslim-loving traitors John McCain and Lindsey Graham!
Say what you will about Graham and McCain, both conservative Senators are at least making an effort to rein in the excesses in prisoner abuse and to ensure Congressional oversight of Executive actions, and paying more than lip service to the so called 'culture of life.'
(Crossposted by Bostondreamer at FloridaBlues)