Can someone explain to me why the Patriot Act even matters to Bush, if...

[Dawgs]

he is planning to spy on people anyways?

Seriously!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Fascists governments

need the cover of law, and to change laws to their convenience. that is why he needs it, a particular nasty side of these types of governments. Hell, Hitter even had laws justifying the early part of the Final Solution (expulsion of the Jews to the East)... it was cofified in law.

[Inland]

2. The purpose of the legislature is to unite behind the president

It is to mirror the unity of the nation behind the Great Leader. He does what he wants anyway, but it's necessary to maintain the forms.

Stalin, Pol Pot, Hitler, Mao, they all had legislatures passing laws and "debating" legislation.
As with the republican caucus now, the reps saw themselves as foot soldiers of the Great Leader.

Your problem is that you think like a person living in a constitutional democracy, where the legislature makes laws and the president executes those laws. Don't let the similarity of appearances fool you.

[BrotherBuzz]

3. Why does he even need the Patriot Act?

He says he already has been given permission to do whatever he wants.

[kath]

4. Good point, which someone made last night. If executive power is

unlimited (as he seems to think), then he shouldn't need the Patriot Act. He can just continue to do whatever the hell he wants. He's the Preznit, after all.
:sarcasm:

[abluelady]

5. Seriously, what Bush is doing is horrific.

Perhaps it is time for a second revolutionary war. What is the point of our voting, our having a voice or being an American with this administration in charge. WTF is happening in America? It must be stopped.

[orwell]

6. He Sees It

...as a mantle, a trapping of power. He does what he wants, as he as well as other NeoCons believe that the executive branch, especially in times of war, declared or undeclared, can not be constrained by any other branch of Governement.

He views the Patriot Act as a political football game to be won or lost. If he loses this battle, he views it as a political rebuke. In other words, he loses "face."

But functionally, it matters not to this imperial autocratic executive branch with an enabling Congress and court. As long as the American people sit by in silence, he can do whatever the hell he wants.