The first is quite simple: The actions that Bush is taking would be undeniably legal and without any controversy if he would, as he is allowed to do, get a secret warrant to do the spying.

So why hasn't he done that?

The president's excuse that there is not time to get a warrant does not hold much water for us. There isn't time to follow the law? What kind of reasoning is that? Would we accept that in any other circumstances from anyone else? We don't think so.

First of all, the warrant process from the secret court would, we believe, be quite expeditious. We don't believe much of value would be lost.

For the rest of the story go to the Marshall News Messenger website.