No Moss Here

President Bush’s claimed power to be able to go to war without a formal declaration from Congress, his warrantless wiretapping, and his claim that he had the ability to designate anyone - including American citizens - as “enemy combatants” subject to indefinite detention and possible torture have to rank as among the worst abuses of executive authority in the nation’s history.

Unfortunately, President Obama, who received the votes of many who hoped he would respect constitutional limits on executive power, has, if anything, been worse than his predecessor. President Bush did at least seek a law granting him sole authority to determine whether to go war in Iraq. This is far from meeting the constitutional requirement of a declaration of war; however, at least President Bush recognized Congress had a role to play in deciding when to send troops and when the nation should to war. By contrast, President Obama did not seek even a fig leaf of Congressional approval before commencing military action in Libya. Whereas President Bush claimed the power to detain anyone he deemed an enemy combatant, President Obama has claimed the power to order the assassination of anyone in any country - including US citizens - he deems an enemy combatant.