July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Time for an honest debate (12/23/05)
Editorial
On Saturday, President Bush changed the debate.
Until then, it was safe to say that arguments over Senate approval for his latest Supreme Court nominee were going to center on the issue of abortion.
That topic is, of course, still on the table.
But the president's remarkable speech Saturday, in which he asserted inherent powers beyond the scope of established law, changed all that.
In many ways, the best thing about the president's speech is that it has brought this debate out into the open.
It's been just below the surface since the events of 9/11.
There's plenty to talk about, and the Alito confirmation hearings could provide an excellent forum for a national discussion.
What are the limits, if any, on presidential authority in a time of war?
How does one define "a time of war" in an era of terrorism rather than nation-to-nation conflict?
What oversights and countermeasures should be in place, if any, to insure against excesses?
And, perhaps most fundamental of all, how does the nation balance liberty and security without jeopardizing one or the other, or both?
These aren't questions that will be resolved quickly. And they're not questions to be dismissed amid a fog of rhetoric.
It's time for an honest, thoughtful, national discussion.
The president and his administration obviously feel they can make their case; they should do their best to do so without playing on peoples' fears or casting their critics as unpatriotic.
The president's critics obviously feel just as sincerely that a line has been crossed that's not in the country's interest; they should do their best to make their case without implying sinister motives on the part of those who see things differently.
It's time to turn down the heat, and turn up the light. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
Until then, it was safe to say that arguments over Senate approval for his latest Supreme Court nominee were going to center on the issue of abortion.
That topic is, of course, still on the table.
But the president's remarkable speech Saturday, in which he asserted inherent powers beyond the scope of established law, changed all that.
In many ways, the best thing about the president's speech is that it has brought this debate out into the open.
It's been just below the surface since the events of 9/11.
There's plenty to talk about, and the Alito confirmation hearings could provide an excellent forum for a national discussion.
What are the limits, if any, on presidential authority in a time of war?
How does one define "a time of war" in an era of terrorism rather than nation-to-nation conflict?
What oversights and countermeasures should be in place, if any, to insure against excesses?
And, perhaps most fundamental of all, how does the nation balance liberty and security without jeopardizing one or the other, or both?
These aren't questions that will be resolved quickly. And they're not questions to be dismissed amid a fog of rhetoric.
It's time for an honest, thoughtful, national discussion.
The president and his administration obviously feel they can make their case; they should do their best to do so without playing on peoples' fears or casting their critics as unpatriotic.
The president's critics obviously feel just as sincerely that a line has been crossed that's not in the country's interest; they should do their best to make their case without implying sinister motives on the part of those who see things differently.
It's time to turn down the heat, and turn up the light. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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