Why No Executive Order To Stop NSA Metadata Collection?

An anonymous reader links to this editorial at Ars Technica which argues that "As chief executive, Obama has the power to reform the NSA on his own with the stroke of a pen. By not putting this initiative into an executive order, he punted to Congress on an issue that affects the civil liberties of most anybody who picks up a phone. Every day Congress waits on the issue is another day Americans' calling records are being collected by the government without suspicion that any crime was committed. 'He does not need congressional approval for this,' said Mark Jaycoxx, an Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney."

Comments

Re:Is it not obvious? They have dirt on him!

[HangingChad]

Or maybe he just doesn't want it to stop.

Or maybe he doesn't want to listen to the right wing scream and holler about him leaving America unprotected, how he's inviting another terrorist attack by hobbling the agencies trying to protect us. Frankly, given the piss poor treatment the president receives, I don't blame him one bit for not sticking his neck out.

I guarantee if did that by executive order Fox News would have Dick Cheney on the air every day grumbling about how he's playing right into the terrorists plans and Sarah Palin would be whining about how much the president hates America.

Don't like it, then give the president some cover by making it an issue with your Congressman. Oh, that's right, they don't actually work for you anymore. Too bad.