Constitutional Power Play

Massimo Calabresi at Time Magazine (of all places) has an interesting, if rumor based story about Congressional misgivings and discomfort regarding King George's abuse of his "War Powers."

A few tidbits...

Bush's claims of wartime license are so great--the White House and Justice Department have argued that the Commander in Chief's pursuit of national security cannot be constrained by any laws passed by Congress, even when he is acting against U.S. citizens--that some Senators are considering a constitutional amendment to limit his powers.

A source familiar with the nascent constitutional amendment says one version would make clear that any actions by the President as Commander in Chief that affect domestic policies or U.S. citizens are subject to the exclusive control of Congress. "Congress can't completely cede wartime power to the President," the source says.

At Senate hearings last week, the former head of the National Security Agency refused even in closed session to say how many phones had been tapped in the U.S. This reticence comes after conflicting public estimates from President Bush ("a few" U.S. phones) and his Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff ("thousands").

The article's short. Go check it out.