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Jean Claude Wouters

Name: Jean Claude Wouters

Occupation: Waiter/bartender

Residence: Buffalo

Do you think a U.S. President should have the power to order wiretaps without court approval? Why or why not? Without a doubt, no. There’s no way he has the right to spy on us. I have much contempt for the President.

In times of war, how much executive power should the President have? It should probably be left up to the Pentagon. They are the Department of Defense; they should call the shots on whether or not we go to war, not the President.

Should American citizens be permitted to listen in on President Bush’s telephone conversations? How about his e-mail? No, that’s his right to privacy, like we have a right to privacy.

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Felicia Parker

Name: Felicia Parker

Occupation: Ph.D. student/researcher

Residence: Buffalo

Do you think a U.S. President should have the power to order wiretaps without court approval? Why or why not? I don’t believe that wiretapping should be allowed without prior approval. I believe it’s an invasion of civil liberties, and an invasion of privacy. There’s already a system in place, so the ability for the NSA to tap us is a bit scary to me, actually—kind of like Big Brother.

In times of war, how much executive power should the President have? The executive power should be balanced by the other two branches of government. We have checks and balances for a reason…and I think that in times of great stress, that’s what we need to rely more on: our laws. People’s biases are sometimes aired and a lot of problems come up as a result of that.

Should American citizens be permitted to listen in on President Bush’s telephone conversations? How about his e-mail? I personally think that everybody has a right to privacy. It’s one of the things that separates America from other countries. I wouldn’t necessarily want to know what he’s talking about.