The Washington Post article on the Judge's decision again makes note of the "agreement on legislation" brokered by Sen Specter that, if rubber-stamped by Congress, "allows the President" to request a decision on the legality of the secret data farming from "the government's secret terrorism and intelligence court" to review its legality.

1. The legislation would allow, but not require, a decision from the court.

2. Judges on the secret court are appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court with no participation or oversight by anyone else.

3. There are no known criteria that an appointee must meet to be eligible for appointment at the "whim of the Chief Justice."

4. Judges on the secret court are rotated on an obscure schedule and there is no public announcement that I've seen when they are changed.

5. The original secret court (at the time most people first heard of it, at least) told the administration that they would not approve similar programs. It is unlikely that any of those judges remain on the court.

So the Chief Justice hand-picked by the President gets to select, in secret, the members of the secret court that will decide whether the president can do any damned thing he wants to, if the President decides he wants them to make a decision, and the answer will be a secret.

I feel s.s.s.o.o.o.o.o...r.e.a.s.s.u.r.e.d.

John