Constitutional Crisis

The new Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, who earns $212,100 per year, thinks judge's salaries are far too low. Emperor Chimperhito thinks he can write a memo and suspend the 4th Amendment. Which of these is a 'constitutional crisis'? If you picked the rich guy with the gavel, you understand the plight of the poor beleaguered rich wingnut; if you picked the rich guy with a stolen presidency, you understand the plight of democracy.

I swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, and liberty and justice, for which it stands, as long as I get all the moolah I'm entitled to!

CNN: Low pay threatens judiciary, Roberts warns

Federal district court judges are paid $165,200 annually; appeals court judges make $175,100; associate justices of the Supreme Court earn $203,000; the chief justice gets $212,100.

Thirty-eight judges have left the federal bench in the past six years and 17 in the past two years.

The issue of pay, says Roberts, "has now reached the level of a constitutional crisis."

Did Bush have his fingers crossed when he swore to uphold the United States Consitition?

NYDailyNews: W pushes envelope on U.S. spying
New postal law lets Bush peek through your mail

WASHINGTON - President Bush has quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant, the Daily News has learned.

The President asserted his new authority when he signed a postal reform bill into law on Dec. 20. Bush then issued a "signing statement" that declared his right to open people's mail under emergency conditions.

That claim is contrary to existing law and contradicted the bill he had just signed, say experts who have reviewed it.