The widespread revulsion over torture in the Bush era caused civil libertarians from a wide part of the political spectrum to unite in protest. The latest presidential power grab is revealing some differences that had been concealed, though.

For more on pruning back executive power see Pruning Shears.

When bad news breaks it has become almost routine for those at the top to disavow all knowledge and let the hammer come down on those well down in the hierarchy. The pattern showed up again twice this week, and is now so common as to be almost standardized.

For more on pruning back executive power see Pruning Shears.

In the last few years there has been a steady erosion of 4th Amendment protections. Now in addition to chipping way at it through judicial rulings there appears to be a movement to weaken its very concept.

For more on pruning back executive power see Pruning Shears.

A detailed report on the Bush administration’s loss of millions of emails has been greeted as little more than a post mortem from several years ago. Even if it was only that, though, it would deserve much more coverage than it has received – and it has serious implications for the present and future as well.

For more on pruning back executive power see Pruning Shears.

An opinion piece from a former Attorney General shows just how inconvenient one of the bedrock treaties of international relations has become for Guantánamo supporters.

For more on pruning back executive power see Pruning Shears.

Does the executive branch wield less influence and power than in years past?

The need to not investigate allegations of criminality has become a common refrain in Washington, but there are some obvious and unpleasant consequences that come from doing so.

For more on pruning back executive power see Pruning Shears.

The rogue whistleblower site keeps popping up in the news, and the reasons it does illustrate why it has become so important.

For more on pruning back executive power see Pruning Shears.

Jonathan Chait of The New Republic attributes liberal anger at Obama to a misunderstanding of how progress in Washington works. Chait misunderstands why most liberals are upset.

Remarks at the Rutherford Institute, June 16, 2010