Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Orders 1979-2004

Year	Number of FISA Applications Presented	Number of FISA Applications Approved	Number of FISA Applications Rejected
1993	509	509	0
1994	576	576	0
1995	697	697	0
1996	839	839	0
19973	749	748	0
1998	796	796	0
19994	886	880	0
20005	1005	1012	0
20016	932	934	0
20027	1228	1228	0
20038	1727	1724	4
20049	1758	1754	0

From the Electronic Privacy Information Center, http://www.epic.org/privacy/wiretap/stats/fisa_stats.html
b.

High Crimes & Misdemeanors

I'm really bothered by the unilateral abandonment of judicial oversight in the spying on Americans committed by Dubya. I need to do more research, so for the moment my reaction is one of astonishment and wonderment -- how could any President believe he can bypass a specific law? -- but this is bad. Although I haven't developed any strong thoughts concerning presidential power and prerogative, as I've previously noted, my discretion always was tempered by the thought that no one is above the law. Clinton wasn't above the law, and he should have been held accountable for his lies. Nixon wasn't above the law, and he was held accountable. Now, it appears that it's Dubya's turn to be held accountable.