NSA Wiretapping: A Question for Bush Supporters

There's something I've been wondering about, and if I have any Republican readers I'm hoping you can give me an answer on this.

In the month or so since the existence of this program was revealed, we've had half a dozen or so different rationales for it.

It's too time-consuming to get warrants from the FISA court...except it isn't.

They kept Congress informed...except they didn't.

Nobody in Congress objected...except they did.

Congress authorized it when they passed the AUMF...except they didn't.

The wiretapping provided us with essential information that helped us capture terrorists...except it didn't.

It was a large-scale high-tech data-mining operation, making it impossible to get warrants for every wiretap...except it wasn't.

And finally, the administration avoided the FISA court because it required a higher standard ("probable cause") than they wanted to apply ("reasonable basis to believe")...except they refused to support amending FISA to change the standard.

So here's the question: exactly how many times does the administration's story have to change (on this, or any other issue) before you think maybe they're trying to hide something? 20? 30? 100? Infinity googleplex plus one?

Really...I'd like to know.

[That's all, folks]