A Principled Response: Part 3
I knew that sooner or later some White House flack would bring up explicitly what has been implicit in the administration's decision to dig in its collective heels over Congressional investigation of the US Attorneys' mass firing. It's happened. The flack turns out to be former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. From today's NY Times:
Mr. Bush is also waging what he views as an even bigger war over presidential prerogatives. He has moved aggressively to expand presidential powers, claiming authority to eavesdrop on Americans without court warrants and try terror suspects before military tribunals. To avoid divulging the membership of Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force, the administration even went to the Supreme Court. The president does not intend to backtrack now that Democrats are in charge. ...
Mr. Bush says he is willing to go to court. Mr. Fleischer says Mr. Bush is convinced that presidential powers have eroded since Watergate and that it is his duty to restore them for his successors.
“This is the White House that, under his leadership, didn’t give up the energy records and took a beating for it,” Mr. Fleischer said. “He’s willing to lose the politics of these things because he does have a longer view of the powers of the presidency and what it takes to protect them.” [Emphasis added]
Oh, please, Mr. Fleischer.
The man who believes his power supercedes the US Constitution so that he has the "authority to eavesdrop on Americans without court warrants and try terror suspects before military tribunals" isn't concerned about the powers of the presidency, only about the powers of his own personal presidency.
The only thing that hampered his unchecked drive for unlimited power was the only thing that ever stops a tyrant's drive for a thousand year reich: free and fair elections. If this president and his buddies ever truly figure out a way to stop those (and it appears they certainly have tried), this country is doomed.
Mr. Bush is also waging what he views as an even bigger war over presidential prerogatives. He has moved aggressively to expand presidential powers, claiming authority to eavesdrop on Americans without court warrants and try terror suspects before military tribunals. To avoid divulging the membership of Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy task force, the administration even went to the Supreme Court. The president does not intend to backtrack now that Democrats are in charge. ...
Mr. Bush says he is willing to go to court. Mr. Fleischer says Mr. Bush is convinced that presidential powers have eroded since Watergate and that it is his duty to restore them for his successors.
“This is the White House that, under his leadership, didn’t give up the energy records and took a beating for it,” Mr. Fleischer said. “He’s willing to lose the politics of these things because he does have a longer view of the powers of the presidency and what it takes to protect them.” [Emphasis added]
Oh, please, Mr. Fleischer.
The man who believes his power supercedes the US Constitution so that he has the "authority to eavesdrop on Americans without court warrants and try terror suspects before military tribunals" isn't concerned about the powers of the presidency, only about the powers of his own personal presidency.
The only thing that hampered his unchecked drive for unlimited power was the only thing that ever stops a tyrant's drive for a thousand year reich: free and fair elections. If this president and his buddies ever truly figure out a way to stop those (and it appears they certainly have tried), this country is doomed.
Labels: The Unitary President
posted by Diane at 8:34 AM
1 Comments:
This is what happens when you have people who have no historical memory. The Republicans should remember Watergate; we Americans should remember the Revolution. Tyranny on the part of the Executive branch is a cancer on this nation and needs to be resisted firmly and repeatedly.
Post a Comment
<< Home