Friday, January 13, 2006

...More about the Bush/Cheney racket

Paul Craig Roberts is deeply unhappy with the death of the true conservative movement and doesn't care how he illustrates his disgust.

Says Roberts : "The Bush administration, backed by the neoconservative Federalist Society, has brought the separation of powers, the foundation of our political system, to crisis. The Federalist Society, an organization of Republican lawyers, favors more "energy in the executive." Distrustful of Congress and the American people, the Federalist Society never fails to support rulings that concentrate power in the executive branch of government. It is a paradox that conservative foundations and individuals have poured money for 23 years into an organization that is inimical to the separation of powers, the foundation of our constitutional system."'

Roberts sounds like a guy who believed in conservative opposition to some of the least desirable aspects of Democratic dominance of American politics only to be kicked in the face by folks with more sinister aims for a conservative takeover of the U.S. I once subscribed to the GOP bill of goods until I became disillusioned with their complete disregard for most things I hold sacred, like the American system of government. As Roberts describes:

"Caught in gratuitous and illegal spying on American citizens, the Bush administration has defended its illegal activity and set the Justice (sic) Department on the trail of the person or persons who informed the New York Times of Bush's violation of law. Note the astounding paradox: The Bush administration is caught red-handed in blatant illegality and responds by trying to arrest the patriots who exposed the administration's illegal behavior.
Bush has actually declared it treasonous to reveal his illegal behavior! His propagandists, who masquerade as news organizations, have taken up the line: To reveal wrong-doing by the Bush administration is to give aid and comfort to the enemy."

Bush's administration of the executive branch is contrary to all the lessons I learned about our government and ideally how it should manage the affairs of America. Bush breaks the law, a brave NSA official, Russell Tice, blows the whistle, is declared "psychotically paranoid" by Defense department psychiatrists, and is fired. Granted, whistleblowers forever take a great risk and firing is one of the possible results. Yet, the mythic "rugged individualist" ethos many Americans take pride in perpetuating should push Americans to be horrified at this behavior. Still, many who support Bush refuse to point out the tinge of evil in the actions of the NSA and results of Tice's brave act. Looking at conservative bloggers in the NW AR area, Bush should ascend to sainthood for his transgressions against our free society. Tice said that if he were implementing the illegal domestic spying, he would vacuuum all possible information and take what he needs. In other words, a dragnet on communications would be instituted for maximum effectiveness since there was no accountability, not even to the FISA "rubberstamp" court. 5 warrants were denied out of scores of requests since 1978. Old Soviet guardians would have been proud of the Defense department shrinks and their politicizing of psychiatric ailments to combat dissent of all forms.

Roberts gets the final word: "Compared to Spygate, Watergate was a kindergarden picnic. The Bush administration's lies, felonies, and illegalities have revealed it to be a criminal administration with a police state mentality and police state methods. Now Bush and his attorney general have gone the final step and declared Bush to be above the law."

It has been reported that paleolithic conservative John Ashcroft declared these activities illegal. Ashcroft has long since been shown the exit door from the White House and replaced with an AG who will "tickle the ears"(quoting Paul) of the Bush/Cheney racket and sculpt legality from illegality as the neo-cons demand. P.C., I still trust our 200+ years of this American government and I am dismayed at the direction our nation is now taking. I am deeply afraid for the future of our democratic institutions while the Bush administration "attempt" to create democratic nations in the Islamic world. They certainly provide the very worst example of the "benefit" our form of government can provide for ordinary Iraqis. Bush eschews Immanuel Kant's dictum from Critique of Practical Reason to act according to that maxim which one would will to be universal law. In all fairness to Dubya, I believe few Americans follow Kant's sage advice on ethics these days. To ignore Kant is to imperil our ethical fabric. Clinton's adultery and lies to cover up the act is "kindergarten" stuff, as Roberts states. Bush's corruption is fundamental and counter to our nation's values we've accrued through some severe ethical low points, such as the acceptance of slavery as right and worthy of perpetuation, and bloodshed.

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