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Monday, May 01, 2006
Creepy news
For the Bush is a dictator file, the Boston globe reports that Bush has used his signing statements to challenge the legitimacy of over 750 laws. This must be why he's never vetoed anything.
Can we just call him a dictator now and go home? What, for instance, has this guy done that Castro hasn't? Imprisoned people in Cuba? Check. Declared himself sole interpreter of all of his country's laws? Check. We just need to get him a camoflauge uniform and some cigars and we might be done. It's amazing how historically, the worst governments in history have existed through the passive acceptance of their populace. I think I should read Jose Saramago's new book "Seeing" to try to figure out this phenomenon and what can we do about it. Probably nothing, since the willingness of people to stick up for Bush is no longer a political belief or behavior but a cult. Wait, that makes sense, a cult of personality. But even so, how do newspapers not attack this guy over this BS attempt to declare himself king of America? For instance, they don't even mention Colbert in any of the coverage except for passing references to the guy. No one mentions that Colbert was probably the first person to tell the president the truth to his face in 6 years. But in the end, isn't the whole philosophy of Give Up not to care? That this damage will be undone by the time figure out these people are crooked crackpots lacking competence in anything? Probably. Arguing with people over Bush is like arguing with the religious. They might concede a point or two but they'll never change their mind, not until they realize they've been duped on their own. I don't know, for the most part I see this damage as self-correcting and leading to the permanent death of Republican bullshit. Just look at the reaction to the "let's give everyone $100" idea these retards came up with. Even Rush Limbaugh derided it as a pre-election payoff that was making everyone in the country a whore. However, the signing statement thing makes me feel like quoting Jefferson and starting a revolution. It is really over-the-top monarchy-like behavior, and I don't truck with no monarchs. Especially not borderline retarded ones, so soon I won't be able to live here or in England. Anyway, discuss. I'm not sure signing statements are a problem consistent with Give Up. It's more consistent with angry mobs and molatov cocktails. |
10 Comments:
Historically, no person who has ever absorbed this much power (i.e. dictatorial, law-unto-himself supreme power) has ever peacefully relinquished it. Ever. And I do not think George has the breadth of character to be an exception to this rule.
If the Dems win the Congress in a landslide then we might see impeachment proceedings. And if he is impeached before his term is up he might leave the Oval Office. But, given the trajectory of his behavior, I now think that without an impeachment there won't be an election in 2008.
Will there be an emergency decree a'la Hitler and Emperor Palpatine? That's the usual route. But Bush used up all his subterfuge cards to start the Iraq war. As he collects more and more power over the next few years he may stop feeling like he needs cover stories of any kind to do what he wants. Think the Plame affair: "Yeah, we did it. No comment."
You’re correct, Rev. Dr., to wonder about Give Up in this context. Give Up requires a sound and functioning U.S. Constitution to work. At the moment I think the Constitution is feeling pale and sickly.
-JE
4:41 PM, May 01, 2006
The Give Up argument, I decided, is just to remind Republicans that one day they'll have a Democratic president with these powers. And probably sooner rather than later.
So, whatever bill they pass can be vetoed for whatever reason, they can't want that.
9:25 PM, May 01, 2006
If the rest of the Republicans are smart (bear with me) they really ought to jump on any Democratic bandwagon to impeach Bush, should one arise. Even they should be scared at this point and agree that getting him out before he turns into Caligula is the only option.
By the by, does anyone know what happened following a successful impeachment? It would be pretty counter-productive to hand the Oval Office over to Cheney.
-JE
9:53 PM, May 01, 2006
You would hope that Cheney would then be chastened or, even better, included in any impeachment proceeding.
10:09 PM, May 01, 2006
As much as I despise this administration, I don't think even they would have the balls to suspend elections.
For one thing, they'd miss out on the real money-making opportunities that pop up after they leave office: influence peddling, lobbying, huge honoraria for speaking to right-wing institutions, etc. To rightwingers these days, political office is typically simply the prelude for massive financial rewards after they leave office. Just watch, Cheney will sit on Halliburton's board once again in 2008, as "thanks" for all that he did for them.
Though with Bush's disregard for law and precedent, he may decide he can do them both at the same time, and suspend elections after all.
Okay, now I'm scared.
1:11 PM, May 02, 2006
I realize that this is deep-end/crackpot conjecture. I just can't picture the miraculous mechanism by which we should expect Bush to suddenly comport himself with dignity and respect for the law when it's time for him to step down 2 and 1/2 years from now. It would be out of character for him personally, and for anyone who's had a big taste of absolute power.
-JE
1:49 PM, May 02, 2006
That's what the Army and the Joint Chiefs are for. Granted, they follow orders, etc., but they're not going to let no stinking dictator stay in past his god-given two terms.
There's a lot of crooked people who would help in such a scheme, but I don't think the military is included in this case.
2:01 PM, May 02, 2006
Of course! The loyalty of the military IS an essential component of dictators rising to power and I do believe the military is no friend of Bush's.
He'd have to upgrade Haliburton's military wing into a praetorian guard or SS if he was really serious about staying in past two-terms.
-JE
2:19 PM, May 02, 2006
Really, I honestly think that no matter how twisted and evil they are, they at least like to think of themselves as Defenders of America, and might possibly have enough shreds of respect for the Constitution to do something as blatant as that.
I'll join you under a tinfoil umbrella once the conservative "think" tanks start churning out spurious justifications for suspending elections, the way they had been justifying expansion of executive power in anticipation of Bush's power grab. No way the administration would even try it without "seeding" Fox News and the righty blogs first with the germ of the idea.
9:29 AM, May 03, 2006
sorry, "to not do something as blatant as that"
9:29 AM, May 03, 2006
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