It's Deja Vue All Over Again

The head-to-head clash between the legislative and executive branches of our government under BushCo is finally about to happen. The papers color it as a partisan situation by always being sure to insert the words Democratic controlled every time they say Congress, but the fact is that prominent members of both parties want more information than the whitewash – oops – I mean Whitehouse is willing to give them.

Congress is seeking documents and testimony about the firings of U.S. Attorneys for political reasons, issues related to the Iraq war, misuse of executive power, and warrantless wiretapping. The Whitehouse response – Executive Privilege.

Now let’s see, where have we heard that before? The echoes of Richard Nixon resound. Like the old saw about how you can tell if a politician is lying – his lips are moving – you can take abuses of power for granted when a president claims executive privilege. It’s a sure sign that the hounds are close to baying treed.

I just think it’s too bad that Bush and Cheney aren’t fighting off indictments and not just subpoenas. If this really were the purely partisan fight the press likes to paint, those two would have been wearing stripes long ago.

I could go off on another rant about the Democrat’s motivations here, but the main point today is a bit of glee in seeing the rats poised on the gunnels of this sinking ship of ours. I don’t have any faith in them at all, but here’s hoping this Congress somehow gets its act together well enough to run them into the sea.

At this point that’s about the only thing either party could do that would win back any of my affection. That said, I have to add that it’s the Republicans – not the Democrats - who have the most to gain by turning against BushCo. Everyone expects (or wants) the Democrats to attack. If the Republicans did it, they would be making a statement about their return to solid conservative values. It sure would be nice to see that, but I’d bet the farm that both parties will just continue to prove that they aren’t worth the powder to blow your nose.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. -- M. K. Gandhi

Individually we have little voice. Collectively we cannot be ignored.
But in silence we surrender our power. Yours in Peace -- BR