Lessons from the past

Republicans have a choice to make. Will they continue to contort themselves and their beliefs to accomodate the latest outrages of the Bush regime, or will they finally stand up and say 'enough is enough'?

By authorizing warrantless wiretaps against Americans, George Bush has knowingly and repeatedly broken Federal law while pleading expediency in his 'war on terror'. If this is allowed to stand, we will have created a new precedent: that in times of self-declared war, there will be no limits, no bounds on executive authority.

We've already gone very far down this path, and George Bush has demanded, and received, powers that none of his elected predecessors ever sought. He can imprison Americans without a warrant, due process or recourse. His regime has authorized torture. He has treated Congress like a doormat, bought clandestine positive media coverage with federal funds, enlisted churches in his campaign, knowingly presented false evidence to lead the nation into war, in short: acknowledged no limits to his power, either of law, custom or decency. All the safeguards of personal liberty we maintained through the Second World War and the Cold War are now, in a conflict with a bunch of rag-tag fanatics without nuclear weapons, armies or navies, to be thrown overboard.

Bush is openly breaking the law, claiming plenary powers to do as he sees fit under the mantle of war powers against a small band of fanatics, without accountability, oversight or limitation, let alone, as noted, a warrant. George Bush is taking whatever power he wants, just because he can. Will 'conservatives' and the republican Congress give in? Or will limits be set and enforced against the executive branch?

The main historical comparison that comes to mind is FDR's court-packing plan of 1937. That effort was defeated by the 2:1 Democratic majority in Congress on separation of powers grounds. The question before the nation now is whether Bush's party will preserve the institutions of our democracy, or give in to the personal regime of their chosen favorite.