March 8, 2006 at 14:28:21

GOODBYE, HOWARD DEAN

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By Allen L Roland (about the author) Page 2 of 3 page(s)

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This loss of power seems likely to be rendered permanent under the authority of recently confirmed Chief Justice Roberts, especially as indicated by his vote in the Oregon Death With Dignity case.

Some of this administration's wholly self-authorized behavior includes interrogation and imprisonment policy that was found to constitute crimes against humanity at the Nuremburg Tribunals.

And Alito's opinions regarding the unitary executive, along with scores of existing opinions authored and joined by Justices Scalia, Thomas and Anthony Kennedy, can be expected to herald further instances of the court 'legitimizing' ever more serious violations and shifts in real power.

This isn't simply a hard turn right, either, Howard. It's a historic, landmark departure toward a unitary executive corporatocracy. That sounds exactly like Mussolini's Italy to me.

Among other things, there's been a systematic erosion of the well-demarcated line that ostensibly separates the public and private sectors. Already real political power, until recently held exclusively by public governing bodies, is being exerted on a routine, daily basis by private corporations- entities that exist for the sole purpose of exacting a profit that's now become the responsibility of taxpayers to provide.

Military and police powers embodied in the mercenary and penal operations of Blackwater Security and Wackenhut Corporation bear this out, as do many of the varied and highly questionable practices of Halliburton's wild child, Kellogg Brown and Root.

How could you possibly let this happen, Howard?

How can there possibly be a debate on whether or not the president has power to conduct warrantless clandestine NSA surveillance on American citizens?

Common Americans held in thrall by fear intentionally propagated by administration officials and corporate media may have some doubts, but Howard, you and I know full well that the American Revolution was fought in very large part to remove this misuse of power from the hands of our nation's original "unitary executive," formerly known as "king."

And Howard, it's not just warrantless surveillance. It's outrageous, paranoid intrusiveness joined with secretiveness and an utter dearth of accountability.

It's Capitol Hill lobbyists composing the actual verbiage of critical legislation directly and positively impacting their clients.

It's teetering health care stretched to its limits by insatiable dollar demands put on it by the insurance industry- a parasite intermediary that now dominates medical practice and altogether too often dictates life or death dispensation of treatment.

It's corporate welfare and destruction of the middle class and the environment. It's the weaponization of space and the spurning of viable international treaties. It's the deterioration of domestic infrastructure and a failing educational system. It's an incessant pursuit of war and human exploitation.

You see what I'm getting at Howard?

Simply put, it's evident that way too many Democrats care more about their political status and sinecures than they do the their personal honor-when it's called into play for upholding and defending the Constitution, genuinely serving the people of the United States and securing our freedoms.

Virtually all the serious Democratic presidential pretenders are in favor of the Bush Doctrine of Preemptive Warfare.

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Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website more...)

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