I was in my semi-late twenties when, after the landslide re-election of our crook-in-chief of those times, the Watergate process unfolded.
By then I'd been deeply concerned for several years about the ruthlessness, dishonesty, and lawlessness of the Nixon presidency. (For example, I'd taken the two thousand dollars that I'd been paid from a life insurance policy of my recently deceased father --my whole nest egg at that time-- and sent it off to a Danish bank, just in case the Nixonian suppression of dissent ratcheted up another notch or two.) And I wondered if this "third-rate burglary" might possibly prove the means by which the American Republic would save itself.
For a long while after the process began I found it difficult to maintain much optimism. The people in Congress were proceeding so slowly, so cautiously. I wanted them to charge ahead and root out the truth and confront Nixon's lawlessness. The sight of Congress investigating the Nixon presidency --so methodical, so uncertain, so finger-in-the-wind-- was not reassuring to me.
After the fall of Nixon, it was widely said that "the system worked." But to me that sounded like unfounded complacency. What would have happened to America in the absence of the Watergate break in? What would have happened if the existence of the tapes had never been disclosed?
I'm still not entirely reassured. But I do believe that the American system probably had more resiliency, more hidden resistance to its own destruction, than I --as a young man-- gave it credit for. And one other thing: the way that our politicians in Congress go about things is, in its pace and decisiveness, much more like a huge ocean-liner turning than would suit the feelings of the outraged and impassioned citizen. Their wheels grind very slowly.
I think about these things now as we behold this new Congress groping and flailing and gathering itself in fits and starts to take on this Bushite presidency-- a presidency far more ruthless, far more dishonest, far more lawless than the one that Congress brought down more than thirty years ago.
CONGRESS AS A FLOCK ON THE WING
I now feel more confident that this Bushite presidency is heading for destruction and/or repudiation and/or public disgrace than I did about Nixon's at a similar stage in the process.
That doesn't mean that I think it will happen right away. It doesn't mean that I feel confident that it will take the form of impeachment and removal from office. And it certainly doesn't mean that I'm confident that I think it will go as far as it ideally should. All it means is that I now fully expect that the ship of this Bush presidency --now foundering in the waves and taking on water-- will end up sinking to the bottom.
It means that I see a dynamic at work that will play out in that direction. If Bush were a stock, I'd short him.
I feel more confidence than I did with Nixon's fall largely because of a change in how I conceive of the workings of Congress.
If things worked the way I would like for them to work, the march toward investigation, condemnation, impeachment and conviction would be fast and straight-forward and irresistible. This presidency is, after all, an abomination: it is a criminal enterprise; it is corrupt; it has flagrantly disregarded the Constitution; it has lied its way into a war.
Meanwhile, everyone has taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. If these politicians operated as I'd like for them to, then out of moral outrage and sacred duty they'd proceed without hesitation to prosecute this thuggish regime to the fullest extent of their powers.
But of course, with a new notable exceptions, that is not how the Congress of the United States --or probably any body of elected office-holders-- works.
What I've come to realize is that most of these people in Congress have no idea where things are heading, or what position they will be taking on this Bush presidency two months from now, or six months, or a year. They proceed not by plan, but rather one careful step at a time, continually re-appraising the situation, the play of forces, how the wind is blowing.
Andrew Bard Schmookler's website www.nonesoblind.org is devoted to understanding the roots of America's present moral crisis and the means by which the urgent challenge of this dangerous moment can be met. Dr. Schmookler is also the author of such books as The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution (SUNY Press) and Debating the Good Society: A Quest to Bridge America's Moral Divide (M.I.T. Press). He also conducts regular talk-radio conversations in both red and blue states.
"Better the illusion that exhaults us than a thousand truths."
As the GOP threatens filibuster over the (silly really) non binding denunciation of the Bush strategy in Iraq, as the Democrats stumble all over themselves making excuses instead of efforts we see an article that offers roses to cover the stench of our do nothing Congress.
The comparison to Watergate seems rather like Colin Powell's speech before the UN, rather slanted, not exactly a true picture of events and designed, I suspect, to avoid yet again, any besmirching of those in power despite the evidence to the contrary. I saw Watergate proceed rather speedily, actually, as things go in Washington. As the evidence piled up, as the investigations disclosed the obvious facts we saw a Republic Party that ,rather speedily suggested to Nixon that his resignation was in order.
It is , of course, early in the life of this congress, but I would love to see an investigation into anything, anything at all, begin forthwith. I have already seen our brave Democrats carve a whopping 2% out of the bloated oil subsidies, wow what cajones!.........not. I have heard the numerous voices benoaning their sorrow at being simply unable ot find any way to stop this Bush war juggernaut, how sad.
Andrew is, of course, entitled to his opinion of this Presidencies fate. He sees it stumbling towards destruction. I think, short of Bush being murdered by his cuckolded wife perhaps,(humor folks, humor) he will serve out his term and wend his way back to Crawford, living happily ever after. This Democratic majority has yet to show the resolve necesary to restore our democracy, or throw off the shackles of this neoconservative revolution. They havent spoken out in six years and I do not see them speaking out for the next two.
In truth, I think that this sad and cowardly congress will sow the seeds for a Rovian rejuvenation of the GOP chances in '08, and it bodes ill for all of us but serves them right.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments)
on Monday, February 5, 2007 at 4:37:43 PM
Having recently returned from a progressive-sponsored trip to Washington to attend the anti-escalation march and having had the opportunity to lobby senators and congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle, my faith in our American democratic system and our American will has been renewed and restored. Despite the current administration's plundering of our Constitution for personal power and political gain, there are very few national elected officials, either Democratic or Republican, who are not aware of the lies and corruption which have permeated the past six years under the Bush administration. The Iraq war, which has crippled and discredited this country and this administration on both the domestic and international fronts, is providing and will continue to provide the necessary fodder to, eventually, bring this administration to it's knees. The initial steps--Congressional investigations and the non-binding resolutions--are already in place, with more finite actions to follow.
America is, in fact, a democracy--in spite of the Bush administration's apparent decimation of the Constitution and disregard for the American people, our government balance of power and the world community of nations (ie; the Geneva Accords, international treaties, etc.)
Many Republicans, as well as the Democrats now in control of both houses of Congress, agree that these and other Iraq resolutions and investigations are necessary and that Bush cannot continue on his present course, and they are, in fact, working together with the Democrats behind the scenes to assure the pressure continues. As I was told by one Republican senator's cheif legislative assistant for foreign affairs--what we see and hear in the media is only what is for public consumption. What's going on behind the scenes--government, if you will, is quite another story.
Our American democracy must and WILL prevail. Our national legislators will see to that. What we all must do in the meantime is NOT just be patient. Every American has the responsibility to get in touch with his/her senators and congressional representative to let them know how they feel and/or have a discussion with them in their local community to enable them to continue to govern by the will of the people. That is how our government was meant to work. And that is the way our current administration will, in one way or another, become irrelevant, fall out of power, and pay for the errors of its ways!
by
SLW1946 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments)
on Monday, February 5, 2007 at 8:01:07 PM
You are rightly alarmed, but it's much worse than you think.
The "gangrene" you refer to is not just the Bush regime. It's the whole US political system -- both parties, the media, & more. To hope that we will be saved by (as you put it) "Congress --Democrats and Republicans together" is to place your faith in the very institutions that have brought us to this pass.
The Bush regime didn't come out of nowhere. It represents the consensus will of the great banking, oil, media, & defense firms -- who firmly control 99% of the Republican Party, & maybe 95% of the Democrats. There wouldn't be a Bush regime without those forces behind it, & the Bush regime could never have gotten away with outrage after outrage, without the tacit or active support of these other elements of the system.
The word "gangrene" is an apt metaphor. But what's gangrenous is not just the Bush regime (merely the most visible part of the system). Unfortunately, it goes much deeper than that. If you were going to cut away the diseased tissue, so to speak, you'd have to get rid of both parties, break up & regulate the media conglomerates, the oil companies and the military-industrial complex. You'd have to break up the influence of Wall St. You'd have to confront what's politely called "lobbying."
In other words, the problem is that the entire US ruling establishment is corrupt to the core. It doesn't do any good to pretend that it's just a few rotten apples.
by
Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1213 comments)
on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at 1:10:36 AM
I know that it is worse, rotten to the core. I want something else! I want something different! I am sick of both the Repubs and the Dems. They are both corrupt. I want a new party to support. I want a new way of thinking and governing. I want a NEW American Revolution. I want it to start at a grassroots level and I want it to be clean and refreshing. One of it's statements of believe is no corporations allowed. Corporations are soulless entities created by men so that they don't have to be held accountable for the decisions that they make concerning their corporations. ENOUGH ALREADY! Burn down the corporations. The second statement of belief is that the environment take precedent over all other issues. If we don't have an environment that can support life, then all is for naught anyway. And last but not least, elections must meet the highest scrutiny; no electronic devices at all.
Is there such a party out there? If there is, I don't know about it. Am I alone in this?
by
Wayne Osborne (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments)
on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at 7:17:33 AM
I agree it isn't just a few apples that are rotten. This Bushite regime is the coalescence of several major dark forces in American civilization-- imperialist, corporatist, and a particular destructive form of religiosity.
And I agree that there is a corruption that pervades the American political system. (Beyond that, there's a moral breakdown that goes far beyond politics, and that contributes to the darkening of our politics.)
But I believe there's an important distinction that must be made. The evil of this thuggish regime should not be equated with the normal corruption of our political system in general.
One finds corruption in all societies, including in all the liberal democracies of the West, which are about as good as civilization gets. But this Bushite regime stands out among Western democracies: this is a bunch of lying, arrogant, bullying fascist thugs.
And that is way beyond the usual degree of corruption.
by
Andrew Bard Schmookler (314 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 146 comments)
on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at 10:45:49 AM
If you see a man beating another do you do nothing? What about if it is a child being beaten? Or a cripple? How about a dog?
When exactly does your conscience kick in. Now you fumble with degrees of corruption as if there were some acceptable level of such. Who is worse, the one who orders the torture, the one who commits the act or the one who stands by and does nothing?
For six years and counting your Party has stood by and done nothing, excepting those members thereof who actively supported the acts.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments)
on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at 5:50:15 PM
Over & above the ways and means suggested by Andrew, the most damaging to the INNER BUSHITE CABAL would be the re-opening of the 9/11 investigations to cover the murky weeks and months preceding the dastardly attack, seeking a truthful answer to the question, WHO (IN FACT) SET UP THE ATTACK? Ben Laden OR those who planned and sucked in Ben Laden into their heinous conspiracy?
by
syed mahdi (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 126 comments)
on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 at 6:56:32 AM
7 comments
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