I haven’t written much about President Jo Jo The Idiot Boy lately, so I think it is time to turn over that compost pile and let some more moisture and air into the US Federal Scene.
The investigation of the firing of the US Federal Prosecutors is proceeding apace. Congress has subpoenaed a raft of documents that have bearing on the process the White House used, via Kousin Karl, Shotgun Dick and some other pod people like Alberto Gonzales to decide who would go and who would stay.
President Jo Jo The Idiot Boy, yesterday, through his attorney Fred Fielding, told Congress to piss up a rope, asserting Executive Privilege. Fred, as we know, has a long tradition of Executive Privilege, right back to the Nixon White House. Kousin Karl hasn’t coughed up the required emails, as the email accounts used were not White House email accounts and were ‘inadvertently’ not archived by the Republican National Committee. Same with Shotgun Dick’s email trail.
Fielding is offering, instead of the actual documents, to allow Harriet Miers, Jo Jo’s attorney at the time, Kousin Karl, political director Sara Taylor and their various deputies to be interviewed by Congressional Judiciary Committee aides in a closed door session, without transcripts. Or, to make it simple, no sworn testimony, no record, no public disclosure. It might as well happen at a coffee shop, over blintzes and two-over-easy with wheat toast.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is also putting out their share of legal documents. On Wednesday they subpoenaed the White House and Shotgun Dick’s office for documents regarding the broad, uncontrolled, warrant-free wiretapping and surveillance of American citizens at home and abroad. The predicted reaction from the White House and Shotgun Dick is "Executive Privilege" again.
Considering the long, soiled, tradition of Executive Privilege, it is hardly surprising. There are some things that should be kept secret, like the nuclear launch codes, or some of the back room dealing that goes into any international treaty. I have no argument with that. What I do have argument with, is those elected to high office who think that they are above the law and can do whatever the hell they want.
Yes, on occasion the leadership has to do some things that are questionable. JFK ordered patently illegal overflights of Cuba by recon aircraft during the Cuban Missile Crisis. JFK also allowed the CIA to form a secret army to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs.
Espionage is, by definition, surreptitious obtainment of information through all kinds of illegal, extra-legal or barely legal means. Spy satellites that can see the flies on Vladimir Putin’s lunch salad, near the cucumber slices, are funded by the taxpayer and I can live with a little bit of discretion in how much data is disclosed about capabilities. I don’t want the bad guys to know what we can or can’t do.
Yes, there should be some secrets, if only because other countries don’t play by the rules. It doesn’t make it right, but I can tolerate it, a bit. Executive Privilege is something different; we’re not dealing with things that protect the security of all of us. Executive Privilege as a blanket statement isn’t right.
Running over the Constitution and the Bill of Rights like it’s a speedbump, isn’t right, not by any stretch. Using high office to line the pockets of your cronies isn’t right. Using high office to manipulate policy and budgets to benefit a very select few isn’t right.
Spying on American Citizens without a warrant isn’t right. Sending American soldiers to a foreign country to die for no valid reason isn’t right. Lying to Congress and the Senate isn’t right. Rewriting the rules any time you want to isn’t right. Signing statements aren’t laws, they’re marginalia at a press conference.
Hiding behind the dirty skirts of Executive Privilege isn’t right. Unless you’re President Jo Jo The Idiot Boy, Shotgun Dick, Kousin Karl and the rest of that gang.
For this, I put half the blame right on the media. The US press has gone flaccid. Mind you, daily chain whippings by Ari Fleisher, Scott McLelland and Tony Snow will tend to do that to the media. Having Shotgun Dick put the arm on your employer will add to the pressure to ‘play along’. The White House didn’t have to create an Enemies List, as anyone not on the Pro-Bush list is an Enemy.
We need another Saul Alinsky with a side of Carl Bernstien and Bob Woordward to truly dig into the seven years of rampant illegality that are the hallmark of President Jo Jo The Idiot Boy’s reign. We get Michael Moore and Ann Coulter as the high water marks on either end of the spectrum.
The voters also have to assume some of the blame. Remember that you elected these people to high office. They work for you and if you’re willing to swallow Executive Privilege as an excuse, then you’re getting the government you deserve.
You’ve already got the media you deserve.
RoadDave 