Saturday, June 05, 2004
Goodnight, moon
And goodbye, Ronnie. Though I wouldn't wish Alzheimer's on my worst enemy.
Funny how Nixon, Reagan, and Bush form points on a death spiral of Constitutional government in the United States.
With Nixon, we had Watergate and the Plumber's Squad—illegal, domestic covert action in support of Nixon's election campaign.
With Reagan, we had Iran-Contra—an "off the shelf" covert action program arguably a lot worse than the Plumbers, since it was meant to circumvent Congressional oversight in matters of war and peace, and to prosecute a war that Congress had legislated against. And although Nixon was impeached for Watergate, Reagan didn't suffer for Iran-Contra at all, as an increasingly toothless Democratic party caved.
With Bush... Well, we don't even have mere episodes like "Watergate" or "Iran-Contra" anymore, since a complete lawlessness and extraconstitutional goverment-by-clusterfuck is their modus operandi, and an every day affair that doesn't even raise an eyebrow.
You might say that Nixon, in retrospect, cracked Constitutional government, Reagan drove a wedge into the crack, and Bush shattered Constitutional government entirely, ruling, in the matters He considers essential, by decree.
A sad legacy for a "conservative" movement, wouldn't you say?
Funny how Nixon, Reagan, and Bush form points on a death spiral of Constitutional government in the United States.
With Nixon, we had Watergate and the Plumber's Squad—illegal, domestic covert action in support of Nixon's election campaign.
With Reagan, we had Iran-Contra—an "off the shelf" covert action program arguably a lot worse than the Plumbers, since it was meant to circumvent Congressional oversight in matters of war and peace, and to prosecute a war that Congress had legislated against. And although Nixon was impeached for Watergate, Reagan didn't suffer for Iran-Contra at all, as an increasingly toothless Democratic party caved.
With Bush... Well, we don't even have mere episodes like "Watergate" or "Iran-Contra" anymore, since a complete lawlessness and extraconstitutional goverment-by-clusterfuck is their modus operandi, and an every day affair that doesn't even raise an eyebrow.
You might say that Nixon, in retrospect, cracked Constitutional government, Reagan drove a wedge into the crack, and Bush shattered Constitutional government entirely, ruling, in the matters He considers essential, by decree.
A sad legacy for a "conservative" movement, wouldn't you say?
