"Bush-Dynasty" via McCain-follow offers continuance.
(EUGENE, Ore.) - Foreseen in depth and detail by such as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and others --in the Federalist Papers first and then in the Constitution itself-- the “unitary executive” theory for governance has now become the greatest current danger our democracy has ever faced.
The honest/open name-for-it is, very simply: “The Imperial Presidency”, long ago recognized and studied in depth and excruciating detail ever since Constitutional-declaration itself.
Recent continuing politics-derived pandering and potential other promised-actions by the McCain campaign --despite repeated and conflicting denials by his own words-- make that longtime-danger one of the striking choices now forced upon us all in this raucous pre-Presidential/election action.
There is little doubt-left in the minds of many that McCain --for whatever “reasons” and in reaction to whatever forces, political or otherwise-- is now “simply best and most honestly seen as an open-and-shut continuance of the Bush dynasty”.
Far more than simple-theory/for-governance, the “unitary executive” has, in effect, been put into practice --with appalling results-- ever since initiation in the formative early-days of the Reagan era.
But equally appalling historical reference exists all the way back to early-days, immediately after our Constitution itself was first established in place as the solid foundation it has proven to be, ever since. (See Wikipedia under several heads, for pages-on-pages of excruciating painful detail.)
The struggle has continued against strong trends through the entire 230-plus years of our Constitutional regime; building pressures to abandon Constitutional separate of powers, originally carefully set forth by the Founders; NOT for governance efficiency, but for best-possible protection against human frailties and power-seeking by malign men and their associates.
The choice of Bush the Elder to become V-P -- even after his truly/insightful evaluation of “supply-side Reaganomics” as “voodoo stuff !!”-- demonstrates the ascendancy for imperial control to which that Presidency then committed itself --with full Bush-compliance, please note.
That in itself demonstrates indelibly the depth of conscience surrendered by political-pandering.
The continuance of both theory-and-action is further demonstrated by the undeniable presence of some leading-figures/then, deeply embedded into power and prominence within the Bush-II administration now.
This goes deeper-and-more diversely than the Cheney presence, with consequential shaping-impacts only now becoming completely clear and understood; such as “Scooter” Libby and the Plame-name spy-ring/smashing disclosure, with other roving figures half-hidden in the shadows still existing.
Yet, surely, Watergate-and-Nixon --much earlier/on-- should have taught us all everything we ever need to know about that approach; and its unavoidable consequences as the beginnings-of-fascism, resurrected again by some of the same forces.
The following Reagan-years --and then the Lesser Bush-cabal mirror/image for ANOTHER eight!-- surely painfully demonstrate the inevitable consequences always-following wherever found elsewhere in history.
Most reading-here are well acquainted with the full depth, distressing detail, and extremely damaging impacts on every aspect of our economy, culture and American society --only now being fully understood in deadly impacts and desperate costs-- now arrived from this latest such searing experience, this time in our own democracy, once a republic.
It has been written, authoritatively, that “The American political persona is notably slow-learning, perhaps for good reasons implicit to any democracy”; but surely, with any assistance at all from our noted “free press” --and despite its conservative-interest ownership/influence-- we should have learned what inevitably follows when the “unitary executive” myth is allowed to prevail and shape any Presidency.
It is impossible to have both slashing attacks on all social-progress aspects of our society AND massively-funded further dollars for death and destruction via the Armed Forces, managed and manipulated through the Pentagon --which is what many now see as the “crowning achievement” of the Reagan years. (No pun-intended via “crowning years” !! --despite unmissable reflection of royal-prerogative/established.)
That fortress of conservative-interest --well-recognized by one-of-its own named Eisenhower-- how purports to “manage’ funding surpassing that of all other national armed forces in the entire world --and is reaching out into cuber-space to nail down its interests --and, if possible, its control of further funds so spent.
Worst-actions within Reagan-days are disputable since there are so many. But most historians now agree that Iran/Contra, with its inescapable end-point of the Iraq “wasting war” via preemptive choice of an overweening “unitary executive” example-action, is by far the most-documented dangerous-end on record.
The only fully-competing other-consequence is what has happened to our working Americans -at all levels--due to the defining death of the union movement, seen clearly as a consequence of the Reagan-determined policies and programs, despite his ostensible role as a union-action advocate.
The single most-significant characteristic from our past history is the inescapable signature of “the Imperial Presidency” on our foreign policy.
It is the resulting “wasting-wars” that provide the inescapable public record to which historians now turn.
Those costly-dreadful conflicts are, far too often in our history, forced by actions resulting from the manipulations and malignities forced upon Congress by the chief executive.
This is always done under the guise of his recognized Constitutional role as “Commander in Chief” of Army, Navy and our other forces, since, also always, there has been a small, determined group of true lovers of Constitutional governance to capsulize and then lead the strong opposition --which, also always, has developed on every such situation.
Nobody argues the necessity for rapid action on the President’s part, when faced with “present danger of attack or invasion”; but those phrases, wherever found, are open to ultimate distortion/perversion by those seeking undue influence; and often also private profit in terms other-than-political power.
We’ll do well --for both ourselves and our tattered and somewhat now-torn Constitution-- to keep the concept of “continuance” closely in focus and right up front in our citizen-contemplation prior to any vote.
The power of the people, depend on it, still hangs solely from the purity of the vote.
That is your responsibility, since it is your nation, and your choice --and your future, too.
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Reader’s Note: Quotes are condensed, combined, and excerpted for space reasons here; complete verbatim record available on request with ID to Editor Tim. See Wikipedia-via-Internet for many pages of fully detailed documentation, under a comprehensive group of headings.
For an early, famed and highly-detailed account of comprehensive history, see “The Imperial Presidency”; Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.; ISBN 0-393-17713-8
For the Schlesinger tour de force, be prepared for an eerily prescient presentation which will “curl your hair” and tighten your chest-around-the heart as you read, fantastically aware of what we may have barely escaped as the Bush-debacle descends into its well-earned shadows of darkening history.
Op Ed: 'Imperial' PresidencySalem-News.com