The following piece is part of an ongoing series of OffTheBus reports by citizen policy experts critiquing different aspects of Campaign 08.
John Dean knows something about White House abuse of power. He wrote a bestseller in 2004 on the Bush White House called Worse Than Watergate. In a recent interview I asked him what he thinks of that title now. Now, he replied, a book comparing Bush and Nixon would have to be called Much, Much Worse.
"Look at the so-called Watergate abuses of power," he said. "Nobody died. Nobody was tortured. Millions of Americans were not subject to electronic surveillance of their communications. We're playing now in a whole different league."
And how does Bush compare with the Republicans seeking to succeed him? "If a Rudy Giuliani were to be elected," Dean said, "he would go even farther than Cheney and Bush in their worst moments."
What about the rest of the pack? "I'm very concerned about the current attitude in the Republican party," he said. "However there are candidates on the Republican side who are not quite as frightening as Giuliani." When I asked who he had in mind, he laughed and said "Ron Paul." He conceded that "there's no chance he's going to be president."
Dean's new book is Broken Government: How Republican Rule Destroyed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches. It's a massively documented and thorough indictment, arguing that, over the last 30 years, Republicans have broken or ignored laws, rules, and the Constitution. He's especially critical of the growth of presidential power under Bush II, and what he calls the "corruption" of the courts by "radical conservatives."
I asked Dean to imagine the moment when Bush leaves office on Jan. 20, 2009, presumably to be replaced by a Democrat, presumably Hillary -- will it then be possible to say "our long national nightmare is over"? Dean replied with one word: "Yes."
He quickly added, "I do feel strongly that the Republicans have so abused the law and embedded so many people within the system, within the executive branch, that's it's going to take a couple of terms of Democratic presidents before you have people there who are representing the American people."
Does that mean he is supporting Hillary? "She's obviously the one the other Democrats have to beat," he said, "but I don't take any position."
How then would he describe his political position? He says in his new book that he's left his "former tribe" - does that make him a Democrat today? "It doesn't," he replied. "I carry water for nobody. My only interest is being an honest information broker about what's happening. I have no agenda other than explaining - and being shocked at my former tribe."
"I've had invitations to become involved with Democrats," he added, "and have turned them all down. I'm an independent. That happens to be the largest group of voters in the country today - we're about 40 per cent strong."
When I pressed Dean to comment on the Democratic candidates, he said he was more interested in whether any Democrats would raise what he called "process" issues - "kind of a dull-sounding word, but actually it's about the machinery of democracy. I was stunned when the Kerry campaign in 2004 totally ignored the remarkable secrecy of the Bush administration. I called the Kerry campaign after the election, and asked them why they hadn't raised this issue. The Kerry people told me, 'We didn't raise it because it's a process issue.'"
"I began making inquiries," he continued, "and found that lots of Democratic party campaign consultants believe that the candidates shouldn't mention process issues. Democrats thought it would make them look wimpy to say 'we're being excluded from the legislative process.' Kerry didn't want to raise secrecy for the same reason - he thought it would sound wimpy."
Was Kerry right about the electorate? "I found that's exactly 180 digress away from the truth," Dean replied. "Most people can't tell you what a motion to recommit is. They don't know about that kind of process. But they know when they're getting screwed. And process is designed to protect the public interest. So people get it when the game of politics is not being played fairly, when one party is using the process for their own benefit. These kinds of things are of great interest to about 20 to 30 million voters."
What about the many more who are apathetic and ignorant -- doesn't that make him pessimistic about political change? Dean conceded that "large segments of the American public are turned off and tuned out from the democratic process. They can't name their senators. They don't know who's the Chief Justice. But the reason I'm optimistic is that I think we have enough proxies in those who are interested. They are fairly representative of those who are not. When you give them the information they need, they do the right thing. That's why I'm trying to give people good information and hard facts to show people what's gone wrong."
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(Part I)
I'm someone who believes in Health Care for all Americans...one-payer system controlled by government, which would put all private insurance out of business. The task of managing the Health Care would go to the one organization that could negotiate the cheapest rate to the government on all medications/medical procedures/services. These people are all terrorists, and want to profit off of the misery of others.
I also believe in taking back land containing our oil resources...buy out the land from the owners. If there's one thing "Eminent Domain" should be applied to it's these people who own lands that are the life-blood of our economy. Oil is not a private resource, it's a national resource, and we can't have monopolies controlling it. It's this very envy of personal wealth that led us into Iraq. If our government had cotrol of the oil production, and distribution, the Billions in profits which you can determine by adding up the Billions made every quarter by these oil companies, the money would pay for Education, Health Care, Social programs/services, etc. for ALL Americans.
Instead of spending Billions $$$ in an illegal occupation/war in Iraq for oil and reconstructions profits, that money could be spent here...paying for aging infrastructure, Education, Health Care, Social programs/services, etc. We're being Bankrupted by these human leeches in government, and in the White House who live off the blood and sweat of others, and sell you out to the U.S Corporate Plantation. We know that money being spent in Iraq has no oversight, it's not accounted for, and is simply going into the pockets of military personnel, and contractors who know how to explore the loopholes in the system.
I also believe that everyone's entitled to affordable housing. Housing is a necessity, not a luxury. I would agree on real-estate for profit if we're talking about commercial real-estate, not private real-estate, unless dealing with luxury homes. Government needs to step in and control real-estate evaluation (normally done by cities/states to receive more in tax money, despite the real value of properties), control rent increases, and set a ceiling on housing prices. The only thing this government has managed to do is create more and more homelessness.
Homelessness is also being created by the Corporate Plantation using people's credit scores to make determinations on hiring decisions...this is unethical. A person's credit history doesn't determine whether or not a person is qualified to do the job in question...this is discrimination.
Our Social Security money is being used to fund pet projects. That money's paid out by all Americans from their paychecks, and should not be touched without the consent of the American people.
The minimum wage is a poverty/slave wage. It's the Corporate plantation's way of controlling us by buying out the people working for you in government. Even the people in government are giving themselves raises at our expense. In 10 years, they gave themselves 9 raises, and in those same 10 years, they gave the American people a slave wage increase. It pays to be a terrorist in governmnt who has total control over how people are dignified, regardless of what job they do. Studies have been done, for a single person to be able survive on their own, they'd have to make between $16-$20/hr. just to keep up with expenses...food, rent, clothing, transportation, utilities, etc., (NO SAVINGS INCLUDED). The current minimum wage is something you pay teenagers who live at home (parents pay for everything), and don't have the responsibilities of adults who live on their own.
I believe that for this government to change, people are going to have to get Angry/Furious/Outraged in order to do something about these, and many other things. Our governmet doesn't work, it's broken, bought out, and being run by terrorists who are only looking out for THEIR OWN best interests, and not those of the American people.
I'm still waiting for a presidential candidate who can come out and address all these concerns. I can almost guarantee that the one who can address all these concerns, as well as others, will be elected by the majority of Americans.
Of course, if she loses and the Dems fail yet again to capture the middle, the marginalization of these two archaic and corrupt parties will only hasten.
not voting for impeachment, not putting behind muscle in the war stopping movement, the candidates rubbing elbows with insurance companies rather than making a free one payer heath plan,
sorry that won't work and that is why hilarious cannot be made madam president
In hindsight, Bush is worse than Nixon but these are different times. Who knows how Nixon would have reacted if he was our president now. Who knows how Dubya would have behaved during Nixon's time. These scenarios are speculative and hypothetical now. The Nixon and Bush 43 administrations were/are faced with different circumstances. So without having read Dean's book I would say comparing the two administrations is more like comparing apples to oranges. I will reserve the rest of my thoughts till I read Dean's book when I get the chance.
40% of the voters opting for an independent candidate is a sad state of affairs because there aren't enough independent candidates who can effectively compete with the entrenched Democrats and Republicans in the even more entrenched two party system. In effect the block of 40% independents will be forced to vote for someone they really don't want or may decide not to vote at all.
Clearly a sizable part of our population is disenchanted with our politicians and have been. Ross Perot showed in 1992 how large this segment is. George Wallace showed the same back in 1968. Resolving this matter is no easy task and impossible to achieve by the 2008 election. It involves a fundamental change in our political structure that both Democratic and Republican parties will vehemently resist. Yet at some point in this nation's future, they must acquiesce. Two parties don't effectively represent the individual and collective interests of this nation's 300 million people, commerce, organizations and other institutions.
Gramma Rose
I want to add another comment. I've been a lifelong Democrat, since the age of 18, because I've always believed in Democracy, and the ability to be part of a party that would truly make a change in government for the better. I'm 32 now, and the only thing I've seen in the last 14 years on the part of the Democratic party is the ability to conspire with terrorists (Republican party), the ability to reach indecision on everything, and the inability to take charge of government in order to oust those who abuse the Presidency. Pelosi has taken Impeachment "off of the table". I consider this to be an outrage... Is she aware of all the crimes Bush & his administrations have committed, or is she just conspiring against All of America to protect a terrorist in the White House? If she had some courage, and some decency as a human being, she would rally the Democratic party, and prove to America that Democrats are a party of change? I'm officially dropping out of the Democratic party to become an Independent. I would also advise all other Democrats to do the same. I've never favored Republicans due to their abuse of power, and Corporate sell-out, but if there's one Republican I support, it's Ron Paul. However, I think he should become an Independent if he wants a real chance of making it into the Presidency. Republicans & Democrats just don't cut it anymore. We need a new government, and Independents have to lead the way in representing the majority of Americans. Thank you for your time.
Gramma Rose
History ALWAYS repeats itself. Terrorists always re-invent Conspiracies & EVIL in new ways!!! If Giuliani had his way, he'd have America running under a Mussolini-style dictatorship. It's already bad enough that this terrorist allowed 9/11 to happen on his watch, and now he's expecting the American people to vote for him so that more 9/11s can take place, people can give up their freedoms/rights, and more wars can be waged for oil & profits. Giuliani's not only a disgrace to America, he should be looked at as a disgrace to his Italian heritage. Americans need to stand up, and make these terrorists realize that this country is ours!!! Peace & God bless those who stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves. We owe it to the victims of 9/11, and the Iraq war to seek justice for their deaths!!!
Gramma Rose
The great vision of the Founders is foundering by means of greed and deception.
Very depressing.
To fuss and whine about the 'process' at this moment ONLY frustrates and confuses the average citizen who ONLY knows they're angry but not really why!
Whoever the Democratic nominee becomes it is ONLY commitment and unity of the Party that
will allow America to become the world leader again to lead in the serious issues of global and planetary survival:
1. GLOBAL WARMING (which in itself will solve other vital issues like ENERGY, FOOD PRODUCTION; RAIN FOREST CONSERVATION; TRANSPORTATION, etc)
2. DESTRUCTION OF ALL NUCLEAR WEAPONS;
3. POPULATION CONTROL/GLOBAL HEALTH CARE
in each Continent;
4. NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY DETERMINED BY
HUMAN NEED AND NOT BY CORPORATE INTERESTS.
To allow the Republican fascist economic collusion policies to continue to control America will further erode our national influence, further increase global conflict and violence and further destroy our national security- otherwise, we may elect a Republican
and watch thinking Americans move to Canada, Mexico and progressive European countries because that's where sanity, money and jobs will be!
Energy, food production, housing, and manufacturing- all aspects of our economy are wrapped up in and dependant on whether Americans have the money to pay for the goods and services we use and/or need. If all our jobs are sent overseas, guess what? If we don't change the status quo we are in very real danger of becoming a colony of China
Gramma Rose
Did the Joint Chiefs want Nixon out because he and Kissinger opened trade with China and were backing out of Vietnam with a "respectful interval?" Or, did a clumsy group of ex-CIA burglars and some Nixon operatives try to determine what the Democrats strategy was in wiretapping the Democratic National Headquarters hoping that McGovern would win the nomination?
Why was the Washington Post, and Bernstein and Woodward chosen?
Kissinger is back with his history of operations in Chile and elsewhere.
We need a Deepthroat now - but even more than that - a Congress that will impeach this cabal on the existing evidence. Follow the money!
They weren't chosen. They were investigative journalists, working for a non-partisan, well run paper (Kate Graham and Ben Bradley) and they looked for stories and followed leads. I am a news and political junky but except for Olberrman, Stewart and Colbert, I am about finished with the MSM. Now all we have as reporters (sorry David Shuster) are corporate shills; waiting for news to happen, girls to disappear, another OJ crime or Britney to show up with no underwear.
Again, why would Deepthroat speak to Bernstein and Woodward? Do you know about Woodward's background in the U.S. Navy? Also, why did Woodward cover for Bush so much before the 2004 election? If you know, tell me that? There's more to this than meets the eye. Thanks.
Lots of us have served this country, and there are lots of good people here just waiting for the opening to put things right, but there are also lots of worthless fuckers who don't deserve the benefits of a free, open society. Those are the true enemies of our way of life, not some foreign fucker.
You see, a friend of mine said the same thing in 2000. Well, not exactly; he just said that he would rather not vote to guard against someone getting elected, and if it meant having to hit rock bottom, so be it. We haven't seen the worst of our selfishness.
You are absolutely right regarding the unworthiness of the particular mass about whom you speak. The value of today's citizen is simply how and how much they spend. It's just so sad that more people can't see how this behavior hurts others. The bottom line is our democracy, not the other way around.
Gramma Rose