V.P. Richard Cheney: The Reincarnation of V.P. Aaron Burr

Most Americans do not know much about their own history to their detriment. Most of the responsibility for this lack of knowledge about our true past is a result of the false propaganda disseminated by the MSM and the history textbooks selective discussion of U.S. history most favorable to the U.S. When I grew up in the 50s we played "cowboys and Indians" with the Indians clearly as the enemy. We also were taught that is was "better to be dead than red." Both premises were later proven false. But the consequences are still affecting the thinking of most of the people.

Today I thought about early U.S. history and the treason trial of Aaron Burr and I immediately thought of V.P. Cheney. Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in duel. Cheney shot and nearly killed a friend in a pheasant hunt. However, Burr's plans to try to incite a U.S. war against Spain and his desire to expand U.S. aggression westward led to his infamous treason trial of 1807.

The United States seemed on the verge of a war with Spain, even as Jefferson struggled to preserve neutrality. Americans west of the Alleghenies rejoiced in President Jefferson's acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, but boundary disputes and Spanish prohibitions on Louisiana residents' entry into Nueva Espana created resentment and threats of reprisal. The Viceroy of Mexico, allied generally with western Indians, sent troops to the Sabine River to protect the Spanish frontier from invasion by United States citizens. Most Westerners saw Spain as tyrannical and viewed Texas and Florida as a rightful part of the United States. Many of these same Westerners expressed a willingness to take Spanish territory by force. Meanwhile, Spain also worried about the designs of residents of its own dominion (especially Mexico), recognizing that the unprivileged masses had grown resentful of Spanish authority.

In this troubled time, the end of President Jefferson's first term, Aaron Burr stepped down from the Vice Presidency, and began preparations for a military expedition that was either-- depending upon whose views one solicited--treasonous or patriotic. At its core, however, the Burr Conspiracy clearly was about conquest and adventure.

A jury ultimately acquitted Burr after presiding Judge John Marshall provided Burr with favorable jury instructions. Burr's precedent would later be followed by a long list of expansionist Presidents and Administrations that had ultimately given our country the policy of manifest destiny. Unfortunately, what started with Burr in the New World has led to the Cheney policy globally. Burr escaped punishment for his treasonous acts even though his plans would have led to a military dictatorship ruled by him and hostile to U.S. interests. Burr never achieved power. Unfortunately Cheney has been calling the shots in a quasi-military dictatorship that he has managed by proxy in a style reminiscent to Aaron Burr.

The fact that Burr escaped punishment for his treasonous acts may have set the tone for the unabated imperialism that has given us Bush/Cheney. Perhaps we need another treason trial against Cheney for his waging of aggressive wars, trashing the Constitution, and leaking CIA classified information outing Valerie Plame for his own political benefit. Either through impeachment or indictment, a conviction of Cheney for treason would vindicate us for the 1807 acquittal of Aaron Burr.