The Rule of Bush vs. The Rule of Law

Those of you with young children have probably run into this problem. You give your child permission to do something (like go play with his crayons) and - after he then does something you never intended him to do (like using them to draw all over the walls) - he comes back at you and says "But you told me I could play with them!"

Welcome to the presidency of George W. "But you told me I could" Bush.

The Congress gave him the authority to (essentially) "wage war against the terrorists", and he has now ordered the NSA to spy on Americans here at home without the legally required court approval...because he thinks that's part of "waging war against the terrorists".

It's enough to blow one's mind. Except, when one stops to think about the kind of "mind" one is talking about. Then it doesn't. Then one sees that what we've got here is a totally unchecked - but also very smart and manipulative - mind...like those of many children. (Note to self: If you ever get to talk to her, tell Barbara Bush that - in the case of her son George - she raised a *really* spoiled child.)

And he's been that way since Day One as president. How else to explain that he took that absolutely closest election victory in US history and turned it into a license to go Hard Right in his policy positions? "But you told me I could be president now." I'm sure that's what he was thinking after he took the oath of office...and then within weeks started talking to his advisors about taking out Saddam.

The fact that George W. Bush may turn out to be the most emotionally immature president we've ever had...our "school yard bully" president who only wants thing his way...also sheds some light on his use of the "D-word" (which he used again during today's press conference.

Why does George Bush like to use the word "dictator"? Because that's the word kids learn means "an adult who wants to have things his way...and gets them!". That's our George!

He used the word again this morning...when provoked by the reporter who used the phrase "unchecked power". In answer to this question...

"...if the global war on terror is going to last for decades, as has been forecast, does that mean that we're going to see, therefore, a more or less permanent expansion of the unchecked power of the executive in American society?"

...Bush said "Hold on a second, please. There is the check of people being sworn to uphold the law, for starters. There is oversight. We're talking to Congress all the time, and on this program, to suggest there's unchecked power is not listening to what I'm telling you. I'm telling you, we have briefed the United States Congress on this program a dozen times....This is an awesome responsibility to make decisions on behalf of the American people, and I understand that, Peter....And we'll continue to work with the Congress, as well as people within our own administration, to constantly monitor programs such as the one I described to you, to make sure that we're protecting the civil liberties of the United States. To say "unchecked power" basically is ascribing some kind of dictatorial position to the President, which I strongly reject."

To paraphrase Hamlet, "The President doth protest too much, methinks."

Let's connect some dots here...

This is now the fourth time (on the record) that George has used the "D-word". Here are the other three... If only I was a dictator", by George W. Bush

"You don't get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier." Describing what it's like to be governor of Texas. (Governing Magazine 7/98) - From Paul Begala's "Is Our Children Learning?"

"I told all four that there are going to be some times where we don't agree with each other, but that's OK. If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator," Bush joked. - CNN.com, December 18, 2000

"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it, " [Bush] said.
-- Business Week, July 30, 2001

And, of course, we should also include the "dot" of Bush calls the Constitution "just a goddamned piece of paper"

Okay...this is the disease. We have a "but you told me I could" president. What do we do?

Well, for one, we (as in The Congress...the representatives of "we, the people") becomes *very careful* about what we tell President Bush he can and cannot do. No more blanket authorizations to "keep us safe". Since this boy-president has no concept of limits (I guess he never burned himself playing with fire as a child), Congress will have to impose them on him. ("Oh yes. 'Congressional oversight.' I remember what that is." thinks Republican Senator So-And-So for the first time in five years.)

Second, we revise all previous permissions we have given him...especially that pesky "You have the authority to fight the terrorists" permission we gave him after 9/11. Boy, has that one caused the walls of our house to get filthy or what?!?!

And third, we give him that "burning his hand while playing with fire" experience he apparently never had.

We demand Congressional hearings into the question "Has the President of the United States broken the law?"

You see, George, we live in a nation governed by The Rule of Law, not The Rule of Bush.

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By the way...on a related subject - in what I will chalk up to one of those little "acts of God" that seem to control who does and who does not get through on the C-Span call in lines - I actually got to voice my concerns about Bush's power grab on C-Span after the press conference. I was the "caller from Bryn Mawr, PA" toward the end of that segment if you were listening. Thank you, God, for whatever role you played in my getting through for the first time in many attempts.