Anchors, Away

Some think because I have expressed heartfelt disapproval for the top tier Democratic candidates, Clinton, Obama, and Edwards, that I am part of some Neocon regime, supporting the Bush Administration, including Cheney, Rove, and Gonzales, to the death.  Not so.  That does not mean I don’t support, or even favor, President Bush, my Commander-in-Chief; in fact, my admonishment for the Administration is purely for the sake of the President himself.  I know, Ricky; I’ve got some explaining to do.

Karl Rove recently announced he will be stepping down as Deputy Chief of Staff by the end of the month.  Whether or not he got a pink slip or he left on his own volition is yet to be determined.  I’ve studied this looking for clues, and I can’t tell.  I was asked at work by a colleague, “What do you think about your boy (meaning Rove) leaving?”  This is when I realized my outspoken disapproval for the incongruence of today’s liberal mindset had single-handedly categorized me with the Architect himself.  I replied, “I think it’s one of the best things that could have happened for President Bush.  The next best thing would be if Alberto Gonzales followed suit.”

The Bush Administration has been weighted down by these two anchors recently, first when Rove was apparently tied to the Scooter Libby trial, being asked for a revised testimony four times (for a total of five sworn testimonies) to avoid a perjury charge, then again for his involvement (or tampering) with the Justice Department with the firing of U.S. Attorneys.  No one can say how many times Rove’s opinion was sought for various decisions in the White House, or how much weight it had.  Secondly, Alberto Gonzales has also brought much discredit to the Presidency with his apparent false statements regarding the initially justified firing of U.S Attorneys.  I believe it does not matter why they were fired, which is surprising to some.  That is not the issue for me any longer.  Couple this dishonesty with more dishonesty with regards to a bedside visitation to his then-ill predecessor, John Ashcroft, when Gonzales asked for his support in the electronic monitoring program in 2004.  Before the Senate, the Attorney General refused to say who sent him to see Ashcroft.  With one anchor cut loose, it’s now time to focus on the other.

Alberto Gonzales’s credibility is all but gone; his invocation of executive privilege has become so outlandish that it brings the very power it holds into question.  In the 1953 Supreme Court ruling of U.S. vs. Reynolds, Justice Anthony Kennedy stated, “Executive privilege is an extraordinary assertion of power not to be lightly invoked.”  History indeed held this precedent, with only five previous Presidents using executive privilege, and only effectively substantiated twice:  once for George Washington, when dealing with treaties, and once for Richard Nixon, where the Supreme Court affirmed, “a valid need for protection of communications,” but denied “absolute privilege.”  Now, this Administration has called on executive privilege a total of nine times since 2001, and four times in July 2007 alone.  These assertions have so far landed Harriet Miers and Joshua Bolten with Contempt of Congress citations.  History is still being written concerning the fate of Rove and Gonzales before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The reason I support the removal of these two officials is rudimentary.  I believe it is essential for the sake of the President.  I know that President Bush believes in the power of liberty to change the world.  He has made bold statements such as this from a previous State of the Union address:  “The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.”  This embodies my foreign affairs mentality as well.  Sadly, these scandals have traded feedom for friendship.  Our basic democratic tenets call for an effective rule of law and a certain amount of transparency in the democratic process.  I know none of this turned out the way they thought it would, but it’s time to stand up for liberty.  For those on further right who may disagree with my approach, realize Kenneth Starr shot down Clinton’s executive privilege during the Lewinsky scandal, declaring, “Absolutely nobody is above the law.”  This included a President then, so it undoubtedly includes those within the Administration now.  It’s time to stop dragging anchor and finish this next year and a half strong.