Gator90 said -

Isn't it the fact of the matter that the Democrats' strategy is to run out the clock on the Bush presidency while being just oppositional enough to keep the base sullen instead of mutinous, avoid the terrifying political risks of mounting any genuine challenge to despotic powers asserted by a despised president, hope that Bush leaves office without blowing up the world first, and hope that he is replaced by a Democrat or at least by a less despotic Republican, such that the present constitutional crisis can fade away without anyone having to do anything that might significantly upset the status quo?

Now, substitute the words "American republic", "rule of law" or "freedom and democracy" (your choice!) for Gator90's "Bush presidency" and you see exactly what "status quo" you have to look forward to. Enjoy.

Again, the question to ask is Where is the press!??

Todays top story at google:

Pakistan's Supreme court has reinstated its chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, four months after Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf suspended him.

It's a good thing our military swears fealty to the Constitution rather than the CIC but you would think that the fact that the USA is one now one step closer to being a military Dictatorship would garner more attention.

Most of the GOP leadership are Rovian at heart. They don't worry about precedent. They'll argue for absolute executive privilege for the next eighteen months, then they'll shamelessly switch back to their 1998 position.

Here's what they were cheering for in 1998:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/starr050698.htm

President Is Denied Executive Privilege
By Peter Baker and Susan Schmidt
Wednesday, May 6, 1998; Page A01

And it certainly appears that nothing will happen. And it is worth considering, as none of the presidential candidates have made statements condemning the power grabs of the last 5 years, perhaps they too, would like these expanded powers for themselves?

Like our President said (in front of cameras), "this would be a lot easier if was a dictatorship, as long as I'm the dictator."

I agree that this latest outrage was telegraphed, in flavor if not in degree of arrogance, long ago. And I agree that the real tragedy here not the abuse itself, but the acquiescence in it by Congress.

This institutional failure -- this mass Stockholm Syndrome of unprecedented scope and reach -- defies understanding and easy solutions. If the failure is one of vision, it is difficult to imagine what would make the scales fall from their eyes. If it is a failure of will, I do not know what would give them spine.

If it means what some cynics argue -- that Dems roll over now because they see themselves on the other side of the jackboot in 2008 -- our Republic is finished, and it is time to head for the lifeboats.

I've read Mr. Greenwald's postings for quite a while now, and I've always been impressed with the quality and depth of the postings and discussion.

It's hard for me to avoid feeling completely helpless, however well-informed I might be, after reading about the latest abuses of power that are occurring. I like knowing about what's going on, but I feel sometimes that there's no point in keeping informed, because I don't feel that there is *anything* that I personally can take action on to change the situation.

Sure, I vote when elections come around, and despite a big victory for Dems, there's been little to no change. So, remove the voting angle from the list of action items. How about calling or writing my congresspeople? [sarcasm] Oh yeah, I really feel that will have a huge effect [/sarcasm].

So what is there to do? I'm not asking this as a rhetorical question, but as an actual one. I believe in the Incredible Idea that is America, but I've almost lost all my faith in its' implementation. I feel that all I have is hope that things will get better in the future, and you can't bank exclusively on hope.

Translation: being able to conduct investigations for any reason we can concoct, like the Plame affair, will advance the cause of punishing Bush for his many sins.

Bring on the inquisition!
As always, IOKIYAD.

Isn't it the fact of the matter that the Democrats' strategy is to run out the clock on the Bush presidency while being just oppositional enough to keep the base sullen instead of mutinous, avoid the terrifying political risks of mounting any genuine challenge to despotic powers asserted by a despised president, hope that Bush leaves office without blowing up the world first, and hope that he is replaced by a Democrat or at least by a less despotic Republican, such that the present constitutional crisis can fade away without anyone having to do anything that might significantly upset the status quo?

It is hard to reach any other conclusion.

I think the same exact thinking applies to Iraq. Most Democrats in Congress don't REALLY want to force the end of the war. They want to appear to oppose the war but have it linger on, so that when 2008 rolls around, the public is just as angry as the Republicans as they were in 2006 and punishes them by electing the "anti-war" Democrats.

The President has always had the absolute power to shield anyone from prosecution. Besides his unquestionable control of DOJ as part of the Executive Branch, he also can use the power of pardon.

If the Democrats contest this, they will ipso facto weaken the legislative branch.

Things are just so much more efficient this way.

Bush was just going to use commutation and pardon to allow his administration's officials to flout the law anyway. Preemptively blocking prosecution like this just short-circuits the process.

No muss, no fuss!

Bring on the inquisition!

As always, IOKIYAD.

Too transparent. You need to be just a bit more subtle when you accuse others of your own problems. Wait a couple of pages and try it again.

does that go for former employees of the Executive as well?