Take Two

by tristero

My last post was, to many of you, a bit of a muddle. Sorry. Briefly,

1. Bush should exercise the powers of the president, but not be permitted to exert extra-presidential authority, as he has done, to this nation’s detriment. No more torture. No more warrantless wiretaps. No more wars. No more undermining scientific advisors and rewriting science reports. No more tax-payer paid propaganda. No more handouts to the super-rich. And so on.

2. Bush must be confronted directly and vigorously whenever he continues to behave like a dictator instead of a president.

3. Bush will continue to test the limits. How far will he and the rightwing Republicans go to usurp power they shouldn’t have? The near-confrontation between two different law enforcment groups over Schiavo perpetrated by (Jeb) Bush should give you an idea of how far these maniacs are prepared to take things.

4. As we all know, Bush is at least as stupid and impulsive as his brother.

5. This means that Congress must not only be strong, but smart in confronting Bush, as he could, intentionally or through sheer stupidity move the situation to a major crisis that would make the Saturday Night Massacre look like a party.

6. No one sane should wish for that level of crisis. It may feel good to say, “let’s go for it, bring it on, George” but the truth is that the kind of confrontation (Jeb) Bush perpetrated over Schiavo was insane and a dreadful catastrophe was averted because cooler heads than the Bush brothers prevailed. No one – not you, not I – wants to see that happen on the federal level. Nor is it necessary for Congress to let Bush push things that far in a successful struggle to contain him.

7. Provided the Congress is not only strong in confronting Bush, but very smart at doing so as well.

A lot of us are furious with Bush and can’t wait to investigate and where crimes have been committed, punish. Me, too. And no doubt, there will be ample opportunity for him to pull more crap. However, as he is confronted and checked, and the ongoing Constitutional crisis (since the 2000 election theft) becomes even more blatant, our quite justified anger will be less useful than a healthy dose of cold, calculated, well-reasoned, and forceful tactics.

Again, Congress must be smart where Bush is stupid. Thoughtful where Bush goes with his gut. Consistent where Bush is impulsive. And Immovable in the face of a powerful, unstable, and deeply obsessive child/man who should never have been president.