Fanmail From Some Flounder? No, This Is What I Really Call A Letter To The Editor!
The SF Chronicle announced that in this coming Sunday's edition (1/18), the Insight section where the op-eds are found will be devoted to a discussion of the Bush Legacy. They invite readers to send in their views of just what that will entail (letters@sfchronicle, if you'd like to contribute). Here's my missive, most likely bound for the cutting-room floor:
Editor --
Who knew that the disgraced Richard Nixon would turn out to be a prophet?
The Bush legacy is nothing less than the fulfillment of Nixon's above-the-law philosophy, stated so eloquently in his quote, "When the President does it, that means it's not illegal." George Bush and Dick Cheney spent eight years making criminality an art form. They defied the Constitution, brazenly broke laws and ignored treaties, then had the temerity to admit publicly that they had done so, daring Congress or the courts to stop them. Rather than acting as a check or balance to their excesses, a compliant Congress, unfortunately, continued throughout their time in office to enable them in their criminal endeavors. Witness the rewriting of FISA to retroactively approve what had been illegal wiretapping; the meek acquiescence to continued funding of a war that was entered into illegally; the condoning of torture by military personnel and the CIA, and so much more. Bush's legacy is one that should put all Americans to shame, because we shared in his criminal behavior by not impeaching him and his bloodthirsty Vice-President, but instead allowing them to stay in office and continue their morally bankrupt and ruinous policies. The Bush II term will no doubt be seen by historians as the nadir of the American presidency; it will have to be, because if we ever allow anyone worse to occupy the White House (Sarah Palin, for instance), it will surely mean the end of the United States as we know it.
I'm still trying to convince myself that we haven't reached that point already.
Love,
Generik
Editor --
Who knew that the disgraced Richard Nixon would turn out to be a prophet?
The Bush legacy is nothing less than the fulfillment of Nixon's above-the-law philosophy, stated so eloquently in his quote, "When the President does it, that means it's not illegal." George Bush and Dick Cheney spent eight years making criminality an art form. They defied the Constitution, brazenly broke laws and ignored treaties, then had the temerity to admit publicly that they had done so, daring Congress or the courts to stop them. Rather than acting as a check or balance to their excesses, a compliant Congress, unfortunately, continued throughout their time in office to enable them in their criminal endeavors. Witness the rewriting of FISA to retroactively approve what had been illegal wiretapping; the meek acquiescence to continued funding of a war that was entered into illegally; the condoning of torture by military personnel and the CIA, and so much more. Bush's legacy is one that should put all Americans to shame, because we shared in his criminal behavior by not impeaching him and his bloodthirsty Vice-President, but instead allowing them to stay in office and continue their morally bankrupt and ruinous policies. The Bush II term will no doubt be seen by historians as the nadir of the American presidency; it will have to be, because if we ever allow anyone worse to occupy the White House (Sarah Palin, for instance), it will surely mean the end of the United States as we know it.
I'm still trying to convince myself that we haven't reached that point already.
Love,
Generik
posted by Generik at 9:26 AM
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