While words like socialism and nationalization (and even the C word!) get bandied around in accusatory tones, it occurs to me that Bush and his cronies got off the chopping block way too easy. I am not sure why developing a few socialized principles into reality, like making sure that the more than 40 million Americans who are over 65 years get health care (our frail parents, mind you!) gets lashed with so many negative responses. Does it occur to the naysayers that they will age, and indeed are doing so at this very moment? Are they so unwise to think they would never be in such a position when they are old, where health insurance becomes an extra instead of an essential? I'm sure our elderly did not conceive that this could happen to them either.
In contrast, the NY Times published an article yesterday detailing some of the executive privileges that the Bush administration took over the last six years (post 9/11). During this time, they took, "a broad interpretation of presidential authority, asserting as well that the president could unilaterally abrogate foreign treaties, ignore any guidance from Congress in dealing with detainees suspected of terrorism, and conduct a program of domestic eavesdropping without warrants." First of all, this has been presented as if it's new news. It's not. We've known about these unauthorized extensions to the executive branch for years now. What I want to know, is why there hasn't been more figure pointing, more attention, more labeling of what our government was becoming...an oligarchy?...monarchy?...dictatorship?!!! Only once have I seen the mainstream media explore this path, in which, notably AFTER the 2008 presidential election, Bush administration was referred to as the "Imperial Presidency."
And meanwhile, we the people, what are we going to do about it? Step 1, change direction. Check: we've elected President Obama. Step 2: Ensure this executive exploitation of power does not happen again?
Stroll
6 years ago
1 comment:
it's that people are extremely apathetic about things they don't or can't understand. i don't have enough faith in much of humanity anymore to believe that they will actively work to educate themselves about the world around them and how things work and their part in how general business is conducted in this country. and i say that not to be the mean person that i am, but because i see so much of it around me. not just in wyoming (where the anti-obama-ites are stockpiling their weapons and walk around in public saying loudly "i hope he is assassinated soon.") they actually say this stuff around here and are proud that they don't read and don't listen to anything other than what the local church tells them. they're proud of this. and i have a haunting and increasingly verifiable suspicion that the same is true for a lot of people in this country. and it's sad, but you can't make a stubborn, ignorant person change their mind about feeling a-ok about that ignorance. believe me, i've tried. it doesn't work.
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