Dick's dark view on presidential powers

Last week, PBS Frontline aired a special that is getting plenty of attention and discussion called Cheney's Law. Above is a pretty damning clip about the administration's use of Signing Statements, which is the Bush administration's method of sticking up its collective middle finger at Congress and the American people. Never before in my lifetime do I remember a president telling Congress that it will do what it wants. Even more damning is the press's willingness to under report this ominous, unchecked increase in presidential power.

It's no secret that the old guard Republicans, most notably Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, were out to dramatically increase presidential power, even before 9-11. But, September 11 offered this administration the perfect opportunity (Read: Excuse) to do just that. Don and Dick were right in the middle of the Ford administration after the fall and resignation of President Nixon. After Watergate, the American public demanded, and Congress enacted, laws that reduced presidential powers.

This was inexcusable in the eyes of neocons Wolfowitz, Dick and Don. So far, the feckless Democratically controlled Congress and the press have done precious little about Bush's blatant, arrogant power grab, which has again created an imperial presidency of sorts.

Bush's use of signing statements alone, which openly flout laws that he has signed, should alone be an impeachable offense. (And there are many others.) If the Democratic party had any backbone whatsoever, which it has demonstrated on a daily basis it does not have, it would have put a stop to Bush's flagrant, lawbreaking presidency. Sigh.

All we can do is watch and wait. Only 457 days to go until we again have a legitimate president.

You can watch the entire PBS series, Cheney's Law, Here. I plan on watching it as soon as I can, and when I do I'll write my thoughts.