The Legacy of an Imperial Presidency

One of the most fundamental aspects of our democracy is the balance of power between the three branches of government. It was designed to ensure that no one branch became more powerful than the others. The framers of the Constitution knew well how the use of arbitrary power could harm a nation. Unfortunately, the current occupant of the White House is not a student of American history.

To get a sense of where "The Decider" comes from, the following quote pretty much sums it up. Mr. Bush, in Bush at War, states, "I'm the commander -- see, I don't need to explain -- I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation."

Mr. Bush (and the majority of his minions) have forgotten who actually "owns" this country. We are the shareholders. We're the ones funding this "company". When the CEO isn't doing what we want, he should go. If the Board of Directors ignores our pleas, they should go as well.

The White House has consistently taken an end run around Congress, often with their tacit blessing. They have made a mockery of our judicial system and played politics where law says they should not. They have eroded our civil liberties in the name of security. It is as if the rules do not apply.

I know Nancy Pelosi has said she does not want to take up the matter of impeachment. I strongly disagree. Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney and Mr. Gonzales have damaged our democracy and I, for one, do not want that to stand. It sets a very dangerous precedent.

Would I take this same stand if the parties involved were Democrats? Yes. Partisan politics is not the issue, though those in Washington would love to have you believe that. The issue is the need for the citizenry to show those who hold office they do so at our good will and they'd best remember that. Impeaching Cheney, Bush & Gonzales will indicate to the rest of them that we will NOT allow anyone to hijack our country just because they think they own it.

It's time to send a message to the folks in Washington. Help us rebuild this nation and we're with you. Hare off on some delusional agenda and ignore the Constitution, we'll hold you accountable. We're the deciders, not you. Until they understand that, our democracy is risk.