Rich's column and buying the premise of fascist government.

[Inland]

With regard to Frank Rich's article, a premise is that Bush's foray into widespread illegal wiretapping is a Hail Mary pass for a big break on the terror front, which has only shown large failures to date, see original thread here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=75885

It's an interesting thought, but in my mind the more interesting premise, not of Rich but asserted by Rich to be the admin's, that things go a lot more effectively when it's all the president without either permission or the opportunity for review.

I think the Bush admin believes that the only way to make the trains run on time is to remove even the most cursory and pro forma involvement of anyone not under the President's direct control. They really think that the best way to stop alqaeda is make the president unaccountable and uncontrolled.

As Rich pointed out, the failures in the war on terror weren't prevented by illegal spying, and legally available means have been ignored.

But for Bushies, a "strong executive" is good for what ails you. Their only tool is that hammer and everything is starting to look like a nail. It's an article of faith. A fascist faith, and anti-democratic faith, a faith that requires not looking at what actually happens to that power, that we are not trading liberty for more security.

As a mother of a friend of mine said": she had grown up in Mussolini's Italy, and in fact he didn't make the trains run on time. But he did make people stop complaining about it.

[KittyWampus]

1. Intent. I'd Argue Jr.'s Cabal Has No INTENTION Of Stopping Terrorism

it gives them ever more opportunities to sieze more power and control.

The BFEE has no incentive to stop terrorism as long as we allow them to strip us of our civil liberties.

[BuyingThyme]

2. kcik