Thursday, May 21, 2009

THE ROAD TO TORTURE IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS!


























Dandy Dick is on his Torture Tour trying to sell the idea of the "Goodness" behind the torture done on our behalf during the Bush Administration.

He was on the airwaves yet again yesterday morning at the same time that President Obama himself was delivering an extremely eloquent address at the National Archives on the whole torture and enemy combatant/detainee saga. I listened to both and it was a stark contrast to say the least. The president couldn't have been more cogent, concise, measured and searing in his overall assessment of the "mess" he has inherited from the Bush Crime Family.

Let's face it, Dick likes to break bones. He doesn't make any "bones" about that. He doesn't have any real cajones of his own so this is his way of acquiring any sense of manhood. For Dick, it's a matter of let's have a beer and break some bones. That'll learn those commie/Muslim-loving /liberal/ latte/ sushi/ Gucci/ chardonnay/ West Wing/ granola/ yogurt-gulping/ book-reading/ cardigan sweater-wearing/ post-graduate/ Volvo-driving/ NPR-listening types.

There's a constitutional law principle involved here. You might be familiar with it from one of your college classes in Con Law - "Clear And Present Danger." Dick Cheney and his ilk represent precisely that.

In a sense Cheney's public address yesterday brings to mind two prior sad episodes in American history that confronted a sitting president involving a similar chain-of-command dilemma now facing President Obama, i.e. how to deal with a "loose caboose" or "misguided missile" public figure. In April 1951 General Douglas MacArthur was finally fired by President Harry Truman for insubordination. It seems that General MacArthur wanted to go north of the 38th parallel in North Korea in defiance of President Truman's explicit orders to the contrary. Going back further in American history Franklin Delano Roosevelt finally had to deal with Democratic Senator Huey Long of Louisiana. In a national radio address on February 23, 1934, in the depths of the depression, Senator Long unveiled his “Share Our Wealth” plan that was nothing short of rampant demagoguery.

We are faced with a similar situation today in the person of Dick Cheney and it's worse this time around because it actually involves BOTH insubordination and demagoguery. It's time for this sitting president to make Darth Vader/Dick Cheney understand in no uncertain terms: I'm the president and you're not, Dickie boy and your steppin' where you best not be steppin'. Frankly, it's time for a little Whoop-Ass for the "Dick."

Dick Cheney is a Clear And Present Danger!

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