Neocons believe that some decisions are too complex, and far too transcendental for the nation’s security and stability, to be left to the process of democratic deliberation. The President, and his advisors, must therefore allow themselves the leeway to maneuver in dangerous waters, even if it requires doing so in the back of the simplistic people, or deceiving them when constitutional restraints deem it necessary. The power that the Bush Administration wants to confer to the presidency is part of an ideological imperative to change the rules of the game, even if that game is most likely to be played two years from now by a Democrat in the White House.
The premise above sounds plausible, but are the blunders consistently made by the Administration really part of a well-thought-out plan to overthrow the Rule of Law and impose American Imperialism? Or is it simply a strange marriage of naiveté, idealism and incompetence, the likes of which have not been seen since Forest Gump? Most probably, like most things human, it is somewhere in between. Lack of forethought and consistency in flawed logic in the efforts of the President to bring about what he considers is in the best interest of the US and the world notwithstanding, this time the elements could be there for the most masterful conniving conspiracy of them all, and Alberto Gonzalez could be the bait. Democrats are so eager to go after Bush that it is plausible they are being set up to swallow hook, line and sinker.
Imagine the following scenario: Democrats go overboard and levy the accusation that the Bush Administration wants not only an all-powerful Executive, but also one bereft of oversight. They do not take the offer to have Karl Rove and others testify without taking oath, and subpoena them to testify. The process becomes a media circus; the polarization of partisan politics then takes every argument to its logical extreme, to the point that efforts to centralize political power in Iraq are made analogous to Bush’s intentions to be the one that calls all of the shots, and his intent to do so without any process of oversight or deliberation. Joseph Biden is already proposing for Iraq a Federation, following the model in the Balkans, to provide the Iraqi political system with oversight and checks and balances that the different parties may deem necessary for peaceful co-existence. So, the case could be made that Bush, just like he mistakenly wants an all powerful Executive in Iraq in order to deal with its own crisis, is also tweaking the standards and executive privileges to have his authority and Machiavellian designs go here unchecked.
The Plume fiasco, and the corresponding indictment of Libby, may be precedent for the need to force the President’s advisors to provide testimony under oath. Drummed by the well-intentioned efforts of people like the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy, Democrats may bet all their marbles on the game of “gotcha”, and push for actions that will most certainly stir up emotions on both sides of the fence. When all the smoke blows and the pieces fall into place, it may turn out that even Senator Feinstein had questioned fired US Attorney Carol Lam’s performance. Then, once the case of the firing of the US attorneys has been taken to the courts, has been made a huge stink over, and turns out to be much ado about nothing, Democrats will have let the fish go, and maybe opened the door to lose the next elections.
Bush needed to lie only once to lose his credibility. If he now proves that it is blood thirsty partisan politics that is irresponsibly driving his rivals across the aisle to go after him, and his fall guy, Alberto Gonzalez, is acquitted of wrong doing, then suspicion of deception will be shone on the intent and spirit of those who went after his head. Is this the possible script for a cunning plan on the part of some Republican insiders to allow those that follow to keep the White House?
No, I don’t think so.
More likely, as they have been all along, the Bush Administration is simply plain dumb.
Maybe brilliantly so!
Flavio Machicado Teran
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