The Coming Constitutional Crisis

Dear readers, I was set to come into work today and declare the death of American Democracy. Our system of checks and balances designed to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful and preventing the kind of tyranny we fought a war of independance for over 200 years ago is breaking down at an alarming rate. The concentration of power within the executive branch has been happening slowly since WWII IMHO, but seems to be hitting critical mass with the current administration. We've got a president who can ignore habeas corpus, declare war, and spy on American citizens without fear of arrest or retribution. Congress, fattened and contented with special interest money, has either given him these powers outright, or done nothing to fight this dangerous concentration of power. The Supreme Court, with the confirmation of Samuel Alito, will now be packed with enough right wing ideologues to shield the president from any sort of legal recourse. (Like they weren't in his pocket already when they gave him the 2000 election). Even the Fourth Estate, now a collection of corporations, are firmly within his grip.

George W. Bush is a tyrannt, and that's not hyperbole. He rules this country (and maybe the world) without fear of restriction of his power by a constitution, laws, or opposition. Just remember, Rome was once a republic too.

Well, a post today at TomDispatch.com, has softened me up a bit. He lists the top 4 disasters that will hit the Bush administration in 2006, and explores a few wild cards the Bushies may have up their sleeve. In an unexpected twist, he reports that one of things that may just save this country is our massive Bureaucracy itself. He predicts a constitutional crisis in 2007. I say it's already here.

Strange times my friends, strange times. Buy the ticket, take the ride.