Redstate

By victorvodka Posted in Archived — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

I've been disheartened for the couple few days about AGAG's performance in front of the Senate, when the only thing WE as Republicans could do to support this man was done by Orin Hatch, who has never said anything bad about a Republican in his life so far as anyone knows.

Now, I'm no knee-jerk fan of Gonzalez. I think he's probably done a lot of damage to the Department of Justice, and the only consolation I get from this damage is knowing that the government of our country was perhaps weakened just a little more - made smaller so that one day it will be small enough that it can be cleaned up with a baby wipe upon a fold-out 7/11 bathroom changing table.

At the same time, I'm terrified by the precedents that AGAG is making for the next Democrat President (and I expect us to have one later if not sooner). While I have faith that any internees subject to the rough handling allowed by rules drafted by Gonzalez were certainly terrorists, how can we be so sure that democrats won't be using these same methods on home schoolers, border activists, religious separatists, gun enthusiasts, abortion protestors, and other marginalized groups WE care about?

But all of Gonzalez's performance (good, bad, etc.) has to be viewed in the context of his milieu (that's the last French word I'm going to be using, I promise!). He's a part of a war administration in troubled times, times forever altered by 9/11 and the War on Terror. Those who haven't learned the lessons of 9/11 can't see beyond what they perceive as AGAG's authoritarian streak. But Bush, Cheney, and others know that in these times this is more of a feature than a bug. Some day perhaps we'll be able to return to the happy hippie days of free love and weak, indecisive presidents. But that time is not here, and won't be for perhaps several presidential terms.

In this context, then, the AGAG is actually doing a good job. I appreciate how he is buttress of support for a president that must STAY STRONG despite those with weak wills who would will W to waver.

I don't usually read liberal websites, but one of my very good friends (who is libertarian) sent me a link to an article at Slate.com. http://www.slate.com/id/2164751/fr/rss/

I found its conclusions heartening, and it made me reconsider the accumulated ill-will I'd developed for Gonzalez. The article contends that Gonzalez actually gave a virtuosic performance. In these times, times when we need a STRONG president, the Congress has no role whatsoever in meddling with the executive branch. By showing up and giving the Senate nothing, Gonzalez was basically (and politely) telling the legislative branch to shove it. They have no role to play in the day to day administration of this country - that role is constitutionally given to the president: one man who can turn on a dime to keep us safe, prosperous, and free.