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10/22/2004: "The Reelected Bush as Emperor W The First"
Speaking of parallels between Bush and Napoleon as examples of the historical archetype of the Great Man on the White Horse, we need to recognize that should he be reelected he will be the closest thing to an emperor this democracy can produce. Am I exaggerating? For one thing, Pat Robertson has already said of Bush that “God’s blessing is on him. It’s the blessing of heaven on the emperor.” Then consider that during a second term the one constraint that has limited Bush’s exercise of raw partisan power – the need to attract enough swing voters to secure reelection – will no longer apply. Note that even with the constraints of the need to secure the votes of at least some of those that voted against him in the bitterly contested election of 2000, and with the slimmest mandate in history, he still couldn’t stifle extreme impulses that the electorate at large had not expected. Who knew that the moderate Texas governor would become the right wing demon of fiscal insanity and preemptive war? Then consider that all three branches of government are in the hands of extreme right-wing ideologues. Remember how DeLay’s meddling with Texas redistricting will likely enlarge the Republican edge in the House. Then remember that Bush has expressed admiration for the most extreme justices on the Supreme Court, Scalia and Thomas, and would almost certainly appoint clones. Indeed, the reference he made in the debates to not appointing justices that would produce another Dred Scott case was as close to proof as you get of his intent to pack the court to reverse long-established precedent. (Dred Scott is American History’s premier example of the Supreme Court reversing itself, and is a codeword among advocates for re-criminalization of abortion for their Nirvana state: reversal of Roe vs. Wade.) How would this power differ from that of an emperor? He’s already demonstrated that he can deny basic civil rights to arrested citizens, something emperors routinely do. One or two more Scalias or Thomases on the court and there will be no limits at all. He’s already demonstrated he can take the country to war based on personal preference, certainly a power enjoyed by your typical emperor. He and his Dad even have the inheritance of power thing going. The only real difference would be the four year term limit, and I for one am worried that he just might hear God’s voice telling him that he shouldn’t be risking our freedoms on the chance that a Liberal might win in 2008.