Democratic Senators huffed and puffed at Michael Mukasey. Oh, they were "disappointed." Oh, they were "troubled." Oh, how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have an ungrateful nominee. Needless to say, they'll confirm him. The future is plain, you see; que sera, sera. For those who care, here's all you need know:
Mr. Mukasey said the president’s authority as commander in chief might allow him to supersede laws written by Congress.As you know, the President isn't the commander in chief. He's the commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states. The title's meaningless without the prepositional modifier. Now since the oversight, regulation, and maintenance of a military in these United States falls solely under the purview of the Congress under the legislature's Article I, section 8 powers, the President--a coequal of the Congress ordinarily--in his capacity as commander in chief of the military wouldn't have more expansive powers, but powers which are more strictly circumscribed in order to preserve the military's subservience to civilian government and the Congress' constitutional prerogative . . .
Hooo-boy! Had you going. What a bunch of suckers you are. Listen, dudes: the Constitution? How many divisions has it got?
I make fun of Glenn Greenwald, for instance, for being tedious and tightly wound. Well wouldn't you be? Friends, you must shred the assumption that the Republic is "not dead, only dreaming." The heart has stopped. The coin is on the tongue. Charon's poled the barge. Etc. A new reality is better than a new movie, as Amiri Baraka wrote. Listen. America isn't a constitutional republic. Repeat it. You'll feel better. Or, you'll feel worse at first, but then you'll feel better. You have to open yourself up to the notion that there are other kinds of freedom than living under a certain kind of benevolent government, which is what you've been taught since kindergarten. Liberty isn't a symptom of your State. It's surprising what happens to your mind when you start calling things by their real names.
6 comments:
I don't know what happens to your mind, but mine gets peevish and starts craving THC. Maybe it's time to start electing more and better suicide bombers.
Liberty isn't a symptom of your State."
Wonderful!
Listen, dudes: the Constitution? How many divisions has it got?
Quite a few, nominally. I wonder if that's worth anything to anyone.
Ah, the Constitution. Good times.
You might add "when called into the actual service of the United States" to the C-in-C modifier.
boronx-
IOZ was pontificating in reverse. Something like that.
Oddly enough, I've talked to a lot of mid-level and senior officers who are concerned about the conflict between the constitution and what people are starting to do. The Sanchez statement about "you don't want serving general officers to start" not obeying orders is an excellent point. However, they can stop serving. A lot of them have, by the way. It's kind of funny--while on active duty, they can tell me to shut up. Retired, they can still tell me, there just isn't a lot they can do. Generals are in the same boat. So are admirals.
If you don't accept tyranny, you're free. It may be limited to More's freedom of conscience or it may be the freedom of the guy who chooses to live under the bridge. It's about choice.
Il festival si è concluso e la musica è rifinita.
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