Presidential Precedent

By NanceGreggs


I can’t help but wonder whether you Republicans who have supported the illegal, immoral, and downright insane behavior of your president, G.W. Bush, have come to grips with the fact that come January 2009, the proverbial shoe will be on the other foot.

Precedents, however outrageous they are, have now been set by this administration. And should the new Democratic president wish to follow suit, believe me, you won’t like it. But then, you’ve had seven years to speak up for your country, and chose not to – because as long as it was your president, everything he did was okay with you.

So before you start whining about what you will undoubtedly deem to be the unlawful behavior of the new president if he starts acting like the current one, please keep the following in mind:

Should the new Democratic president choose to spy on any or all of you without cause, warrant or legal authority, he can do so because your president did it, so it must be okay.

If the Democratic president wants to start a war, he can simply fabricate ‘intelligence’ to justify its necessity because your president did it, so it must be okay.

If the Democratic president chooses to ‘out’ an undercover CIA agent for reasons of personal revenge, he can do so because your president did it, so it must be okay.

If the Democratic president appoints cronies whose incompetence could cause massive casualties in the aftermath of a disaster, he is within his rights to do so because your president did it, so it must be okay.

When the Democratic president allows his Attorney General to fire anyone he deems to be politically opposed to his views, he can do so without restraint because your president did it, so it must be okay.

If billions of taxpayers’ dollars ‘go missing’, the Democratic president will be free to quash any investigation into where the funds went because your president did it, so it must be okay.

The Democratic president can funnel billions of dollars to corporations owned by family members and friends via no-bid contracts because your president did it, so it must be okay.

Should the Democratic president run up the national debt and stick future taxpayers with the bill, he need not feel fettered by any notion of ‘fiscal responsibility’ because your president did it, so it must be okay.

The Democratic president is free to act like a buffoon in public, and prattle on incessantly in words that make absolutely no sense whatsoever, because your president did it, so it must be okay.

If the Democratic president chooses not to follow the law, he can simply execute a ‘signing statement’ and be excused from any accountability whatsoever because your president did it, so it must be okay.

If the Democratic president chooses to steadfastly rely on advisors who have been proven wrong time and again with disastrous results to the nation, he is free to do so because your president did it, so it must be okay.

If the Democratic president decides to ignore the Constitution and just do as he damn well pleases without restraint, he can do so without hesitation, because your president did it, so it must be okay.

Should the Democratic president be asked to account for any lies, deceit, corruption or wrongdoing perpetrated by himself or his administration, he can end the discussion by claiming executive privilege, or simply by saying “I don’t recall”, because your president did it, so it must be okay.

The Democratic president will not have to follow lawful procedures for the retention of emails, correspondence, discussion notes, et cetera, and can shred documents, delete computer data, and destroy any 'evidence' he wishes with abandon, because your president did it, so it must be okay.

The Democratic president will be free to hand sweetheart deals to any corporation or industry he wishes, even though it will cost the taxpayers billions, because your president did it, so it must be okay.

Should there be any investigations as a result of alleged wrongdoing, the Democratic president can refuse to answer any questions on-the-record and under oath, along with anyone in his administration or on his staff, because your president did it, so it must be okay.

Yessiree, it’s going to be fun to sit back and watch all of you trying to spin reasons why the Democratic president is not entitled to do anything and everything he chooses to do, whether you’re in agreement with it or not – because your president did it, so it must be okay.

But you won’t have to worry yourselves into a frenzy over it – you see, we simply don’t have anyone as corrupt, self-serving, idiotic and incompetent as your president among our candidates.

I guess a president who follows the law, upholds the Constitution, and governs all citizens with honesty and integrity will be something you’ll just have to used to.


Posted in full with author's permission.

Originally posted at democraticunderground.com: http://journals.democraticunderground.com/NanceGreggs/315