Bush's Burqa

Bush has thrown another thick curtain around his cabal, a virtual burqa now, with the insistence that he can forbid the DOJ to issue Contempt of Congress citations. This virtually eliminates one branch of government, Judiciary, when people like David B. Rifkin, who worked in the Justice Department and White House counsel's office under presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, says, "U.S. attorneys are emanations of a president's will." And in constitutional terms, he said, "the president has decided, by virtue of invoking executive privilege, that is the correct policy for the entire executive branch." Washington Post 7/19/2007

I have written another letter today, this time to my Republican Senator (he's heard from me many times recently). It's one thing to write to Democratic Senators, which is like preaching to the choir. I'm ready to take on the Republicans and let them know that over-reaching by this President has gone far enough.

Senator Martinez,
Don't you think it is quite dangerous to our country and the Constitution to allow President Bush to assert that he doesn't have to comply with Congressional requests? He is saying he is above the law!

If you are endeared to the American belief in the rule of law, then it is time for you to take a stand to save our country.

Don't you think that it's quite suspicious that the Executive Branch is extracting so much power, wresting the checks and balances away from both the Judiciary and Congress? It is time to get this administration under control. I want you to be one of the Senators to stand up and say so.

I'm afraid that if you don't, then Congress will be the next group that the President has executive privilege over and he may just send every one of you home.

This is of the utmost importance and your attention to this matter is at the very heart of what our country stands for. No one, even the President, is above the law.

Thank you.

I've started posting my letters here, just in case the ykw police come knocking on my door, or I get put on the no-fly list, or some such thing. Of course, Glenn Greenwald is still furiously banging away at the keyboard, and his post today prompted me to write to Martinez. So, I'm just adding my voice to the others online. I am deeply grateful for Glenn's heartfelt concern for the direction our country is going.

Oh, I think I'll send the same letter to Senator Nelson.