When I was a kid, we only had four or maybe five sources for news of any variety– the Big Three television networks, maybe PBS too (don’t recall whether they were doing news then), and the local paper (morning and afternoon edition).

Now, we have the internet, and a dizzying array of web sites from which to cull our worldviews; we have cable and satellite television, providing us not only with access to the Big Three but also the two or three that came into being in the last 20 years, not to mention CNN, MSNBC, Fox, the BBC, the CBC, the SABC, al-Jazeera….

A lot less escapes notice these days.

And in response to our noticing these atrocities, what does this government do? They get even more atrocious. In response to our protests, what does this government do? They give us the finger– they not only don’t know what their people want, they no longer even care what we want. Witness the Democrats caving in on the latest war spending bill, giving Bush his blank check without even a token effort to send him a message.

Now comes NSPD 51, also known as HSPD 20, readily available here at the White House’s web site.

There are enough holes in the wording of this document to drive a fleet of Peterbilts through. For example, here’s bullet point #6, which seems to be getting most of the attention from certain quarters of the left:

(6) The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.

The moment it suits the purposes of a current or future President, that wording could conceivably be used to justify the establishment of a de facto dictatorship.

The framers of our Constitution knew from firsthand experience with what has come to be known as The Madness Of King George that no one person can, or should, be entrusted with that kind of power. The time-honored aphorism that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely holds true.

Ah, you say, but it says “ensuring constitutional government”, implying that Bush fils is leading the Government in the name of the US Constitution.

And I say, since when does George W Bush give a damn about the Constitution? How many signing statements has he executed in the last six years that have had the cumulative effect of circumventing the Constitution? Do you honestly think he’s going to defend it once he’s taken control?

And here’s a thought. Would a Democrat?

That we happen to have a sitting Republican President doesn’t mean the Democrats get to point their fingers– because given that chance, a Democratic President would do exactly the same thing. Their selling out the anti-war mandate they received in November proves that they would.

And America sleeps. This doesn’t even rate a mention in any of the major outlets like those I mentioned earlier. Why should it? It’s like Cindy Sheehan said in her Memorial Day valedictory to the anti-war movement– this country is much more occupied with the next American Idol. Bread and circuses anyone?

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