Dick Cheneys' America

The priorities of the corporate media prove once again that the idea of a liberal media is, at least today, a fantasy in the mind of wacky radical right wingers. What is the most important thing that could possibly be reported on? How about one of our highest elected officials deciding he was outside the law? How about when he makes up what must surely be a fourth branch of government to give himself the leeway to have secrets about what he is doing in the peoples name? The constitution is the very foundation, cornerstone, of how we do things in America. Wouldn't it be a big story to ANY kind of media that was concerned about our country to make sure that all Americans knew what was happening and why?

Cheney's office _ over the objections of the National Archives _ has exempted itself from a presidential executive order that seeks to protect national security information generated by the government, according to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.Under the order, executive branch offices are required to give the Information Security Oversight Office at the archives data on how much material it has classified and declassified.Cheney's office provided the information in 2001 and 2002, then stopped. Henry Waxman, chairman of the committee, said Cheney's office claims it need not comply with the executive order because it is not an "entity within the executive branch.""Your decision to except your office from the president's order is problematic because it could place national security secrets at risk," Waxman wrote in a letter to Cheney on Thursday.

Exchange the name Dick Cheney with Al Gore and tell me how much the big media would be talking about this. There is quite a lot around on this, if only big media and big talk would pick up on it.
Immigration is a very important issue. I fear however, that as always when it comes to the radical right manipulators, it is being used as a red herring. It is an issue that, for reasons I won't go into here, is an obsession with the right. Don't get me wrong, it is important and I basically agree with much of what the right wants to do if not their reasons for doing them. However it is an issue that will control the marketplace of thought and ideas on the right clear through the election. Meanwhile all kinds of above stuff will be going on and they will have little care or concern because it is Dick Cheney and because they are preoccupied with immigration. The clear examples available of a cult mentality by those firmly planted in the right is legion at this point. This is just another one.
Pardon me for saying this but I think our country is in serious peril and about to fold as envisioned by its founding fathers. It is that basic of a priority that I will be paying attention to and voting on this year. Save our constitution, save our democracy, save our good name as a country, restore our reputation as the kind generous nation and not the evil imperialist nation. And on and on. It is sad that in well over 200 years we have to turn back to the basics but that is where I see us.

There is a story, often told, that upon exiting the Constitutional Convention Benjamin Franklin was approached by a group of citizens asking what sort of government the delegates had created. His answer was: "A republic, if you can keep it." The brevity of that response should not cause us to under-value its essential meaning: democratic republics are not merely founded upon the consent of the people, they are also absolutely dependent upon the active and informed involvement of the people for their continued good health.

Links to understanding just what the hell is going on here:
Digby: Now they notice
Washington Post-A different understanding with the President.
Carpetbagger Report: The Not So Innocent bystander
Digby: MSM 1 Digby 0
JMM:Talking Points Memo