Contempt

What I find most striking about the behavior of Bush administration officials over the past couple of years is the exponentially-increasing brazenness with which they defy the laws and conventions of American government. Yesterday's performance by Gonzales was truly astonishing in the shamelessness with which he demonstrated his total contempt for congress.



The more they get away with, the more they think they can get away with. Don't forget that it was just days ago that a former White House official, Harriet Miers, actually failed to appear in response to a congressional subpoena. She just didn't show! Now we have the Attorney General of the United States literally smirking at U.S. senators as they express their frustration at his refusal to answer their questions. I'm surprised that Fredo didn't pull a Cheney and just tell Chuck Schumer to go f*** himself. It wouldn't have been significantly more disrespectful, frankly.

An accounting for the Bush administration's lawlessness is long overdue. It is time to cite them for contempt. Bush will fight it. He will order his Justice Department to to ignore the law, and to leave his underlings alone. Then, the constitutional crisis we are enduring will come to a head in the courts. This is as it must be.

There is no negotiating with terrorists, and the Bush administration is terrorizing the American people with its flagrant disregard for the rule of law. It is time to choose sides. You are with the terrorists in the Bush administration, or you are with the American people. There is no middle ground.

We must have a confrontation between congress and the Bush administration. The chips must be allowed to fall where they will.