E Pluribus Unum

Recently I asked this question:

During wartime, what is the President's most important job -- preserve, protect and defend the American people or the US Constitution?

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

[The President's most important job is] protecting the American people. No question. The Constitution is just paper. People are important. Laws are only laws.

But that's the crux of the warrant-less snooping scandal isn't it? Bush claims that he has broad (unlimited!) powers simply because he is the Commander in Chief and he's "protecting the people." Never mind that there is a good case to be made that he broke the FISA warrant law, he violated the Fourth Amendment as well as Article II of the (just-paper?) Constitution. And, I might add, never mind that he twisted the facts on WMD to get us into the war in the first place. Once we're there, he has unlimited power! See how that works? But don't get me started.

Robert Steinbeck weighs in:

Never would I have expected this nation -- which emerged stronger from a civil war and a civil rights movement, won two world wars, endured the Depression, recovered from a disastrous campaign in Southeast Asia and still managed to lead the world in the principles of liberty -- would cower behind anyone just for promising to ``protect us.''

Read the Declaration of Independence. Much of it is a recitation of grievances against just such a despot. The Framers were mindful of the threat that such absolute power entailed and made sure they did everything they could to avoid that from occuring in the future.

But, 229 years later, here we are: A large portion of the population believes that Bush should be above the law. A large portion of the population believes that the Constitution is "just paper," and that "laws are just laws." A large portion of the population believes Bush and is happy to cower behind him just for promising to ``protect us.''

Make no mistake: without the Constitution, all we have is a cult of personality. Instead of the Constitutionally limited Chief Executive, we have "Dear Leader." And the only difference between us and North Korea is that we have more food, better TV, and cooler cars.

At least for a while.