E Pluribus Unum

Whatever happened to 7th grade civics class? Don't they teach that anymore?

Here's something written by Phillip Atkinson for an organization called Family Security Matters. Atkinson might be a nobody, but the board of FSM is not: it includes noted leaders like Barbara Comstock, Monica Crowley, Frank Gaffney, Laura Ingraham and James Woolsey.

Here's Atkinson, writing for FSM's website:

The inadequacy of Democracy, rule by the majority, is undeniable – for it demands adopting ideas because they are popular, rather than because they are wise. This means that any man chosen to act as an agent of the people is placed in an invidious position: if he commits folly because it is popular, then he will be held responsible for the inevitable result. If he refuses to commit folly, then he will be detested by most citizens because he is frustrating their demands.

Wrong. We don't have "rule by the majority." We have a Constitution that protects the rights of the individual by limiting the power that can be wielded by its elected leaders. Clearly, the leaders are elected by the majority -- or rather the majority of those eligible adults that bother to come out to vote. Regardless, our system guarantees that even if you are a minority of one, your rights, as defined in the Constitution, are protected, OK? OK.

But wait there's more. Atkinson looks back at the Iraq war and occupation and tells us what went wrong, in his humble opinion:

The wisest course would have been for President Bush to use his nuclear weapons to slaughter Iraqis until they complied with his demands, or until they were all dead. Then there would be little risk or expense and no American army would be left exposed. But if he did this, his cowardly electorate would have instantly ended his term of office, if not his freedom or his life.

Here's the thing: I personally know a lot of people who talk this way. And, truth be told, these people, insofar as they have a political opinion, love Rudy Giuliani. Rudy might not hold the kind of family values these people hold dear, but he is a Christian Soldier.

There's more:

The simple truth that modern weapons now mean a nation must practice genocide or commit suicide. Israel provides the perfect example. If the Israelis do not raze Iran, the Iranians will fulfill their boast and wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Yet Israel is not popular, and so is denied permission to defend itself. In the same vein, President Bush cannot do what is necessary for the survival of Americans. He cannot use the nation's powerful weapons. All he can do is try and discover a result that will be popular with Americans.

Forget the Cold War. Let's cut to the chase, let's have the Hot War. Bring it on. It's all or nothing now, baby. Murder or suicide, preferably both. After all...

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the church of Jesus constant will remain.
Gates of hell can never gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ’s own promise, and that cannot fail.

By elevating popular fancy over truth, Democracy is clearly an enemy of not just truth, but duty and justice, which makes it the worst form of government. President Bush must overcome not just the situation in Iraq, but democratic government.

Holy crap. Did I say Atkinson wrote this? It sounds like it was written by dick Cheney.

When the ancient Roman general Julius Caesar was struggling to conquer ancient Gaul, he not only had to defeat the Gauls, but he also had to defeat his political enemies in Rome who would destroy him the moment his tenure as consul (president) ended.

Caesar pacified Gaul by mass slaughter; he then used his successful army to crush all political opposition at home and establish himself as permanent ruler of ancient Rome. This brilliant action not only ended the personal threat to Caesar, but ended the civil chaos that was threatening anarchy in ancient Rome – thus marking the start of the ancient Roman Empire that gave peace and prosperity to the known world.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking: this is really something lifted from The Onion. Sadly, no.

If President Bush copied Julius Caesar by ordering his army to empty Iraq of Arabs and repopulate the country with Americans, he would achieve immediate results: popularity with his military; enrichment of America by converting an Arabian Iraq into an American Iraq (therefore turning it from a liability to an asset); and boost American prestige while terrifying American enemies.

...and if he can't do it, Rudy can!

He could then follow Caesar's example and use his newfound popularity with the military to wield military power to become the first permanent president of America, and end the civil chaos caused by the continually squabbling Congress and the out-of-control Supreme Court.

President Bush can fail in his duty to himself, his country, and his God, by becoming “ex-president” Bush or he can become “President-for-Life” Bush: the conqueror of Iraq, who brings sense to the Congress and sanity to the Supreme Court. Then who would be able to stop Bush from emulating Augustus Caesar and becoming ruler of the world? For only an America united under one ruler has the power to save humanity from the threat of a new Dark Age wrought by terrorists armed with nuclear weapons.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we're up against.

And if you think these people are nuts, and the American people would never allow this to happen, well, that's beside the point. They already hold power -- and there are more where they came from, waiting to take over after the next election.