When asked whether some action violates international law, President Bush feigns concern and quips, “International law?
I better call my lawyer.” When treatment of U.S. detainees has all the earmarks of torture, Bush simply says it’s not torture, and his spokesmen wonder why anyone would care so much about the treatment of “bad guys.” When it comes to U.S. law, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Bush usually just insists he’s in compliance no matter what the evidence is that he isn’t. Then, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Washington Times and scores of commentators and pundits praise his legal sophistry — acting like the fabled courtiers admiring the Emperor’s New Clothes. This political dynamic — a mix of know-nothing-ism and jingoism — has propelled the United States into a dangerous flirtation with authoritarianism over republicanism, with a cult of personality built around Bush instead of the rule of law. This trend and the lack of a serious response from Democrats are addressed in this guest essay by Ivan Eland: It took only mino
I better call my lawyer.” When treatment of U.S. detainees has all the earmarks of torture, Bush simply says it’s not torture, and his spokesmen wonder why anyone would care so much about the treatment of “bad guys.” When it comes to U.S. law, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Bush usually just insists he’s in compliance no matter what the evidence is that he isn’t. Then, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Washington Times and scores of commentators and pundits praise his legal sophistry — acting like the fabled courtiers admiring the Emperor’s New Clothes. This political dynamic — a mix of know-nothing-ism and jingoism — has propelled the United States into a dangerous flirtation with authoritarianism over republicanism, with a cult of personality built around Bush instead of the rule of law. This trend and the lack of a serious response from Democrats are addressed in this guest essay by Ivan Eland: It took only mino
