Games

By: Bridget Gibson

"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."

- Presidential Oath of Office

Behavior is a very telling feature. When children are very young and are unable to take responsibility for their action, they often fall into the habit of blaming others. It takes a very mature person to accept the responsibility for their actions and to understand that many positions in life do not allow for the passing of blame. Harry Truman summed up the presidency very well when he said "The buck stops here". He was, in essence, explaining the very nature of the top office of the United States of America.

He understood that to occupy the seat of power that is accorded to the office-holder that no one else could be blamed for the consequences of the actions taken in the name of the United States of America. He understood that to stand tall and explain his reasoning in his own words with his own mouth and to not flinch before any criticism was the only legitimate posture for the President of our great country.

When he was Governor, Bush blamed Bill Clinton for the high price of fuel. (Nothing like a sagging economy to cure that.) He blamed then-Vice President Gore for the failing educational system. (Now what is his excuse?) On July 5, 2001, he blamed "fuzzy math" for his low poll numbers - his popularity was at 51%. (He should understand "fuzzy math".) Currently, he is blaming Tom Daschle for obstructing further tax cuts to corporations, because certainly that will cure all our economic woes. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has lowered interest rates 11 times since Mr. Bush has taken office. Hasn't that increased your income? I have heard that the blame should fall squarely on the shoulders of the terrorists, but unfortunately, my memory is longer than that. Our economy was stumbling and stuttering long before the Trade Towers fell.

When he did not return to Washington, D.C. on September 11, he said it was because the Secret Service advised him not to do so. When our Attorney General drew up the documents for the USA Patriot Act, it was implied that it was not at the behest of Mr. Bush, but on the will and whim of John Ashcroft.

When it becomes apparent that something might not appear to cast Mr. Bush in a positive light, he attempts to make it a "secret". Thus, Mr. Bush has decided to use Executive Privilege. This makes the actions of Mr. Bush and our government appear even more suspicious. Because of that behavior thing. When a child, not willing to own up to the breakage of some precious thing for fear that the consequences should be great, seeks to hide the damage so as to avoid the consequences, you know that something precious may be lost.

And so, Mr. Bush has decided to start hiding things. On December 13, he invoked Executive Privilege. Doing so allows him the right to withhold information from Congress and the public.

The order that Bush signed last Wednesday disables Congressional oversight of prosecutors' memos in criminal cases and in investigation of campaign finance abuses, saying that to do so would be contrary to the national interest. With the combination of this Executive Privilege and the earlier Executive Order creating military tribunals, it would appear that a heavy veil of silence will cover all actions of this administration.

How precious and great will be the loss? Do we know why this thing must be hidden from view? Was our Justice Department somehow culpable for the breakage of something valuable, or is it planning to do so? Why the subterfuge?