January 2, 2006

WHERE'S THE LEFT'S GENERAL LEE?:

Is Bush Just Following Lincoln's Example? (William C. Kashatus, 1/01/06, History News Service.

Does President Bush have the constitutional authority, as he claims, to order the warrantless surveillance of suspected al-Qaida agents in the United States?

Yes he does, say some, who point to Abraham Lincoln's suspension of writs of habeas corpus during the Civil War to defend their position. Then and now they argue, the commander-in-chief during wartime has an obligation to place national security above Fourth Amendment safeguards that protect the privacy of the individual.

But there's a major difference between the two cases, namely the degree to which each president aimed to tilt the delicate balance of power in the federal government in favor of the executive branch. While Lincoln retained his credibility with Congress and the American people, Bush is diminishing his.


One can't help noticing that no states have seceded on George Bush's watch, suggesting his credibility is rather higher than Lincoln's.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 2, 2006 9:23 AM
Comments

Well, they do have a host of George McClellands and Clement Vallandinghams, and I think a Stephen Douglas was seen lurking in the shadows during the Kerry Campaign.

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at January 2, 2006 12:37 PM

Though I'm astounded that anyone from a "history news" source could be so ignorant of the opposition that Lincoln faced, and the vicious cartoons that were printed at the time. Suppose he's a ringer?

Posted by: Arnold Williams at January 2, 2006 12:50 PM

Raoul is right about what those people do have. The do not have a General Lee. They could never have a General Lee.

Posted by: Lou Gots at January 2, 2006 1:19 PM

Well, I was under the impression that "History News Service" was another one of those Lettist outfits that strives to look moderate, reasonable and centrist (in other words, hide their agenda) in their choice of names.

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at January 2, 2006 1:20 PM

And let's hope they don't have any John Booths in their Hollywood contingent.

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at January 2, 2006 1:22 PM

I've read both righty and lefty pieces on that site. They seem pretty evenhanded.

Posted by: PapayaSF at January 2, 2006 1:41 PM

they might not have a general lee, but they have a surfeit of boss hogg's.

Posted by: toe at January 2, 2006 10:31 PM
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