As I mentioned last time, I wanted to breifly touch on the controversy that is surrounding Obama and his support for the "compromise" on the FISA bill. This is the type of action that should make a lot of folks who supported Obama worry and makes people who didn't much care for him see why. For 7 years we've watched the executive branch of this nation abuse and overstep it's power. Let me rephrase that, we watched them assume more power and watched congress let them do it. This is one more instance. Now the cynic in me thinks that the democrats see this as an opportunity to use some of this power to make positive changes without realizing that is also what the republicans think and, well, usually what everyone thinks when grabbing for power. The problem here (and it's really a problem for both sides - how I long for a D&D die to explain political positions rather than the flip of a coin we have now) is:
1) They'll probably muck it up.
2) They won't be in power forever and their opponents will likely get that power back to use against them.
Obama, to some degree, gets the first point. See his addressing the outpouring of disgust on his website. But I don't think he gets the second. If you think that the executive branch has gone to far, and you're in a position to actually do something about that - do it immediately.
George Washington was given the option of being addressed many long winded and ridiculous titles but instead of taking those, along with the power that was being foisted on him, opted for the simple "Mr. President." I long for a leader who understands the importance of that.
The Rational Moderate
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