NYT: A Vision of Power - Cheney, Bush, and the Energy Industry

[RoyGBiv]

A Vision of Power
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Published: April 27, 2004

There's a deep mystery surrounding Dick Cheney's energy task force, but it's not about what happened back in 2001. Clearly, energy industry executives dictated the content of a report that served their interests.

The real mystery is why the Bush administration has engaged in a three-year fight — which reaches the Supreme Court today — to hide the details of a story whose broad outline we already know.

One possibility is that there is some kind of incriminating evidence in the task force's records. Another is that the administration fears that full disclosure will highlight its chummy relationship with the energy industry. But there's a third possibility: that the administration is really taking a stand on principle. And that's what scares me.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/27/opinion/27KRUG.html

[hedda_foil]

1. Wow!

"What Mr. Cheney is defending, in other words, is a doctrine that makes the United States a sort of elected dictatorship: a system in which the president, once in office, can do whatever he likes, and isn't obliged to consult or inform either Congress or the public.

Not long ago I would have thought it inconceivable that the Supreme Court would endorse that doctrine. But I would also have thought it inconceivable that a president would propound such a vision in the first place. "

[RoyGBiv]

3. Yeah

I read that and it made my hair stand on end...not that I and many others here hadn't thought the very same thing and said so in more explicit language. But, it's ... I dunno different to see it in the mainstream press.

I just hope this article is read and the information acted upon.

[BadGimp]

2. ugh

once again Krug distills like a master

[donhakman]

4. shucks

Whut in tarnation Mr. Cheney is defendin', in other wo'ds, is a dockrine thet makes th' United States a so't of elecked dickato'ship: a system in which th' president, once in office, kin does whutevah he likes, an' ain't obliged t'consult o' info'm eifer Congress o' th' public. Not long ago ah w'd haf thunk it inconceivable thet th' Supreme Court'd indo'se thet dockrine. But ah w'd also haf thunk it inconceivable thet a president'd propoun' sech a vishun in th' fust place.