In a recent PBS Frontline episode, called "Cheney's Law", the expose Dick Cheney's 30 year agenda to "restore power to the Executive Branch". Under the Bush administration, he has finally achieved his goal.
Unfortunately, the power he has sought to restore, the Executive Branch hasn't held since July 4th, 1776!
Read the synopsis here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/cheney/etc/synopsis.html
Watch the 7 part episode here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/cheney/view/main.html
I find two things in this report particularly disturbing.
First, Cheney was quoted as saying after 9/11, "We will have to be a nation (ruled by the whims) of men, rather than a nation of laws." This verbally declares the Constitution to be nullified, and the Federal Government to be without restraint. If true, this is Treason.
This is effectively changing our form of Government from a Republic to a DEMOCRACY.
Second, Cheney sets a precedence of not personally reading the Constitution, but "turning to the experts" for the interpretation thereof. This implies that the public cannot hope to read and interpret for themselves the words of the Supreme Law of the Land, but that we are reliant upon experts to tell us our law. Therefore, we cannot hold them accountable for violating the Law when the experts tell us their actions are in harmony with the Constitution.
This reminds me of the Dark Ages prior to Wycliffe, where it was unlawful to print the Bible in the common language of the people. In this manner, the people were reliant upon the experts for the interpretation of the law of God. This gave religious leaders tremendous power over the people. They literally became subject to those with the power to read the Law.
Wycliffe was brave enough to risk his reputation, and even his life, to overthrow this tyranny, by bringing the Law to the common people, translating the Bible into English, that even a plow-boy may read and understand it. This eventually put an end to this tyrannical reign, which even went so far as to enforce religious views by the sword (Spanish Inquisition).
Today, many political leaders, who take an oath to "support and defend the Constitution", know little about it, and defer to "the attorneys" to tell them what it says. Mitt Romney recently declared such a "Dark Ages approach" to the Constitution. (See report here) It is ironic they all advocate the "Spreading of DEMOCRACY", even by the sword. (A modern Spanish Inquisition)
In defiant contrast, like a modern Wycliffe, Ron Paul condemned such tyranny by saying "This idea of going and talking to attorneys totally baffles me. Why don't we just open up the Constitution and read it?" Thus, he advocated the common people being able to read and understand the Law.
