“Fear and Loathing” of Dick Cheney – Washington Post Series
My son, Nick Luvera, sent me an email alerting me to a series in the Washington Post about vice president Richard Cheney. I began reading the articles on the internet and was reminded that he causes in me all the intense objections I have for elected officials who believe they alone know what’s best for all of us, who care nothing for public opinion or public interests and believe they are above the law, free to do whatever they think is best. These are people who believe in their own unique code of ethics. If they have decided something is the right course of action, there is no moral wrong in taking whatever steps are required to achieve it. People like Mr. Cheney carry out their duties of office with unrestrained arrogance.
Elected leaders like our vice president barely conceal their contempt for ordinary people whom they regard as sheep needing a leader. Historically these leaders have always left a trail of pain, suffering and wrong decisions. The contrast between what the they do wrong and what they do right is always striking. They leave a heritage of huge mistakes along with some good things accomplished. It’s never a balanced record. That is because there is no moderating force to control them. They have no ethical or moral code to guide them other then their belief they know what’s best for all of us. There is no concern about how the public feels or what is in the public’s best interest. Since they believe they know what’s best for everyone else, there is only black and white – no grey and no middle ground for them.
In a democracy we are supposed to have a moderating checks and balances to restrict the decision making of our leaders. We also count on the media to expose wrong actions on their part as a further control. Yet from the beginning of the Bush administration the system has not functioned as intended. The courts didn’t function as intended because they had been loaded with Bush appointees. Congress didn’t function as it was supposed to because it became a rubber stamp for the executive branch. The media didn’t report on administration shortcomings and wrong doing because it ended up in the hands of a few powerful people backing the administration. Religious leaders didn’t speak out because they believed the Bush administration was "doing God’s will." This has resulted in the absence of any effective voice to speak out. Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney did whatever they wanted without fear of exposure or sanction. Worse, neither of them possess leadership greatness. Medicore people put in a position of great power without restraints is a combination for disaster. The result has been the accumulation of serious problems which will not be fully appreciated until after they have left office.