The Neo-Conservative Coup in the United States

The United States has three branches of government, namely the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. The theory is that each branch of government has it’s own separate powers and acts as a check on the others, thereby insuring that no particular group may gain overall control. No one ever foresaw that the three branches might one day act in concert to indiscriminately discard American values and freedoms in wholesale lots.

However history will now show that in the year 2000, Neo-conservatives in the US engineered a ‘coup’ by means of a de facto consolidation of nearly complete power in the executive branch. This was accomplished first by judicial interference in the presidential election of 2000 which effectively abrogated the wishes of a majority of voters in the country to install the losing candidate in office. The further consolidation of powers was then greatly aided by a friendly majority in Congress eager to give the new president everything he wanted.

Cowed by the consolidation of power, a fearful and complacent media quickly fell in with the party line. By doing so the media defaulted in their historically resposible traditional role as mitigators of policy and events. Major media thereby made themselves little more than lap dogs and cheer leaders for the administration.

Then along came 9/11, one of America’s greatest tragedies in history. But it was also a political windfall for the executive branch which quickly capitalized on the paranoia and fear of many Americans. And, at first most Americans were grateful, feeling the country had a ‘strong and decisive’ leader to steer the country through the perils of uncertainty and perceived danger. Even the president’s opponents quickly fell in line to support him.

It soon became apparent to many however, that the administration had seized on this golden opportunity to further consolidate their grip on power, Suspicions that lies, fraud and deceit had been freely employed by the administration soon proved to be established fact. Nonetheless, the president’s hold on power was now so strong he could, and did, demand the most unreasonable of power and control in his broadly and heroically proclaimed “Global War on Terror”, and he established himself as the “War President”. The American president surrounded himself with willing sycophants who parroted his line no matter what. Those who did not agree soon left the administration.

It did not seem to matter that the administration freely violated international laws, constitutionally guaranteed rights or employed torture in their 'war' campaign. All criticism from home and abroad was summarily dismissed as ‘irrelevant’ as the administration led our country into a foreign policy debacle which will have consequences for decades if not generations. Civil rights and limitations on dictatorial powers first promised in the Magna Carta nearly 800 years ago are being ignored wholesale. Basic rights achieved for all Americans by our founding fathers over 230 years ago are now airily dismissed as ‘not consistent with national security’.

There has been little restraint on this president or his administration. Nothing is ever heard from either the judicial or legislative branches of government except even more support for the executive. The president does as he and he alone decides and sees fit, rightly or wrongly, and mostly he’s been egregiously wrong. The US Congress has abdicated to him the total and complete power to make war at his whim, and he appears to be a very whimsical individual indeed when it comes to war.

Although it is now glaringly apparent the president has been nearly 100% wrong since 9/11 and throughout these conflicts, the few voices raised in opposition are most notable for their loneliness, and as cries in the wilderness. The almost complete, and resounding silence is the defining mark of the abdications of all responsibility by the other two branches of government. Few persons from either the legislative branch or the judicial branch have the courage or willingness to fulfill their responsibilities.

This Congress and this court will go down in history as the most ineffective, and worst in history - the ones who gave away our hard won rights and freedoms. They will not be alone however, as they will be accompanied by this president. Today our country is surely and sorely in dire need of our wise, heroic and courageous leaders from the past!