[Submitted to <A HREF="http://www.willpitt.com/">Will Pitt</A>&#0146;s <A HREF="http://www.willpitt.com/TheList.htm">opposition to Ashcroft</A> list on 2002 February 5.]

<P>Lack of anger after the makers of the Bush campaign demanded and received the presidency without counting the votes in Florida, even though more voters wanted Gore, over any other candidate, as their president, showed our lack of commitment to democracy (of any form) and rule of law.&nbsp; The Bush administration took office as a regime and acted accordingly, more and more so after the September 11 plane-hijacking suicide attacks (which might have been prevented had bin Laden been pursued or at least harrassed more vigorously for his backing of earlier attacks, but an already weak pursuit weakened more when Bush took power; better-and more expensive and less profitable-airport security would also have helped; so would fewer planes or more fuel efficient propeller planes).&nbsp; The regime cut down on public access to knowledge of government actions, past and present.&nbsp; It pursued, for the benefit of certain wealthy people, policies which even the politically sluggish people opposed if asked.&nbsp; The Bush regime, rather than arguing for laws using facts and logic, attacked all disagreement with their decisions as 'old-style partisan politics,' 'class warfare,' or now 'aid to terrorists.'&nbsp; With regard to that last phrase, which Attorney General John Ashcroft so clearly said to whom it applies, Congress authorized the President to "use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons."&nbsp; With this blanket authorization on September 14, Congress abdicated even a pretension of ruling in the name of the people.&nbsp; Due to the authorization the Bush regime could, and did, fight a war without Congress even naming the country under attack.&nbsp; Although the words of the resolution in the order in which they appear apply only to nations, organizations, or people at least potentially involved with the September 11 attacks, Secretary of War Donald Rumsfeld on 2002 February 5 would not tell Senator Byrd (a long-time hawk) if the resolution could allow the United States to attack North Korea.&nbsp; A country which had nothing to do with the attacks.&nbsp; Funny, neither did a lot of us.</P>

<P>Benjamin Melançon<BR>
http://www.melanconenterprises.com/</P>

<P>(Name/website in HTML:)<BR>
<A HREF="http://www.melanconenterprises.com/">Benjamin Melan&#0231;on</A></P>