The
next Bush administration is taking shape, and the cabinet resignations have been
flying. There’s reason to celebrate some of them, especially Attorney General
John Ashcroft’s. But if the first replacement announcements — Condoleezza
Rice for secretary of state, Alberto Gonzales for attorney general — are any
indication, we’re in for a rough four years.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Particularly now, with international
relations strained and tension and danger around the world, the country needs a
secretary of state who will inject words of sanity and caution into White House
debates. Colin Powell has often tried to do that. Powell’s record has serious
blemishes, including his dangerously misleading UN address before the war
began. But many other times, Powell disagreed with the Bush administration.
Significantly, his opinions got exposure outside of the administration,
strengthening the public discussion.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The Washington Post reported this week that Powell had been willing to
stay for a second term, on several conditions. Among them: “greater engagement
with Iran and a harder line with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon,” said the
Post. Bush didn’t take him up on the
offer.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Condoleezza Rice, who has frequently
disagreed with Powell, is intensely loyal to Bush — and seems to embrace the
Bush policies. Rather than bringing a different perspective, she will buttress
the opinions of Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Now, more than ever, we need a
variety of perspectives and opinions in the president’s cabinet. Instead, Bush
— who was poorly served by misinformation and narrow ideology leading up to
the Iraq war — is further restricting the voices he’ll hear and the advice
he’ll get.
The attorney
general is
an equally crucial post, and with Ashcroft, we’ve seen what can happen if the
wrong person is put there. Gonzales, like Ashcroft, is the wrong person. It was
Gonzales who wrote the memo maintaining that the Geneva Convention “does not
apply to Al Qaeda and the Taliban” — a ruling to which Colin Powell strongly
objected.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย In addition, says a recent New York Times editorial, Gonzales has
“a long record” of giving George Bush bad advice. “In Texas, when he was legal
counsel to Governor Bush,” says the Times, he “produced briefs on clemency appeals in death penalty cases that ignored
evidence that some convicts were innocent or that they had gotten ineffective
counsel.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย This is a troubling time, and John
Ashcroft’s resignation statement to the contrary, there is no indication that
“the objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has
been achieved.” There is every indication that much of the world is becoming
less safe and secure.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย If the Ashcroft pattern continues
under Gonzales, we can expect more moves to restrict basic rights. And it is
when the government begins to talk about suspending rights for reasons of
national security that we should be most alert. Now, more than ever, we need an
attorney general committed to upholding the principles of the nation.
The nation
does have checks and balances, of course, or did have last time I checked.
And for nominations to the cabinet, as for the Supreme Court, those checks and
balances reside in the Senate. Moderate and liberal Democrats can exert some
power — if they have enough backbone. So far, the signs aren’t good.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Both Gonzales and Rice have a
bucketful of negatives, but Bush opponents apparently won’t get in their way.
They’ll ask probing questions during Gonzales’s hearing, but they’ll confirm
him. And, no doubt, they’ll cave quickly on Rice. They’ll save their opposition
for Bush’s Supreme Court nominees.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย So what does this mean? That they
feel forced to choose which of our rights are worth fighting for and which can
be bargained away? Which are crucial and which are expendable?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Now, more than ever, we need a loyal
opposition among members of the
Senate,.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย And
you? Get those letters and e-mails flowing:
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Charles Schumer: 313 Hart Senate
Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; http://schumer.senate.gov/webform.html.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Hillary Clinton: 476 Russell Senate
Office Building, Washington, DC 20510; http://clinton.senate.gov/webform.html.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Want to comment? Write
or The Mail, City Newspaper, 250 North
Goodman Street, Rochester 14607. Please include your name, address, and daytime
phone number.
This article appears in Nov 17-23, 2004.
