Power

One interesting thing about Power in this country is it shifts. The Republicans come to power then the Democrats then the Republicans again. The shifts can take a variable number of years, but you know they are always going to change eventually, even when it looks like one party is down for the count.

This is what makes we wonder about the rush to give the executive branch authoritarian power to spy without oversight, torture and detain without warrant. At some point, possibly not in the distant future, a Democrat will be sitting the White House again. Democrats may also hold one or both houses of congress.

Given this, along with the long professed ideology of small government, one might think the Republicans would be very cautious about investing those powers in someone who they feel will abuse it. Government is all about precident. It will not be easy for congress to reverse the authoritarian trend just because they don't like the current president. At least one congressman, Larry Craig understands this (warning, old news). Why don't the rest of them?