A New Declaration

The Declaration of Independence lists a number of violations of international law, ethics, and human dignity committed by George III. I was stricken by the parallels with George W. Some (most?) of the outrages committed then are being committed again. Let's look at some.

Jefferson's words:

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

Blanton's words: George W. has opposed and threatened to veto laws that are for the public good, laws that benefit working people while signing laws that benefit the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class.

George W. has written out "signing statements" that assert an imagined "right" of the President to ignore any laws or portions of laws that he deems inconvenient to him.

Jefferson:

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

Blanton: This actually sounds more like Tom DeLay. Although his gerrymandering to disenfranchise the majority of Democrats in Texas was blessed by Bush's appointees on the Supreme Court.

Jefferson:
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

Blanton: I don't need to get into the immigration debate.

Jefferson:

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

Blanton: The people George W. has presented for confirmation as judges have been more interested in promoting ideology than in applying the law, and his flunkies in Congress have been more interested in putting them into office than in establishing justice. Meanwhile the Democratic opposition have been more interested in playing politics than in publicizing these appointees' true motives.

That's enough for today.