March 23, 2006
Asking the right question
"The founding fathers didn't trust George Washington with unlimited power. Why should we trust George Bush?"
I have no idea whether Sean Maloney would make a good Attorney General for New York, or for that matter a good Democratic nominee for Attorney General. Nor is it obvious to me, one way or the other, whether warrantless wiretapping is an effective issue in a state-level race, or whether New York State has standing to object to federal wiretapping efforts.
[Here's a link to the proposed complaint. I'd be interested in informed legal commentary.]
But one thing I'm dead certain of: Maloney, or someone on his campaign, has come up with the perfect formulation of the question. The implied contrast between Washington's honesty and Bush's ... well, let's just say "policy" ... couldn't be more effective. This is a line that ought to be in every liberal and Democratic speech and essay on the subject.
"Unlimited power" for the President and an "open-ended commitment" in Iraq. Two excellent things to run against.
