a cooling off period -- the politics of subversion

The president ordered documents seized by the FBI in their raid of Congressman William Jefferson's office, this week, sealed for 45 days to allow for a "cooling off" period. When the only thing that distinguishes a member of the FBI from the mob is a badge, one wonders about the kind of moral imperative the radical right has claimed, as their signature Mercedes, since they took office nearly 10 years ago.

Arguably, from his remarks, even the president gets that a constitutional crisis looms on the horizon with regard to government checks and balances. What his administration doesn't get is that the process of classification, and declassification, which amounts to metaphysical shredding, is no more blameless than the egregious Watergate break-in. For one who prides himself on his grasp of intangibles like "terrorist," and "axis of evil," this president's protocol for control, and subversion of dissent is palpable.

Let's hold the president to his word when he says that "Those who violate the law--including a member of Congress--should, and will be held to account," and let's hope the "justice" he'd like to be "served" doesn't come in the form of a mushroom cloud.