A Conservative Explains Why AttorneyGate Matters

Dr. Steven Taylor is, I've said in the past, the very definition of a sane and moderate conservative - the kind who have come to look at the GOP and wonder where their party dissapeared to.

Today he explains, in simple and no-nonsense terms, why the AttorneyGate scandal should matter even to conservatives.

To me there are two key issues.

1) Power. I have long been concerned with this administration’s view of its own power and the fact that it often seems to have little regard for checks and balances. Note, for example, its arguments about various domestic surveillance/counter-terrorism activities. When questioned about their authority in such matters they cite inherent Article II powers or the AUMF rather than dealing with the question of whether they really have the powers in question or not.

In this case, the usage of the Patriot Act’s new provision that allows the president to ignore checks and balances over the appointment of an “interim” USA is an example, I would argue, of the administration yet again showing a level of contempt for the constitutional order in our government.

Throw in the fact that DoJ is responsible for the much of the anti-terror policies that the administration thinks it can initiate sans much (if any) oversight and the issue of the administration’s attitude towards its own power becomes even more salient in the context of the current discussion.

2) Competence. As I noted in a comment at OTB this morning: Sometimes incompetence is scandalous in and of itself. It is difficult to look at the way this situation has been handled and say that it has been dealt with competently by the DoJ or the WH. This is no small issue, given that the DoJ is supposed to be supervising federal law enforcement. They have enormous responsibilities and powers and one would like to see a bit more ability from those who run the institution than has been displayed to date in this matter.

If more attention to signs of incompetence in the execution of the post-invasion situation in Iraq had been paid, for example, we might be in a different position vis-a-vis the Middle East at this point in time.

Four and five years ago I ignored, rationalized or accepted the administration’s explanations on any number of actions by key actors in this administration (often at the cabinet level) and look where it got us. I am no longer willing to give the President and his team the benefit of the doubt – they lost that privilege a while back.

...If these folks can’t handle relatively simple issues like personnel, what are they screwing up in other aspects of their job?

Thanks Steven. Your words should be sent to every Republican on the Hill.