But the federal policy of moving all Indian tribes from one vast area into another violates the very principles on which the United States was founded. Yet, this did happen, and the drama began to unfold with clarity about 1800. One overwhelming argument was advanced to justify assuming control of Indian lands, and it never has changed: Indians obstructed the progress of whites who could use the land much more effectively, and thus it was the God-given right of the settlers or real estate promoters to obtain such ground.

This Land Was Theirs: A Study of North American Indians
Fourth edtion, Wendell H. Oswalt
p.38

But the federal policy of incarcerating American citizens without access to due process violates the very principles on which the United States was founded. Yet, this did happen, and the drama began to unfold with clarity about 2006. One overwhelming argument was advanced to justify imprisonment without a trial, and it never has changed: Trial by jury obstructed the progress of the federal government to capture suspected terrorists effectively, and thus it was the God-given right of George Bush to arrest American citizens and detain them indefinitely.

Okay this is what I wonder about, we are stuck with Bush for a couple more years and there is not a whole lot that can be done about it. If we impeach him we get Cheney for president and the policies will remain intact. Bush has been setting precedents left and right, all kinds of awful precedents. So let us say a republican wins the election will these precedents remain? If a democrat is elected will he or she reverse the damage? Obviously trampling on the basic human rights of people is nothing new to America. Brutality, murder, mayhem, is as much a part of the American experience as is the pledge of allegiance, it is nothing new. Our history is written in blood from the Philippines to South America, from Vietnam to Gitmo, from our genocide of native peoples to lynching Blacks in the South violence is nothing new here in America.

So I keep wondering if we set these precedents out of mortal fear for our own safety what will change them back in the future?

certainly no democrat will change anything back in the future.

I think if Bush is impeached, Cheney goes too.

Not that impeachment will guarantee anything better. But Nixon went and we got Ford, which was an improvement.

Susan,

Nixon resigned, the only president to do so, before he could be impeached. And Ford became vice president to Nixon in 1973 following the resignation of Spiro T. Agnew. Hmm, resignation seems to have been all the rage in those days.

So actually Cheney would be president if we impeached Nixon though considering the republican majority and the democrat weasels I do not think impeachment is in the stars and in no way would Cheney be an improvement as most of the Bush policies probably originate with him.

Joe Christmas,

I have a feeling you are right.

Whoops, I meant if we impeached Bush, my bad.