A Coming Obama Dictatorship?

Brought to You by Republican Apathy to an Unchecked Executive

Georgian Republican Congressman Paul Broun is warning that America may face the possibility of an Obama dictatorship based on Obama's call for greater national service(1).

According to Rep. Broun, when Obama said, "We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set, we've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." Obama was calling for a Hitleresque national security force.

Broun also worries that this national security force, combined with potentially more restrictive gun laws, will lead us down the path of an American style Marxist or Fascist dictatorship.

However, you may not be surprised to know that individuals like Rep. Broun have made nary a peep versus the numerous constitutional abuses of our current Republican president.

According to Project Vote Smart, his public statements all follow the same theme(2). While he talks about protecting the Constitution, he seems to base his version of that document on a few narrow principles. Unfettered gun rights, severe limitation on all gay and abortion rights, and that all legislation must "fit within the constraints of what God gives us in His inherent word."(3).

Unfortunately for individuals like Rep. Broun, they've made their own bed based on their apathy towards several of President Bush's more egregious abuses of our Constitution.

Some examples include an expansion of the principle of executive privilege(4). Despite what Republican congressmen and their supporters might think, Congress does have a constitutional role in oversight of the executive branch, its departments, and its actions. This is referred to as a check and balance, a concept that has been greatly reduced over the last eight years.

Another abuse relates to the warrantless wiretapping program, in addition to the retroactive immunity granted to companies that colluded with the Bush administration in carrying out surveillance of US Citizens without a court warrant, as required by the fourth amendment.