john dean, on tomorrow's election

john dean served as white house counsel to richard nixon from july, 1970 until april, 1973. as white house counsel, he was deeply involved in the events leading up to the watergate burglaries and the subsequent watergate scandal and cover-up. the fbi called him the "master manipulator of the cover up." he was convicted of multiple felonies, and went on to testify [seen here] before congress and later in criminal trials. i recall him as the first of the real weasels from the nixon era: commit and squeal. as with current republican weasel john mccain, john dean was never seen without his trophy wife, maureen, seen here in her characteristic red dress attire, with hair pulled back in a bun. i despised them both.
john has mellowed over the years, and for the past eight years, he's written a column for the common dreams.org "newscenter." here is his entry for today:
The Evidence Establishes, Without Question, That Republican Rule Is Dangerous
Why It Is High Time to Fix This Situation, for the Good of the Nation
by John W. Dean
Occasionally, during the past eight years of writing this column, I have addressed the remarkably dangerous manner in which Republican Party officials rule the nation when they control one or more of the three branches of the federal government. Over the same period, I've also made this argument, even more directly and loudly, in three books on the subject.
In this column, I will be more pointed on this subject than I have ever been, while also repeating a few key facts that I have raised earlier -- because Election Day 2008 now provides the only clear remedy for the ills of Republican rule.
The Republican Approach to Government: Authoritarian Rule
Republicans rule, rather than govern, when they are in power by imposing their authoritarian conservative philosophy on everyone, as their answer for everything. This works for them because their interest is in power, and in what it can do for those who think as they do. Ruling, of course, must be distinguished from governing, which is a more nuanced process that entails give-and-take and the kind of compromises that are often necessary to find a consensus and solutions that will best serve the interests of all Americans.
Republicans' authoritarian rule can also be characterized by its striking incivility and intolerance toward those who do not view the world as Republicans do. Their insufferable attitude is not dangerous in itself, but it is employed to accomplish what they want, which it to take care of themselves and those who work to keep them in power. read it all here.