Of Puppets, Puppeteers And Regencies

by- Mentarch … 15:03 EDT 

(Updated below) (Update II)

Welcome to the Cheney Regency of the United States of America! (Hope you’ve been enjoying yourselves …)

The continuing revelations seemingly coming out from everywhere, and concerning Vice-President Richard “Dick” B. Cheney, not only bring to light the utter mendacious incompetence of the White House’s ruling Cabal, but reveal a terrible truth underlying the Presidency of George W. Bush: that the latter indeed acted all along the puppet to the former.

It is said that hindsight is 20/20 – and with regards to the present subject of this article, this saying could not be more à propos.

Nonetheless, the signs were there all along – right from the beginning of the 2000 elections which would eventually lead to the instalment of the Cheney Regency.

Indeed – although Dick Cheney was “chosen” to help candidate G.W. Bush in vetting prospective running mates, he ended up Bush’s choice after outlining himself the “proper” qualities and credentials best suited as a running mate for the would-be President. Cheney even moved out of Texas in order to be “legit” in the eyes of the 12th Amendment of the US Constitution.

And thus the stage was set for the ascension of the Master of Puppets.

During the 2000 elections campaign, I became suspicious that some sort of “fix” was in with regards to one member of the opposing team running against the Bush/Cheney ticket. My alarm bells rang out the moment that Cheney, through an aide, praised the qualities of Joe Lieberman – Al Gore’s running mate. It was therefore not surprising to me when an “overtly amenable” Lieberman allowed Cheney to posit numerous assertions unchallenged, during the 2000 V.-P. debate. My alarm bells rang even louder when Lieberman refused to relinquish his Senate seat in order to run a parallel campaign for his re-election as CT Senator – and I was far from surprised when he ended up “parting” with Gore along the way through the 2000 campaign (he even stood against challenges to prevent Republicans from recounting votes). From then on, and as we know all too well, Lieberman would become a staunch supporter of the Bush administration on virtually every single decision and issue, including joining in the rattling of sabers in support of an Iran War – and he was well repaid when Cheney himself went out of his way to support him, thus ensuring Lieberman’s 2006 win in CT … as an “independent“.

It was, however, after the “SCOTUS-approved” 2000 win by the Bush/Cheney ticket that I began to suspect the true respective roles of Bush and Cheney within their “covenant”. Indeed, as Bush announced the composition of his cabinet, it became obvious that nearly all of the nominees were acquaintances, if not long-time friends, of Cheney. In fact, I remember my mind undergoing one double-take after another, wondering whether we were indeed in January 2001 and not still in the 1970’s, 1980’s or 1990’s – the common denominator throughout these decades being none other than Richard B. Cheney.

I was therefore not that surprised when Bush “gave” free reign to Cheney in crafting the National Energy Policy – whereby Cheney assembled his own “Cheney Energy Task Force“, personally hand-picking its (at the time) unknown members and conducting its meetings out of the public’s eyes and ears. It seemed to me indeed that this was quite the responsibility and power for … a “mere” Vice-President.

However, the clincher for me was what happened on that tragic day of September 11, 2001. Cheney was swifly rushed to the White House bunker, advising Bush from there while the President did the runaround in Air Force One. Cheney even gave authorizations to shoot down “hostile aircrafts”, while the President was … “away”. And after the dust settled, it was Cheney – not Bush – who ended up being secured in an “undisclosed location“, in order to remain so for long periods of time, out of public view. That is when all of this, put together, told me (as well as to many among you, I have no doubt) that “Cheney is more important than Bush“.

This axiom thereafter got confirmed time and again. For example, during the run-up to the Iraq War, who else but Dick Cheney made that infamous speech to the Nashville convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, thus marking at the time the first major statement from the White House regarding the Bush-Cheney administration’s Iraq policy. Cheney was moreover the chief promulgator of the (non-existent) linkage between Saddam Hussein, Al’Qaida and 9-11 – in fact, he has kept on harping this lie to these days (how often has he gone on Meet The Press to pass on his talking points in favor/support for the Iraq occupation?). Then came the 9-11 Commission – and lo’ and behold, it was insisted upon that A) Bush and Cheney testify together; B) Cheney was to handle most of the questions; C) the Bush-Cheney testimony was not to be under oath; D) there were to be no records of their testimony; and E) said testimony was to occur behind closed doors.

However, Cheney’s secretive, shadowy Regency finally began at last to come under the light of scrutiny through the Valerie Plame Wilson affair (”Plamegate“) – which culminated with the trial and conviction of I. Lewis Libby. The Regent’s impenetrable armor began to show numerous cracks during that period.

And from then on, the flood gates opened to fully reveal Cheney’s unlawful Regency of the United States of America. A few items of note:

Right from the beginning, the soon-to-become Regent Cheney and the “President” reached a “special understanding” with regards to the responsibilities and roles of the “Vice-Presidency”;

Regent Cheney held the true executive power in the shaping of policies or in the making of decisions, whether openly or through duplicity, and with the “approval” of his Puppet President;

Consequently, Regent Cheney always got the last word before his Puppet President made any “decision”;

Of course, Regent Cheney was, all along, the driving force behind the White House policy of global warming denialism;

Likewise, Regent Cheney was the chief promulgator and instigator of the policies of torture and indefinite detentions;

It goes without saying that the Cheney Regency “is a unique office that is neither a part of the executive branch nor a part of the legislative branch“, and thus is not obligated to account for anything;

Of course, by extension from the Cheney Regency, the Puppet Office of the Presidency is likewise exempt from any accountability;

And last, but not least, supporters/friends of Regent Cheney agree that it is perfectly reasonable that the Regency ever remains outside of the Law and of the US Constitution.

Through it all, it is therefore no wonder that poor, little Puppet George W. felt compelled to shout for all who would listen that he is the “War President“, the “Decider“, or the “Commander Guy“, even going as far as to prance in flight suits and such (in this respect, I suppose little Puppet Georgie must be quite disappointed at not being the Commander-in-Chief anymore, being replaced to this effect by a soon-to-be-installed War Czar).Henceforth rejoice, my dear American friends! For since January 2001, you have been living under the Regency of the United States of America, with Richard B. Cheney as your benevolent Regent, and George W. Bush playing the Puppet President.

Now, do not fret – instances of Unitary Regents acting as the true power behind heads of state-in-name-only abound throughout History (”Mayor of the Palace” would likewise be an appropriate analogy). In any event, nothing special/new here.

Unfortunately, as a consequence of your democracy-sleepwalking through the last eight years or so, you all have been likewise acting the puppets to the Master Puppeteer – big time.

So, my friends – how does it feel to find yourselves awakening to your worst nightmare?

I can only hope that the Catastrophic Emergency Presidential Directive, invoqued in conjunction with the Patriot Act and the Military Commission’s Act, will not be be used as the means to enact the Sixth Principle of Incompetence in an attempt to cement the Cheney Regency as a bona fides dictatorship …

Update: 06/25/2007 – Much later this afternoon, a Dkos diary was published advancing the idea of a “co-Presidency” type of deal between Bush and Cheney. The misnamed concept of “Fourth Branch” of government is likewise advanced, including the possibility of it blackmailing Bush into compliance (I say “misnamed”, because the Fourth Branch is supposed to be the media – but I digress). Interestingly, the author ponders: “But its nagging at me that there’s something more here. And the truth may be very, very ugly.” Do tell – hence, why I still insist that what we are actually dealing with here is a de facto unlawful Regency … Besides, when one considers Bush’s less than competent tenure as Governor of Texas and his even worse record as a businessman, what better Puppet President could Regent Cheney have as an bona fides tool? I rest my case.

Update II: 06/26/2007 – As I mentionned already herein, the unlawful Cheney Regency ascended on January 2001. Not surprisingly, and as typical of would-be despots, Regent Cheney already considered himself there and then above Constitutional Laws. Of course, the most insipid arguments are being used to this day in order to support such outrageous claims – the Master Puppeteer is nothing but consistent.

On another related item, some say that Bush can stop Cheney – I answer “wrong” to this, because Bush is the Puppet acting as the facade and cover for the Regent and Master Puppeteer. If Bush were ever to do something about Cheney, that would be the same as a criminal patsie selling out his Boss handler(s) – he would be himself in (very) hot criminal waters nonetheless … at the very least. Therefore, although still in the realm of possibilities, I would not expect Bush to move against Cheney (in fact, I would fall off my chair were he to do just that!).

Also related: defunding Cheney may work in the short term – but let’s not forget that there is a lot of monies out there that have been allocated for “black ops” and other such “vague” items (including outright dubious, external monetary sources of funding) … and these would surely become the new sources of support for the day-to-day operations of the Office of the Regency. The only and sure way to remove the Regent (barring an armed revolution should he use force to remain in power) is to proceed with impeachment – not doing so would increase the bar of minimal requirements for impeachment so high, no one will ever be impeached. There can be no excuses here, folks. The same result will happen if representatives and the People simply “wait out” the rest of the Bush-Cheney term. Either way, not impeaching Cheney will represent the ultimate expression of lack of democratic courage, principles and responsibilities (one glaring and pathetic example here of a mauviette who should be ashamed of calling himself a citizen – talk about the lamest excuses against impeachment!). Some among the media are asking “Has the Vice-President gone too far?” – this is the wrong question. The real question the MSM should be asking is: “Have we indeed been living under a Regency all along?“

That’s a definite motive for impeachment/removal from power right there, folks.

(Cross-posted from APOV)