THE TYRANT PREPARES HIS REFUGE:

Today Americans drink, barbeque, crowd lakes, and use or watch others use the most lasting non-culinary invention of the Chinese. Here in Dallas there are billboards and other ads warning about the large fines for setting off fireworks in the city limits. Just a couple of hours ago some partying folks half a block away shot up several skyrockets. All of this noisy celebration is like the body's appendix: a retained remnant whose original purpose has been forgotten.

That purpose was a proud claim of moral anarchy, epitomized by Henry's response to the Bush-like charge of treason: "make the most of it". What Adams called "Mr. Jefferson's advertisement of the declaration" was publicly read, and memorized by schoolchildren, for generations, largely in blissful unawareness of the radical implications of this first notable instance in world history of the general public's claim of a right to overthrow existing governments when oppressed, that should scare the powers that be today.

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

The idea that ordinary people can impose their own grass-roots "regime change" at will -- how pre-911!! Better not encourage them in such dangerous delusions. They might even read the rest of that flaming subversive proclamation, and begin comparing the things the British king was accused of with what the current administration is actually doing.

...when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.

Bush's minders think they can distract the people from the spreading economic and military disaster by accusations of disloyalty and trumped up charges that foreign leaders are terrorists. Once burned, twice shy. For a long time I've suggested that after the Democrats retake the U.S. House in 2006, there will be charges of impeachment, both for war crimes and domestic ones. (And as I keep reminding people: do Cheney first!) Right now, Rove's marionette seems not to fear that fate. That may be his whistling in the dark to fool the rubes.

Last week there came a clue that the front man may expect to be leaving the White House before the end of his term. Tom Blackwell, a Democratic Precinct Chair in Dallas County, sent this email about some neighbors:

According to an article in the Park Cities People, June 30, p. 2C, George W. Bush and wife Laura have purchased 3901 Euclid in Highland Park. It's just down the street from the Cheney's former residence at 3812 Euclid, and around the corner from the former residence of John Hinckley on Beverly Drive.

I've always had a soft spot for the idea of Texas independence, but this may make me reconsider whether exercising that Jeffersonian right is a prudent idea right now. Who wants to break away from the union, only to be stuck with the same tinpot tyrant you seceded to get away from? Why couldn't he slink back to exile in Maine instead? -- PBU27