Normal human beings, even politicians, recoil at the idea. But Cheney is not a normal politician. He tries to pass himself off as a conservative. And yet true conservatives are rooted in a sense of community, of tradition, of ideals, and of standards. To knowingly violate these ideals should produce a sense of shame.
Cheney is no conservative. He is an unreconstructed authoritarian, a proto fascist. His ilk is hard to find in elected life in the United States. But if one seeks a democratically elected authoritarian, look no further than to Western Europe, where Silvio Berlusconi serves as Italy's prime minister.
Another unreconstructed authoritarian, Berlusconi was in 2008 elected to his third non-consecutive term in the post. He has set about undermining the national courts and the parliament in much the same way as Bush and Cheney sought to undermine those institutions in this country.
Some European commentators liken Berlusconi to a sort of Mussolini lite. Others even fear that Berlusconi could evolve into the first fascist to take power since the death of Spain's Francisco Franco.
Anyone who thinks a similar scenario can't unfold here should keep history in mind. We came uncomfortably close with Bush and Cheney. And while Cheney is unelectable, he's still at large.
Vote for Passoni
When democratic and independent voters go to the polls in a special primary election next week to choose a successor to former Massachusetts House Speaker Sal DiMasi, they should cast their vote for Susan Passoni. A dedicated progressive, Passoni has twice run admirable and imaginative campaigns for the Boston City Council, and would bring a much needed breath of fresh air to the stagnant corridors of the State House. A vote for Passoni is not only a vote for new talent; it is a vote for change.
