One less check, a lot less balance

George Bush and his executive-branch-power-mad, henchman have worked like Manila termites to dismantle all the oversite which would keep the executive branch in check. They've increased secrecy to the point where no reasonable authority, save a legislative branch with impeachment on its mind, could hope to find all that this president and his criminal cabal have done wrong.

With little fanfare, one more oversight branch fell under the ax of executive order as George Bush emasculated the independent Intelligence Oversight Board.

It's just another example of wanting to create an atmosphere in which anyone who commits a crime for the executive branch can declare, "if know one knows we did it, then we didn't do it."

Hiding criminal activity behind a wall of secrecy

Surprise! The Bush administration is refusing to turn over White House documents which might show the frequency of visits by Jack Abramoff. They cite a Cold War era policy which protects Secret Service documents.

This administration has used secrecy, and the alleged need to assure security as a way of avoiding oversight of its possible wrongdoings.

Democracy cannot survive this level of secrecy.