The imperial overreach

H.D.S. GREENWAY

By H.D.S. Greenway | May 8, 2007

LISTENING TO President Bush's petulant tones lambasting Congress for questioning his war, I had a feeling that what we are seeing in Washington has been going on for close to a thousand years in the political tradition in which America was formed. Rulers reach for more and more power until their parliaments and barons think things have gone far enough and begin clipping regal wings.

This has not been a good spring for the president. Democrats, and even some Republicans, are beginning to think about choking off the war in Iraq; the Supreme Court didn't like his closing down environmental regulations; his Justice Department is under scrutiny as never before for conducting politically motivated purges. The dark prince, Vice President Dick Cheney, mutters repeatedly that the president is all powerful, and that Congress should have little to say about war.

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Live Vote Who stood out from the pack? Sam Brownback Jim Gilmore Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Tom Tancredo Tommy Thompson Who showed the most leadership qualities? Sam Brownback Jim Gilmore Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Tom Tancredo Tommy Thompson Who was the most convincing candidate? Sam Brownback Jim Gilmore Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Tom Tancredo Tommy Thompson Who had the most rehearsed answers? Sam Brownback Jim Gilmore Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Tom Tancredo Tommy Thompson Who avoided the questions? Sam Brownback Jim Gilmore Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Tom Tancredo Tommy Thompson Who had the best one-liner? Sam Brownback Jim Gilmore Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Tom Tancredo Tommy Thompson Vote to see results Live Vote Who stood out from the pack? * 48280 responses Sam Brownback 2.9% Jim Gilmore 1.5% Rudy Giuliani 20% Mike Huckabee 4.2% Duncan Hunter 2% John McCain 9.3% Ron Paul 28% Mitt Romney 25% Tom Tancredo 3% Tommy Thompson 4% Who showed the most leadership qualities? * 47629 responses Sam Brownback 2.8% Jim Gilmore 2.2% Rudy Giuliani 21% Mike Huckabee 4.2% Duncan Hunter 2.3% John McCain 14% Ron Paul 23% Mitt Romney 24% Tom Tancredo 2.8% Tommy Thompson 4.2% Who was the most convincing candidate? * 47388 responses Sam Brownback 3.4% Jim Gilmore 2.1% Rudy Giuliani 18% Mike Huckabee 5.1% Duncan Hunter 2.4% John McCain 12% Ron Paul 26% Mitt Romney 24% Tom Tancredo 3.2% Tommy Thompson 4.4% Who had the most rehearsed answers? * 46508 responses Sam Brownback 4.8% Jim Gilmore 1.9% Rudy Giuliani 21% Mike Huckabee 2.8% Duncan Hunter 1.9% John McCain 30% Ron Paul 5.1% Mitt Romney 25% Tom Tancredo 2.6% Tommy Thompson 4.7% Who avoided the questions? * 45143 responses Sam Brownback 6.5% Jim Gilmore 3.7% Rudy Giuliani 34% Mike Huckabee 3.8% Duncan Hunter 3.5% John McCain 18% Ron Paul 5.6% Mitt Romney 14% Tom Tancredo 4.6% Tommy Thompson 6.5% Who had the best one-liner? * 45238 responses Sam Brownback 3.7% Jim Gilmore 2% Rudy Giuliani 16% Mike Huckabee 8.2% Duncan Hunter 2.6% John McCain 16% Ron Paul 23% Mitt Romney 18% Tom Tancredo 4.3% Tommy Thompson 6.1% Not a scientific survey. Click to learn more. Results may not total 100% due to rounding.