Be careful what you wish for???

I haven't abandoned my series about the virtues of the military draft and how it was beneficial for me (and for countless others as well) -- I've just been trying to assemble in sequential order the events of basic training back in December 1964 and January 1965 so I can recount them as something other than a stream of consciousness.

I did have a thought this morning that I am sure was more shocking to me than it has been to others who are wiser and who no doubt thought of it years ago.

We hear at length today about government spying on American citizens without a warrant. The administration says it is A Good Thing. Indeed we have a Supreme Court nominee who seems to believe that almost anything the Executive branch does is A Good Thing.

Presumably, however, these folks would feel that these are only Good Things as long as the present administration is running things.

One supposes that if a Democratic administration were in place, spying on American citizens would become an Intrusion by Big Government and would thus become reprehensible. And by extension that anything that a Democratic Executive branch did would become by definition a Bad Thing.

The problem we are dealing with here is that of precedent, or, otherwise stated, "What's good for the goose is good for the gander." Another well-worn saying involves ownership of the ox that gets gored.

Now, there is no question that the Republican party has some truly brilliant strategists and tacticians, and some very verbally agile pundits as well. Is it possible that all of these smart people have not considered the possibility that someday, somehow, a Democratic administration might be elected that could use the Big Brother apparatus constructed by the present administration against the very people who constructed it?

It seems obvious that they have considered this eventuality. They are simply too smart not to have done so.

But consider the implications if they have, indeed, done so, and understand that eventually they may be the party out of power, and, realizing this, have decided to continue with domestic spying and promoting the notion of the Imperial Presidency.

Am I too cynical when I note that the only people for whom domestic spying and the Imperial Presidency are not ultimately problematical are those in power who do not intend to cede power -- ever?