At Ease, Mr. President

[kentuck]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/27/opinion/27wills.html

<snip>
WE hear constantly now about “our commander in chief.” The word has become a synonym for “president.” It is said that we “elect a commander in chief.” It is asked whether this or that candidate is “worthy to be our commander in chief.”

But the president is not our commander in chief. He certainly is not mine. I am not in the Army.

<snip>
The glorification of the president as a war leader is registered in numerous and substantial executive aggrandizements; but it is symbolized in other ways that, while small in themselves, dispose the citizenry to accept those aggrandizements. We are reminded, for instance, of the expanded commander in chief status every time a modern president gets off the White House helicopter and returns the salute of marines.

That is an innovation that was begun by Ronald Reagan. Dwight Eisenhower, a real general, knew that the salute is for the uniform, and as president he was not wearing one. An exchange of salutes was out of order. (George Bush came as close as he could to wearing a uniform while president when he landed on the telegenic aircraft carrier in an Air Force flight jacket).

[Phredicles]

1. Thank you for this. I still think this emphasis on "commander in

chief" promotes a tone that is creepily militaristic, suggestive of an above-the-law status, and reminiscent of various tin-plated Latin American dictatorships.

[Sailor for Warner]

2. I really think that it is a forced reaction

I am an officer and am often saluted while in civilian clothes by enlisted people who recognize me (as is appropriate) my reaction is also to salute, I sometimes catch myself but sometimes I dont.

[kentuck]

3. A dangerous reaction...

I would say...

PS....read the whole link

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. K&R

[scarletwoman]

5. This is an important point that needs to be made over and over. Thanks for posting this!

I am absolutely outraged that this anti-Constitutional usage of a strictly military title has taken root in our supposed democratic republic.

Let's just call him "Generalissimo" and be done with the pretense that we are anything other than a really big and mean banana republic with a criminal warlord syndicate in control.

sw

[Sailor for Warner]

7. "anti-Constitutional usage"

However, that title is specifically used in the Constitution, just a point I suppose.

[kentuck]

11. But how is it used in the Constitution..?

Read the entire sentence.

[scarletwoman]

13. And it has a very specific meaning in the Constitution:

"Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy". He is NOT "Commander in Chief" of our COUNTRY, just its armed forces. Using CIC as a synonym or substitute for "President" IS an anti-Constitutional use of that title.

sw

[Maven]

6. Excellent article. Thanks. k/r

[cool user name]

8. From the link:

But we have not seen normal life in 66 years. The wartime discipline imposed in 1941 has never been lifted, and “the duration” has become the norm. World War II melded into the cold war, with greater secrecy than ever — more classified information, tougher security clearances. And now the cold war has modulated into the war on terrorism.

So fucking true.

[BlueJac]

9. Thug in chief........

and the biggest lying asshole ever to live in the White House.

[Phredicles]

16. I prefer "Commander in Cheat"

following his strategy for "winning" elections.

[malaise]

10. Maxien Waters reminded all of this at the

protest today.

[ProgressiveFool]

12. Glenn Greenwald also discusses this article

http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2007/01/public-servant-v-military-commander.html

[SeattleGirl]

14. Thank you, kentuck. The overuse of this term drives me nuts.

He is not MY Commander in Chief. He is NOT the Commander in Chief of the United States of America. Yet I hear it more and more by the MSM and the talking heads. All it does is further his delusion that he IS the boss of us all.

At ease, indeed.

[KG]

15. interesting this appeared in the times, after 6 years of bush worshipping and

war cheerleading.