"Those who do not learn history are condemned to repeat it". -- George Santayana.
As with many other moments in history, people can remember precisely where they were and what they were doing when news that would change the world forever broke. On November 22, 1963, I was a six year old first grader walking home from school, wondering why they had let us out early. The teachers had been instructed not to say anything to us. Just outside of school, Eddie Ferrara yelled out that Kennedy had been killed. I punched him. When I got home, I knew Eddie was right when I saw my mother standing in the kitchen. While I am not sure if she had been crying, the stunned look on her face said it all. On July 20, 1969, I was sitting on the bed in my parents' bedroom watching Neal Armstrong step out from the lunar rover, becoming the first man to step foot on the moon. On September 11, 2001, I watched from my office at 111 John Street in Manhattan as the Towers fell, managing to get phone calls out to my parents and my wife to let them know I was okay before somehow managing to get to my car and figuring out a way out of Manhattan and home.
And on August 8, 1974, I was sitting in a coffee shop in Willow Creek, California, part of a summer long bike trip sponsored by American Youth Hostels, joking around with members of the tour, all of us in our mid to late teens, when word came that Nixon had resigned the presidency. I have often thought it oddly wonderful that Willow Creek is considered the home of Bigfoot, our own American version of the Yedi. In light of recent events, I find it even more wonderful that Willow Creek was originally named China Flat. But I digress...
There have been many parallels to Nixon and the guy who now sits in his old office made by those much smarter than me over the past several months. The Committee to Re-Elect the President (aptly monikered "CREEP" at the time) v. he who now holds the title's campaign committee. The smearing of all political opponents. Nixon's enemies list v. his "fake media" attacks.
And now we have the Saturday Night Massacre v. the Tuesday Night Massacre. The only immediately discernible difference, thus far, is that in Nixon's time there were at least some people of principle who refused to carry out his directives to fire Archibald Cox, the independent prosecutor who was investigating Watergate.
There appear to be no such people in the neighborhood this time around.
As I recall, when the Watergate hearings first began, there was some level of partisanship in the committee, with a large number of very skeptical republicans insisting that Nixon had done nothing wrong versus a nearly unanimous democrat contingent insistent that we were in the midst of a constitutional crisis. As the evidence bore out the crimes Nixon and his cohorts had committed, one by one, the republicans came around to the point where there were very few left defending the president by the time articles of impeachment were approved and he subsequently resigned.
Aside from expressions of "concern" from a few, there is nothing thus far from the right. The hearings in the House have been a joke. Even the Senate hearing with Sally Yates and James Clapper conducted what now seems like a lifetime ago, but which was really only two days ago, featured a number of senators on the right more concerned with how information was leaked to the press of possible crimes than of the crimes themselves. Faced with the timing of his firing of James Comey, a man, who with all his flaws and who should have been called more to task AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME over his handling of the Clinton e-mails during the presidential campaign, but the one man who appeared to be conducting the only real investigation into whether or not he and his campaign colluded with the Russians to rig the election, we get:
Senator Lindsey Graham, noting that if there is evidence out there linking the guy in the oval office with the Russians, he would be happy to look at it. Note that he does not appear to have done much of anything to date to actually get the evidence and look at it, nor is there any indication of what he may do if he does get it. But at least he will be happy.
Senator John McCain and Senator Richard Burr have both expressed their "concern" over the timing of the firing and of what is clearly the pretense for Mr. Comey's termination.
Senator Robert Corker says it "raises questions".
Senator Mitch McConnell has only stressed the importance of confirming a new director of the FBI.
Thus far, there has been nothing from Paul Ryan that I have been able to find.
For all their "concern", I would note that each of the above esteemed senators and the speaker of th house "expressed concern" over and over again during the presidential election over his comments and his behavior. The were very "concerned" about the Access Hollywood" tape. They were very "concerned" over the "lock her up" chants. They were very "concerned" over his refusal to say if he would accept the results of the election if he lost.
And every single one of them then voted for him, or at least encouraged the rest of the country to not vote for Hillary Clinton, which, in effect, is the same thing.
So what do we expect now?
How about an independent commission or a special prosecutor or at least a bipartisan investigation within the halls of congress.
Don't count on it. Not with this bunch in office who are more concerned with their own positions first, the health and welfare of their family and friends second, the power of the GOP third, and perhaps as an afterthought, if there is any room for it, the good and welfare of this country a distant seventh or eighth.
He who sits in the oval office once said he could shoot a person in broad daylight on the street and people would still vote for him. Well, he has now "shot" James Comey. Thus far, the constabulary is moving people along and telling them there is nothing to see here.
I for one am willing to see if history does indeed repeat itself, and am willing to do my bit to make sure in this instance that it does. I would be more than willing to get on my bicycle, which is presently sitting with flat tires in the basement, and trek out to the coffee shop in Willow Creek, California, nee China Flat, assuming it still exists, if it would result in his impeachment, and just as importantly, his prosecution, as I am firmly convinced at this time that he has committed or been complicit in treasonous acts against the country, all in the name of self-aggrandizement. I invite my fellow geezers and wheezers to join me.
And noting that history does have a tendency to repeat itself, considering that the Saturday Night Massacre was on October 20, 1973 and Nixon submitted his resignation on August 8, 1974, I am sure we are all looking forward to remembering where we were on February 28, 2018.
"Whether ours shall continue to be a government of laws and not of men is now for Congress and ultimately the American people". -- Archibald Cox, October 20, 1973
UPDATE -- Senator McConnell has now come forward and supported the firing of James Comey and rebuffing calls for an independent prosecutor or investigation. He may be even worse than the (fill in the blank yourself) guy in the oval office.
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