This week's lesson in Despot 101

Okay, we can all agree that I'm a little bit paranoid, particularly when it comes to matters of authority and the misuse thereof. Setting that aside for a moment, I cannot see how anyone can fail to see the pattern of power consolidation that has been the consistent agenda of the Bush administration since September 12, 2001. In case you haven't been keeping track, the latest nudge toward an omnipotent and unaccountable executive is this new attempt to subvert due process and sidestep any checks and balances through this proposal in Congress that would let the president take control of the National Guard in emergencies without consent of governors. It's a part of a version of the so-called National Defense Authorization Act which has already passed in the House.

The measure would remove the currently required consent of governors for the federalization of the Guard. Can this be seen as anything but an attempt to consolidate the nation's domestic military power under the direct and unaccountable command of the executive branch?