Interesting Article by John Dean

[edwschreiber at earthlink.net]

 THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS

John Dean, former White House counsel for Richard Nixon, speaks on the issue of 
secrecy in government in South Burlington on Friday.
GLENN RUSSELL, Free Press
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John Dean sees abuse of power -- again

Published: Saturday, October 7, 2006
By Victoria Welch
Free Press Staff Writer

SOUTH BURLINGTON -- John Dean, legal counsel to Richard Nixon during the Watergate
scandal of the 1970s, described his take on the present political and legal climate
in Washington, D.C. by comparing it to the past. He told a group of about 200 people
gathered at the Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center on Friday evening that if
Watergate happened today, Nixon would not be found guilty of any legal or ethical
wrongdoing. 

"Most people in America don't have a clue of what's going on and won't
until it affect them," he said, referring to the use of secrecy and departmentalization
used in the executive offices of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick
Cheney. "There is a consolidation of powers the likes of which we've never
seen." 

Addressing the topic of "Spying, Secrecy and Presidential Power," the 
lawyer, political analyst and author spoke Friday at a fundraiser sponsored by the
American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont. Dean outlined the premise of his latest
book, "Conservatives Without Conscience," a work that discusses the social
science research that describes the personalities of top Republican politicians,
including Bush and Cheney. 

Dean outlined those personality traits, described as "authoritarian leaders
and followers" on Friday. Leaders and followers "are very aggressive, 
often nasty," he said. The pressure to stay on message, march on lock step 
is intense and followed, he said -- and nearly all authoritiarians dwell on the 
right side of the political spectrum. More liberal minds, he said, tend to see more
of a gray area than the sharp black and white, right and wrong, of the conservative
realm. 

He described the techniques used by authoritarian figures as proto-fascist behavior.
"We're not that far from it," he said.

The threat of terrorism, he said, is the preferred authoritarian fear tactic of 
choice. U.S. citizens are giving up their rights for the sake of feeling safer, 
he said. 

"What could happen if we have another 9/11 is something that I don't even
want to think about," he said.

Nickie Dymon, 42, said she appreciated the way Dean used his famed past -- which
included testimony asserting that Nixon was aware of the burglaries and criminal
behavior associated with Watergate -- to recent events. 

"It was nice to see that he was still very well connected," the Burlington
resident said, referring to the Washington sources Dean said he utilized to examine
events unfolding within the White House. "He certainly seems concerned with
the current state of affairs, as am I." 

Dean said "Conservatives Without Conscience" follows "Worse Than 
Watergate," the first book he wrote to tackle the Bush presidency. He said 
"Watergate" explains what is happening in the White House; "Conservatives"
tackles why. 

Up next, he said, is the "what we can do about it." He isn't finished
with his research yet, he told the enthusiastic crowd, but he's starting to 
get some answers. 

Contact Victoria Welch at 651-4849 or vwelch at bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com