Could This Be Check-Mate?

In James Bond movies (or Orwellian stories), the evil mastermind (or ruling party) only reveals its secret plans when he deems himself to be insulated from the repurcussions. He has already subjegated all his opponents, or he has convinced everyone around him of the rightness of his actions. In any event, we are assured, the outcome is (I'm afraid) in-ev-it-able.

Usually, it's only our protaganist (James) in chains and we (the audience) who know just how evil this man really is. In this desperate moment, our hopes are bouyed by the knowledge that somehow (and only at the last minute) James will find a way to stop him. Usually, the mastermind's own hubris (and english pluck) is his downfall.

That thought popped into my head as I was perusing some of the reaction to George W Bush's acknowledgement of authorizing illegal wiretaps on Americans.

My first reaction was, "Aha! Caught red handed!"

But now, I am beginning to think that perhaps George wanted to be caught. He wants an opportunity to gloat. Because without the grandstanding, no one will remember that it was he who changed the way America is governed. That it was he, and no else, who re-established the strength of the Presidency.

Which, I am sure, is how he and his advisors think about what they're doing. They are the executive body of government, after all. While Congress bickers and the courts dicker, someone has to be out there protecting our great country from the bad men. The evil men. The forces led by the ever-present and yet rarely encountered Man With The Arab Name (currently Zarqawi).

The current administration has set up a major power-grab for the position of the Presidency. War & occupation without cause. Unlimited detention without trial or charges being brought. Extraordinary Rendition. Torture and abuse of prisoners. Warrant-free wiretaps. All under the guise of "keeping America safe". All legal and within the law, according to Bush's lap-dogs.

Bush isn't standing up there saying "I'm sorry I abused my position of authority to illegally listen in on the conversations of individual Americans." He's saying, "I did it and I'll do it again." because he isn't sorry; he's proud of it.

Which is where the evil mastermind comes in. Maybe the reason that so much information is coming out about the bad behavior of this administration isn't because they're getting sloppy.

The problem with the perfect crime is that no one knows you did it. George wants his victims, his opponents and his allies to see what he's doing. He wants to unveil his masterpiece to the world.

It's important that we recognize him now, so that, in ten years, when the government is intercepting and scanning everyone's email and phone conversations, monitoring they're television, kidnapping... er... detaining "suspects", marching soldiers down our streets to prevent an "insurgency", we'll all remember that it wouldn't be this way if George W Bush hadn't taken the first steps.

Muwahahahahaa!

The flaw in the Evil Mastermind metaphor is that there's no James Bond in our current situation. There's just the mastermind and the audience and the creepy music.