Letters, letters, letters

On reading today's story about the administration's determination that they will never under any circumstances allow the Justice Department to prosecute contempt charges against anyone acting under a claim of executive privilege. I did what I irregularly do and began dashing off a short letter (in this case to my senators - Nelson and Martinez.)

But either I'm a little more muddle-headed than usual or else I'm just more concious of my muddle-headedness today, because I found myself having to work at it more than usual.

That's when it occurred to me that I could ask my fellow Kossacks for some help.

Never satisfied with a simple idea, it then occurred to me that others might have the same issue, and that maybe it would be a good idea to have a regular Letter Writing Workshop.

I've seen various helpful diaries over the years about writing letters, particularly letters to the editor - for instance BB10's Writing Letters to the Editor That Get Published - but not a diary for the express purpose of helping each other write letters (either to newspapers or to politicians.)

Note, I don't claim to be any kind of letter-writing guru.  My letters tend to be short (which is usually a good thing) but kind of slapdash and frequently more than a little angry in tone (both frequently bad things.)  I don't intend this to be a clinic put on by me.  Quite the opposite, I'd like it to be a clinic for me and anyone else who cares to participate put on by any and all in the community who care to weigh in.

So that's the idea.  If this scrolls away without notice, then I guess it wasn't such a great one.

To start this one off, here's the letter I was dashing off earlier:

Dear Senator ___,

When you took office you swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  It is far past time for you and your fellow Senators to live up to that oath.

For over five years, the Bush administration has, with ever increasing boldness, espoused a theory of unlimited executive power.  In hundreds of signing statements and in actions against citizens as well as foreign nationals they have asserted their immunity from the law whenever the president deems such immunity necessary.

This past week, they have asserted that the mere assertion of executive privilege trumps all power of Congress to enforce its necessary and constitutionally mandated power of oversight.  This may not be the worst of this administration's transgressions, but it is one which ought to particularly concern you as a member of the Senate.  For if Congress will not jealously guard its constitutional prerogatives, they will be lost.  And so too eventually will be our republic.

I urge you to do your oath-bound duty and place the preservation of the rule of law above any loyalty to this criminal president.

Any constructive criticism would be much appreciated.