The Washington Post reports that President Bush's second inauguration will have "unrivaled security", with thousands of police from across the country, as well as "a military contingent that could include a combat brigade of up to 4,000 troops."
I find it rather hard to believe that no one in Bush's administration has ever heard of the Posse Comitatus Act, which is a fundamental, binding law that prohibits the use of military for law enforcement purposes. What is absolutely certain, however, is that President Bush has made plans to violate a federal law. What is also certain is that in the United States of America, people who break laws go to jail no matter who they are.
This utilization of a "military contingent" for law enforcement purposes is the most blatant and dangerous violation of federal law by a president that I have ever heard of. If George Bush violates this law, he should be locked up. It is that simple -- that is how the law works, but in this case we can be almost certain that the law won't work. Impeachment is not an option, since there is no way 67 members of the Senate will vote to remove Bush from office, even when there is absolutely no question that he has violated a federal law and is a criminal.
The fact that Bush holds such contempt for the laws of our nation that he openly announces when and where he will be violating a law makes the entire ridiculous situation even more infuriating. I don't care if you are a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Communist, or a Monarchist -- there is absolutely no way to get around the fact that if Bush breaks a federal law, he should go to federal prison. There is no way to justify such a double standard, and Bush has no legitimate claim to immunity. This situation is completely intolerable, and the fact that such utter madness will most probably be allowed to occur without provoking mass revolt completely undermines the most basic ideas of limited government and rule of law.
If and when Bush proceeds with this serious criminal action, every person who dares call himself an American or a patriot must demand that Bush be held fully accountable.