In and amongst the bologne in Washington, I recently ran across the Office of The President's contention that the Secret Service had some special immunity to testifying before a Federal Grand Jury in relation to the president himself. This sure seems like a " no-brainer " to me.

The last time I looked, this was supposed to be a democracy. Aren't we trying to set an example for the rest of the world in openess of government by the people and for the people? If this is the case, then having a presidential guard with this blanket immunity starts to make us look more like Hitler's Germany or a Banana Republic dictatorship.

If a president wants to be king so bad; let him save up his money and buy an island, then declare himself monarch!

Now someone is going to whine about how not having this all-powerful immunity, is going to get a president killed in the future. I am not going to fall for that one. What does honoring a Grand Jury Subpoena, have to do with the guys who ride on the fenders of his car or shield him in a crowd? Nothing, zip, nadda'. It's all a big smoke screen in a power grab by the Executive Branch ( but, that's a whole 'nuther can 'o worms ).

The more apethetic sheep out there, may think that giving them some sort of immunity right now couldn't hurt, but you are just not looking to the future ( and what part Executive Order could play ). The Secret Service is controlled by The Treasury Department, and it is an appointed political arm of the Executive Branch. In the case of a decision in their favor, it would cause the Secret Service to become the secret police of whatever party was in control of the presidency. Scarey thought if Nixon would have had this kind of power ( though it does make you stop and think about the current administration ).

We are all just darn lucky that there have been two rulings in favor of them being forced to honor a Grand Jury; and there is not too much chance of reversal. There is a law specifically forbidding a federal police force; is this the next one to get challenged?

- Bongo ( wondering when the PRESIDENT was crowned KING ? )