If one protested the secret arrests, no notification to family, friends, lawyers, judges, for an indefinite time and with felony penalties for anyone even mentioning them, the response was invariably,

"Name one person, just one, who was arrested under those circumstances."

(Hint - They were secret. Felony convictions for anyone mentioning them.)

When one pointed out that Bush & Cheney fought hard for the power to make those arrests for a reason, the answer was,

"That's old news. Get a life."

We were very, very close, as you say, to going under the complete control of madmen. And your run-of-the-mill Republican was helping them.

Bowser