Robert Parry is depressed

The twin disasters of Katrina and Iraq may have sounded loud warnings about the risk of a nation putting ideology and cronyism over common sense and responsible government.

But the longer-term catastrophe may be the transformation of the U.S. political system into one that favors authoritarianism over democratic values.

Over the next three-plus years, unless Republicans lose control of the Congress in 2006, Bush also can expect a reasonably free hand in appointing federal judges and deciding how far he should go in curtailing civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism