04.03.07 Appropriately Feeling Jaded?

This week is an important thirty-fifth anniversary in American government. According to the charts, the appropriate gift is jade. Still? It seems that we have felt somewhat jaded for the last thirty-five years.

Let me explain.

Thirty-five years ago this week onetime U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell, campaign manager for the committee to reelect Nixon in 1972, gave tacit approval to a scaled down strategy referred to as Gemstone. The author of the strategy was G. Gordon Liddy. The plan was approved with a budget of $250,000, far less than the million dollars Liddy hoped for. Gemstone included the following eight steps:

1. Diamond: Create counter-demonstrations at the Republican Convention in 1972.
2. Ruby: Infiltrate the organizations of the Presidential Democratic candidates.
3. Quartz: Eavesdrop and wiretap key Democratic candidates and officials.
4. Emerald: From chartered aircraft, intercept radio communications from key officials.
5. Crystal: Rent a housboat at the Democratic Convention in Miami to spy on key officials.
6. Sapphire: Hire prostitutes to be used to later embarrass key Democratic officials.
7. Opal: Conduct various black bag jobs primarily to plant bugs in Democratic offices.
8. Turquoise: Sabotage air conditioning units at the Democratic Convention in 1972.

In summary, these were Republican dirty tricks. The Gemstone Plan would later be recast in a single word, WATERGATE. The plan approved thirty-five years ago this week would ultimately cost Richard Nixon his presidency.

The cost to our republic was much more severe. We have felt jaded ever since. We imagine all too frequently that dirty tricks are now routine. Our politicians are not to be trusted. Government IS corrupt. Ironically, this has led us to be less attentive, less interested and more indifferent. The sheen and luster of our democracy was weakened.

Some lists suggest that rather than giving jade for a thirty-fifth anniversay gift, one should give coral. We seem to be already at the bottom . . . why not? Thirty-five years later, taking a dive down to view the beautiful coral that remains of our historic experiment with democracy just may revive us again.

Here is another idea. The gemstone to remember is one taken from the quarry used in 1776 by our Founders . . . her name is Liberty. Now that is a gift to be cherished every day.

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AP American Government Review.