Another Failed Presidency

LAST NIGHT President Reagan told the American people that his "management-style" failed him when his Administration's overtures to Iran degenerated into an attempt to swap American arms for American hostages. He said that his memory fails him, as well, and he cannot recall authorizing the circumvention of his own foreign policy. But now, he says, everything will be okay.

"Rest assured," the President told the nation, "there's plenty of record-keeping now going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."

There is no justification for rest. Bookkeepers are not adequate guardians of the President's obligation to act within the law. Reagan's failure to apologize for what--at best--was a profound dereliction of duty makes clear his lack of respect for the idea that, at least in this country, the people are supreme. He acknowledges yielding authority to a secret government but thinks he is only at fault because the secret government was a poor one.

The President has forfeited his claim to the people's trust. He has abdicated the responsibilities of his office. The House of Representatives must begin impeachment proceedings against him.

"The tree of liberty," Thomas Jefferson wrote, "must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants every 20 years." Jefferson did not make the remarks because tyrants are born in batches. He made them because he thought it necessary that each generation renew its commitment to the values on which its society is based. And Jefferson knew the sacrifice that would entail.

Unless we accept responsibility for our government, we leave its direction to people like William Casey, Oliver North, John Poindexter and others whose greatest claim to power may be a desire for it. Since the White House is now in the hands of a very capable man from Tennessee, the business of government likely will proceed smoothly for the last 23 months of Reagan's term. But to accept that situation would be irresponsible. We owe it to our democratic heritage and to our future to hold our leaders to standards of responsibility and competence.

Now we must endure the pain of driving a second president from office. It is our turn to refresh the tree of liberty.