Ken Berwitz

What do you call it when a democracy acts in a democratic way, according to its democratic laws, under the auspices of its highest court -- and, because it acts this way, is condemned, isolated and ostracized? 

I call it defecating on democracy. 

From Reuters:

U.S. moves toward formal cut off of aid to Honduras

Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:23pm EDT

 

WASHINGTON, Aug 27 (Reuters) - U.S. State Department staff have recommended that the ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya be declared a "military coup," a U.S. official said on Thursday, a step that could cut off as much as $150 million in U.S. funding to the impoverished Central American nation.

The official, who spoke on condition he not be named, said State Department staff had made such a recommendation to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has yet to make a decision on the matter although one was likely soon.

Washington has already suspended about $18 million aid to Honduras following the June 28 coup and this would be formally cut if the determination is made because of a U.S. law barring aid "to the government of any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree."

The official said that $215 million in grant funding from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation to Honduras would also have to end should Clinton make the determination that a military coup took place.

About $76 million of that money has already been disbursed and a second U.S. official said this implied that the remaining roughly $139 million could not be given to Honduras should the determination be made.

Diplomats said that the United States had held off making the formal determination to give diplomacy a chance to yield a negotiated compromise that might allow for Zelaya's return to power.

Such efforts, however, appear to have failed for now and so the United States is taking steps -- including its decision on Tuesday to cease issuing some visas at its embassy in Tegucigalpa -- to raise pressure on the de facto government.

"The recommendation of the building is for her to sign it," said the first U.S. official said of the 'military coup" determination, saying this was a response to the de facto government's refusal to accept a compromise that would allow Zelaya to return to power ahead of November elections. (Editing by Jackie Frank)

A quick synopsis of events in Honduras:

-manuel zelaya was legally elected President;

-The Honduran constitution does not allow him to succeed himself, nor does it allow him to hold a referendum to change the succession law (only the Honduran congress can call such a referendum - the President is explicitly forbidden to do so);

-zelaya decided he didn't like the law so he ignored it and attempted to run a referendum anyway, using military force to obtain the referendum ballots.  (An elected President ignoring the laws to become a de facto dictator is a blueprint that we saw with hugo chavez.  It is common knowledge that zelaya is an admirer, and protegé, of chavez);

-The Honduran Supreme Court ruled that zelaya was acting outside of the constitution and had to be removed;

-The Honduran military - on orders of the Supreme Court -  removed him;

-zelaya was replaced, on an interim basis (elections are to be held this November), by Roberto Micheletti; the President of Honduras' national congress, who was next in line of succession. 

In other words, the removal of manuel zelaya was a model of democracy in action. 

Despite the unbelievably dishonest media spin we have all seen, there was no military coup at all.  Honduras is not being led by Generalissimo Micheletti or Colonel Micheletti.  It is being led by the civilian Roberto Micheletti - a member of zelaya's own party - who was next in line to preside over the country. 

Honduras' government wasn't overthrown.  The same elected party still rules.  What happened was that the legal system removed a rogue President who decided he was above the law.

And in return for Honduras acting in this exemplary way, not only has President Barack Obama immediately shunned the interim government, demanding that the dictator wannabe zelaya be reinstated, but now our brilliant state department is cooking up a financial punishment on his behalf.

Could hugo chavez be any happier with our policy toward Honduras?  I doubt it.

What a sad day for democracy.  And what a disgrace for the Obama administration.