This is a surprise?

Dana Milbank slams the Obama administration for its contributions to an imperial presidency:

Now the administration is maintaining silence as ... the Senate intelligence committee would ban [by law] anybody but the top officials and public-relations staff at intelligence agencies from speaking to the media. The proposal, intended to crack down on classified leaks, would significantly set back freedom of the press, thwart whistle-blowers and squelch the airing of dissenting views on intelligence issues. This is part of a broader effort to make it a crime for national security officials to talk to reporters.

But of course. Such is the nature of the executive beast, as the Founders well understood--and rightly feared. Their safeguard was the check and balance of the congressional branch, which, finally under Democratic control in 2007, should have put responsible oversight ahead of politics and thereby investigated and where necessary prosecuted the shockingly felonious Bush administration. But congressional Democrats did not. And as many--including myself--warned at the time, future presidents--including Barack Obama, about whom I specifically warned, since he was so obviously next up to executive bat--would capitalize on and exploit Congress's contemptible indifference. QED.   

Presidents do with power whatever they believe is doable. One cannot blame the panther for stalking. Even the Founders dismissed such sentimental idealism.