Bush hits a new low

[Griff]

Originally Posted by tw

The American president has massive powers traditionally kept in check by more honest presidents.

I don't buy it. American Presidents have been ratcheting up their power from day one. All the so-called great Presidents ignored the constitutional constraints on the office. That a Republican President has the temerity to abuse the office is upsetting Democrats, but notice that they have done nothing to control him. It is notable that we have crossed a threshold, we now have an extremely unpopular President who continues to do as he pleases and yet the Congress remains supine. Congressional Democrats need to stop whining and start doing.

[DanaC]

What is it that Congress can do to sort this out? Serious question, my knowledge of the American political system is, at best, vague.

[Griff]

They can stop funding the war and/or impeach him. They can ratchet up the investigations into the war related lies. There must be something they can do about his signing statements, although that may require a Supreme Court case.

[piercehawkeye45]

Realistically, congress can not do anything.

They could pass a bill to stop the funding of troops with a 50% vote then Bush can either sign it or reject it. Bush has said he will reject it so it goes back to congress and if congress passes it with a 2/3 vote, it will pass.

The problem is that congress doesn't have the 2/3 votes needed so it will go nowhere.


Kucinich has started a bill to impeach Cheney (I think), but it has no support with the Republicans or Democrats.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Realistically, congress can not do anything.

They could pass a bill to stop the funding of troops with a 50% vote then Bush can either sign it or reject it. Bush has said he will reject it so it goes back to congress and if congress passes it with a 2/3 vote, it will pass.

The problem is that congress doesn't have the 2/3 votes needed so it will go nowhere.


Kucinich has started a bill to impeach Cheney (I think), but it has no support with the Republicans or Democrats.

Which is why the so called Democratic Victory in '06 was nothing more than a show, and as evidenced by their own failures to get anything done of substance, they continue to be a lame duck Congress. Things will change only when they get a Democratic President in power. My only comment to that is, be careful what you wish for....

[Griff]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Realistically, congress can not do anything.

They could pass a bill to stop the funding of troops with a 50% vote then Bush can either sign it or reject it. Bush has said he will reject it so it goes back to congress and if congress passes it with a 2/3 vote, it will pass.

Congress will not do anything.

You've got the funding thing just backwards. You don't write a bill to de-fund. You write a bill to fund. It is just a matter of will, something Beltway Democrats lack.

[piercehawkeye45]

Of course the mainstream democrats won't do anything, but I am just pointing how they couldn't do anything if they wanted too.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Of course the mainstream democrats won't do anything, but I am just pointing how they couldn't do anything if they wanted too.

You're missing the point, they can, but choose not to. Congress holds the purse strings. If Bush vetos a funding bill because it excludes Iraq money, it does not magically fund his war. The default is no funding. Congress just lacks will/desire.

[Pie]

Bush Commutes Pluto's Sentence

WASHINGTON, DC (UP News Service)-- In a move that supporters say shows sensitivity and compassion, President Bush today commuted the sentence of the planet Pluto, which was demoted to a "dwarf planet" by the International Astronomical Union in August of 2006. Under the President's new order, Pluto will once more be regarded as a full-fledged planet, though he left unchanged the part of the decision in which the astronomical object must share its name with a cartoon dog.

"Pluto's crimes have been well-documented," said the President in a short statement from the Oval Office, citing in particular the once and future planet's crossing of Neptune's orbit every couple hundred years. "However, we feel that having to live in an eccentric orbit in the outer regions of the solar system is punishment enough. Also, removing Pluto totally screws up the memory thing we learned: My Very Elegant Mother Just Sat Upon Nine Porcupines. Heh. That's funny."

Conservatives hailed the decision as a visionary act. Noted writer and blogger Jonah Goldberg interrupted his busy writing schedule to post about the decision, saying "I'm pretty sure this is the most brilliant thing Bush has done yet. Maybe some readers could help me out by sending in a few reasons why that's the case? Pretty please?"

Democrats, on the other hand, were quick to say that the decision show's Bush's increasing disengagement from reality.

[TheMercenary]

Dang! and I was thinking, "What did he do now?"

[warch]

Fitzgerald is investigating a tangled executive-level conspiracy, of which Libby is the first conviction. Beyond Armitage, who admitted his role when asked, Rove and Libby coordinated this leak to the press, too, even if they couldn't seem to recall it. This investigation has uncovered as many questions as it has answered. Does it matter? I think so.

Can a president commute or pardon those felons that may be directly protecting him from a criminal charge via obstruction? If so, then the workings of the office of the president are at the pleasure of the president, above the rule of law? That's sounds like a constitutional question.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by warch

Can a president commute or pardon those felons that may be directly protecting him from a criminal charge via obstruction? If so, then the workings of the office of the president are at the pleasure of the president, above the rule of law? That's sounds like a constitutional question.

Do you believe the question will really be answered? I sort of doubt it. Except for the political grandstanding that will occur on the run up to the next Presidential election the motivation is suspect. I don't see anyone going to prison for anything because Bush will pardon them. As much as the radical liberal left would like to see it, Bush will not be impeached either, for what ever reason someone dreams up. This will become nothing more than a study of political history in the future.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Griff

You're missing the point, they can, but choose not to. Congress holds the purse strings. If Bush vetos a funding bill because it excludes Iraq money, it does not magically fund his war. The default is no funding. Congress just lacks will/desire.

What is also clear even in 2002 - Senators like Hagel of Nebraska and Biden of Delaware knew there was no justification Saddam's WMDs. Daschle, the Democratic Majority leader had even been an Air Force reconnaissance analyst, saw that pictures did not represent what was being claimed, and still support George Jr's lies. I cannot say enough about how bad Sen Tom Daschle was as Senator then and would only hope he read this.

Griff has accurately implied another reason for this problem. Democrats were wimps just as much as the extremist wing of the Republican Party was advocating destruction of America for their own glory.

BTW, the Republicans even lost the Power Point presentation that simply said they would advocate an Iraq war to attack Democrats. A Democratic staffer found that diskette in Lafayette Park. Daschle even knew the Republicans intent concerning Iraq - and went along with it anyway.

If Congress had balls, then the President would be restricted. But (thanks in part to gerrymandering which gives left and right wing extremists power at the expense of intelligent people) Congress is too full of extremists to risk their political life for the advancement of America. Even John McCain has moved massively to the dark side - is obviously and completely more worried about his political future than in the advancement of America. Congress has a serious shortage of wimps who still worry what the 25% brainwashed extremists want.

Griff is right on the money when he cited the problem in Congress

... they can, but choose not to. ... Congress just lacks will/desire.

Gerrymandering empowers wacko extremist politics rather than moderates - the home of intelligent people. Too many of us vote based upon a poltical agenda rather than do what politicians fear - "ask why".

[tw]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

As much as the radical liberal left would like to see it, Bush will not be impeached either,

As much as the informed moderates - the political independents - want it, Congress does not have the balls to do what this nation desperately needs - Cheney impeached. It was never about the radical left. It was about extremists with a political agenda verse moderates - where intelligence resides.

This is not George Jr's presidency. That has been obvious to the better informed for years. But a political agenda must deny the obvious. Even Secretary of Treasury Paul O'Neill's 2003 book made it obvious that George Jr did not make decisions - did not even read his own memos. George Jr does not read his memos. Only today are most Americans beginning to acknowledge that reality.

Cheney is the source of government corruption. He was always that dictatorial extremist as even people in George Sr's administration knew or are now just beginning to realize.

Corruption was so intended in advance that Cheney routinely had all records destroyed. Even Google Earth cannot show the Naval Observatory - where Cheney lives. We might learn some truth such as whose car is parked in the driveway. Cheney's agenda is so maniacal that we cannot even be trusted to know that.

This presidential immigration reform bill is completely contrary to Cheney's wish. When George Jr makes some decision on his own, then Cheney lets the mental midget just hang. He did exact same thing when George Jr choose Harriet Miers rather than anyone from Cheney's list. Cheney keeps George Jr in line with those techniques. George Jr never accomplishes anything without Cheney's approval. Cheney tells George Jr what he will do. Cheney is where impeachment is desperately needed. He is not an honest man. But he is a smart manipulator. Rumsfeld was once his boss.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

As much as the radical liberal left would like to see it, Bush will not be impeached either, for what ever reason someone dreams up.

Radical?

As of 7/5/07 American Research Group found....

45-46% of adults want to start the impeachment process against Bush.

50-54% of adults want to start the impeachment process against Cheney.

http://americanresearchgroup.com/


I was too young to really know the details and numbers with Clinton but why aren't these numbers known when I'm sure everyone knew about Clinton's?