Bush administration officials claim that the Congress has no power to force a U.S. Attorney to pursue contempt charges in cases where the President has already invoked executive privilege.
thinks that he is no longer part of the executive branch but rather some form of higher autonomous branch that only someone of his greatness deserves... Im just curious why americans dont see what is happening in front of their own faces. We are going to pay a huge price for it eventually if we dont look out. Those of us that see all the crap coming down the pipeline can do nothing but say "I told you so" when the sh!t hits the fan.
I believe its because there is not enough opposition of this. If a majority of people were to rally at the White House or something (I'm not suggesting or condoning this), prehaps then it would not happen or it would be reversed. The people only have power to commit a change to government, when they are willing to attempt it in large numbers.
You really need to be putting a bit more in your summary for an article of that length. I know it's called ShortNews but we generally like you to fill the three paragraphs providing there is sufficient detail in the source.
Good question though with how can this happen. Ultimately the US Government and its top officials can do whatever they want. Its sad because ultimately the citizens here in the US can protest, talk to their senators..etc...but essentially it does nothing at all. It can like hl2k says, but you need numbers, power in numbers. We live in the world were the upper elite government officials can technically get away with anything. I personally try not to sweat it because the illegal things that the government does, doesn't affect me. I mean look at the whole phone-tapping, spying things on Americans..it doesn't affect me because I have nothing to hide. But you got your people who says "its unpatriotic, unamerican to spy on us" and then you got your "they would never do that"...to put it simply, whether they have permission or not, they do it and get away with it and thats part of life, but like I said I have nothing to hide, because ultimately, I have to continue with my life. As real hip hop artist Talib Kweli said in a song I heard today (and excuse the language people but the rhyme makes sense): "These niggaz ain't thugs, the real thugs is the government/ Don't matter if you independent, democrat or republican"
Well, if there were anything new or novel in BushCo trying to shred the Constitution, strip Congress of the powers given it in the Constitution, & establish an imperial presidency, I might have gone into more detail, but since this is just more biz as usual from the gang of un-elected thugs who occupy the White House & disgrace this Once Great Nation on an almost daily basis, I'm not sure what more "detail" you needed.
I'll admit I'm a "newbie" here, but I've been thro' this argument on another item I submitted & despite your "generally" claim, it seems there's no consensus on this subject. Some think one should use all the space available, others (like me) think one should be as brief as possible ) & let those interested in more detail simply click the link to the full story provided. That's my story & I'm stickin' to it.
After I've been around a while, I imagine you'll be wishing I was as brief in my comments as I am in my item descriptions ;-}
A little more detail would be good too jaded, its an important story.
Under federal law, a statutory contempt citation by the House or Senate must be submitted to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, "whose duty it SHALL be to bring the matter before the grand jury for its action."
Not MAY but SHALL. Hmmm , so we are above the law are we?
Yes we've established that, go ahead lie cheat and steal we will authorize it and claim executive privilege.
There were many debates on SN about, whaling, trade subsidies, rules of engagement, NPT. And the line would be divided clearly between:
* those demanding nations obey 'rule of international law' * those claiming mitigating circumstances
It's also interesting to see Bush 'flipping' off the governing apparatus of which he's a part of.
He's on his way out and he no longer cares. I'm half expecting him to fly off to dubai with carrying a few billion in bearer's in a samsonite. I can hear him saying: "so long suckers". How much is Halliburton today?
I've never been one to accept the "it doesn't affect me" argument. The govt. claiming the entirely un- Constitutional authority to enter ANY home w/o a warrant & detain ANYONE they want w/o charges for as long as they want affects everyone - just ask anyone who's lived in the state of constant fear such a totalitarian regime induces.
There's that poem from the Nazi era that applies here, the origin & precise text of which is in debate, but paraphrased, it goes something like: "They came for the communists, & I said nothing, for I was not a communist. They came for the unionists, & I said nothing, for I was not a unionist. They came for the social democrats, & I said nothing, for I was not a social democart. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out."
or . .. .. all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by & say nothing . . .
or
if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
In short, I don't see apathy as an option anymore - BushCo have commited too many odious acts & commited too many crimes against the Constitution, against the people of This Once Great Nation, & indeed, against humanity, for We The People to sit idly by & allow them to continue their illegal & immoral actions.
to high heaven that sometime between now and the 2008 elections for the person replacing Bush and co, that Bush and Co get yanked from the white house and tried as criminals.
What the hell are they thinking? They are not above the law!
I'll stand by what was obviously the intent of using that famous quote from Eldrige Clever - you're either working to block the un-Constitutional, illeagal, immoral policies of the scumbags who currently occupy the White House, or you're standing by as the post I was replying to & saying "it doesn't affect me", thus allowing this pack of corrupt, unetthical thugs to systematically rape the Bill Of Rights & defey the oversight powers demanded of Congress by the Constitution.
Simple minded folks are of course free to interpret it however they choose.
Why on earth would you not support or condone a public demonstration at the White House? It seems that you feel frustrated with your government, but concerned that your right to free speech has been suspended. Use your free speech while you can. Demonstrate while you can.
if this story quz from a '3rd world country' we'd just shake our heads. "that's the way it is"
too bad it's not like the Philippines, where the crowd takes to the streets and kicks out presidents! and too boot, the army can't bring themselves to shoot civilians (at last in the Marcos era). Would that happen in our 'civilized' nation?
So long as things are cushdy and fairly comfortable on the home-front, the government can do what it likes and the masses will not be that impassioned to stop them. It's the epitome of a decadent culture.
