READER COMMENTS ON
"Genius! If Cheney's Not in the Executive Branch, He Gets No 'Executive Privilege'"
(11 Responses so far...)
COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
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nunya
said on 6/23/2007 @ 6:27 pm PT...
Wooooo Hoooooo, somebody call Kucinich!!!!!!!
COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
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Agent 99
said on 6/23/2007 @ 8:39 pm PT...
He's already more impeachable than anyone in history, and Emanuel's little stunt, if carried out, would only lend credence to Fudd's filthy and illegal position. Pathetic. Impeach Emanuel with him.
COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
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Vicki
said on 6/23/2007 @ 9:20 pm PT...
My personal prediction if this is taken to ISOO... nothing will happen! Why do I say this? Look only as far as Mr. William J. Leondard- Director, ISOO. Prior to Bill Leonard's showing up at ISOO, and his eventual appointment to the position of director, Bill Leonard served in the HQ Office of the Defense Investigative Service (later to become the Defense Security Service). So what, you say; what does that have to do with anything? Well, the Defense Security Service has oversight authority for all defense contractors performing on contracts with classified peramaters attached to them. This included (and includes) contractors such as Halliburton, Lockheed/Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, etc., etc. The list goes on to the tune of approximately 11,000 + cleared defense contractors. During the middle 1990's there was tremendous pressure from the defense industry to change the oversight role and mission of the Defense Security Service. No small part of that pressure came from the industrial giants. At that time, Bill Leonard was working in DSS/HQ, Alexandria, VA along with Gregory A. Gwash- DSS, Deputy Director for Industrial Security. Bill Leonard and Gregory Gwash worked closely with the corporate facility security officers (FSO's) of the defense contractor giants. For example, Lockheed/Martin, Boeing, then McDonnell/Douglas, etc. So what, you say. Leonard and Gwash, working in close concert with those defense industrial FSO's penned a new Industrial Security Manual (DoD 5220.22-M); one much more open ended, with reduced security requirements, and one subject to much more intrepretation. Should I say, one much more favorable to industry? Again, so what? This was all passed, and signed off by Pentagon authorities to the exclusion of the other signatory User Agencies to the Industrial Security Program. No one ever bothered to actually legally change the Industrial Security Regualtion (ISR 5220.22-R, dated December 1985) that the ISM is supposed to be based upon. Why not? Because that would have taken too much coordination (dare I say visibility) with all the other authorities in the twenty plus other signatory User Agencies to the National Industrial Security Program (NISP). All those other User Agencies would have had their collective input into the regulatory process. Since those days of the middle 1990's, industry's influence upon the government regulatory process has continued to grow. There has been far too much movement of individuals in government regulatory oversight roles to industry and vice versa. In too many instances, allegiances have be blurred; and what's best for industry is not always in the best interest of the nation, or national security.
And what about Greg Gwash? Well, shortly after completion of the penning of the new industry frendly ISM, he accepted a position as the corporate FSO of the Boeing Company, Seattle. Hummm, now how does that work? You go directly from a position as the oversight authority for 11,000 + defense contractors to the corporate FSO of one of the largest defense contractors in the world.
And in the last six years it's only gotten worse. So, what will happen to Cheney? My prediction... nothing!
COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
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Vicki
said on 6/23/2007 @ 9:45 pm PT...
Please go to this link to see an article by Deb Riechmann titled "Dems Oppose VP Plan to Shut Info Office."
{Ed Note: Your link didn't work: Is this the one you meant? --99}
COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
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Matt Cunningham-Cook
said on 6/23/2007 @ 10:32 pm PT...
I think what Cheney's office is actually trying to claim that they are a fourth branch of government in legally uncharted territory. That is, there are no specific laws or Supreme Court precedents that pertain to the Vice President's office, and so his office is doing that now... I agree that he should be impeached, I just think that that is actually a misrepresentation of what they are saying- Cheney's office is both executive and legislative, and thus is neither....
COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
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mick
said on 6/24/2007 @ 3:44 am PT...
so who's the actual Dictator Of America ?
is it bush or cheney ?
or is it GE ,Boeing or Haliburtons CEO this year ?
Democracy's D.O.A.
COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
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Dredd
said on 6/24/2007 @ 4:45 am PT...
Cheney knows less about civics 101 than a 5th grader.
He "knows" warrantless wiretapping is a function of "his government", but judges disagree:
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge who used to authorize wiretaps in terrorist and espionage cases criticized President Bush's decision to order warrantless surveillance after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Royce Lamberth, a district court judge in Washington, said Saturday it was proper for executive branch agencies to conduct such surveillance. "But what we have found in the history of our country is that you can't trust the executive," he said at the American Library Association's convention.
"We have to understand you can fight the war (on terrorism) and lose everything if you have no civil liberties left when you get through fighting the war," said Lamberth, who was appointed by President Reagan.
The judge disagreed with letting the executive branch alone decide which people to spy on in national security cases.
"The executive has to fight and win the war at all costs. But judges understand the war has to be fought, but it can't be at all costs," Lamberth said. "We still have to preserve our civil liberties. Judges are the kinds of people you want to entrust that kind of judgment to more than the executive."
Lamberth was named chief of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in 1995 by then-Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Lamberth held that post until 2002.
(Myway News, emphasis added). Here is a link that tells more about Judge Royce C. Lamberth at his court website.
You can't trust a shape-shifter from the dark side who does not know how the US Constitution works.
COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
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Floridiot
said on 6/24/2007 @ 5:14 am PT...
#3, Hell, with the voting system we have in place now, he'll probably get elected pResident
COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
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Robin Baneth
said on 6/24/2007 @ 10:40 am PT...
Democrats has been complicit in taking impeachment off the table and explains how it is possible to have lower approval rating than Dictator I and II. Seems like someone would step into the market void and actually become a strong leader. Barbara Boxer? We still have 18 months to go, are we going to make things right or continue to surf porn and watch Soprano reruns. Daily Show and Cobert Report are actually preventing people from rioting in the streets. W and Dick could care less about being laughed at. 18 months to go ...
COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
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CharlieL
said on 6/24/2007 @ 11:56 am PT...
They will go ONE step too far, and then, when all hell breaks loose, we will see some action. They will allow/support the attack on Iran by Israel.
Gas will go to $5.00+ a gallon, US economy will go into a spin, valuations of stocks will start to drop (the rich will get less rich), and reserves of our military will be stretched the their limits.
THEN, we'll see some interesting theater.
Oh, but of course, this COULD happen in September/October as the new season of American Idol, Lost, and Survivor start, so maybe nobody will notice. Or there could be another Paris Hilton or Scott Peterson episode to take our minds off the pathetic mess that the Rethuglicans and Bush have made of our country.
COMMENT #11 [Permalink]
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calipendence
said on 6/25/2007 @ 6:08 pm PT...
If he's not part of the executive branch, might the congress only then need a simple majority to impeach and convict this "dick tater" instead of a 2/3rds majority?